The Dead vote: What was Obama thinking?
February 5th, 2008 by Wade Tatangelo in NewsI like the Grateful Dead. Own a half-dozen of their albums. I even listen to a couple — American Beauty, The Closing of Winterland — pretty regularly. But I wouldn’t seek their support if running for president. No way.
Especially if I was Barack Obama. But here we are on the biggest primary day in history and publications nationwide are running headlines like: “Grateful Dead and Deadheads reunite for Obama.”
Did the presidential hopeful not realize The Dead are perhaps most famous for advocating the intake of marijuana and LSD?
Not a smart move. Especially considering Obama’s confessions of experimenting with marijuana and cocaine as a teenager. A story that the Clinton Machine strategically revived on the campaign trail. One that will surely resurface in the paws of the Republicans.
It could have been worse for Obama. At least the candidate opted to send a videotaped message instead of making a personal appearance Monday at the Dead’s show in San Francisco — where he might have been subjected to a very un-presidential contact high.
Reuters reports:
The concert started with a short video from Obama, filmed on an airplane, thanking the band. A thick cloud of marijuana smoke wafted through the air then and throughout the concert, and some fans engaged in free-style dance as though magically transported from 1968.
Politicians really have nothing to gain by courting rock stars. A singer might fill stadiums but can she deliver votes? It’s doubtful. Look how much the 2004 Vote for Change Tour — featuring heavyweights Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam and others — helped Kerry.
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February 5th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
well, the majority of the people that attended the aforementioned show in san fran were probably all around 50 years old, own nice homes in and around the city, have very well paying jobs, and are very engaged in their local neighborhoods and local politics. i doubt that there were too many 18 to 21 year old “trustafarians” at the show. the folks who were there will vote. they were probably going to vote obama already, but they will vote. have you been to san fran and the height-ashbury area recently? all the left-overs from the 60’s grew up and made good. kids that reek of patchouli still flock there like it’s some kind of meca, but they soon find themselves homeless, unable to afford the yuppie rent. the “vote for change” tour failed because they targeted college kids, who for a variety of reason don’t vote as much as they should. and by having his video aired at the dead show, obama reached a target audience. and doing it by video, he avoids the attacks that he was present when “A thick cloud of marijuana smoke wafted through the air then and throughout the concert” (though he’ll still get some shit from fox news about it, i’m sure). smart move on his part.