Mama Mia! McCain Can't Take A Chance On ABBA

Per Matt Drudge, Big Mac is having trouble with a campaign song:

He battled the Vietcong but now John McCain has apparently come a-cropper against the Swedes.

The Republican candidate, who had already been banned by John Mellencamp, the American rocker, from using his hits 'Our Country' and 'Pink Houses', found out that he has few fans in Scandinavia when he tried to adopt Abba's "Take a chance on me" as his campaign song. After running into difficulties with the Swedish supergroup, McCain lamented to reporters on board his plane that it wasn't as easy to play the song as he thought.

“It gets expensive in a big hurry and if you’re not careful you can alienate some Swedes,” he joked.“If word gets out to Stockholm that we’re using Abba music, then there’ll be a
worsening in U.S.-Swedish relations.”

Oh, come on - "Take A Chance On Me"?  That will be his Waterloo.

Fortunately, I feel a song coming on - for McCain the only real choice is "My Way", Frankie style (forget the King.)  That is no more generationally ghastly than "Take A Chance" and I know McCain has sung My Way in a boozy bar at closing time.  And how do I know this?  Uhh, because he is a white male over age 50? 

Somewhat more seriously, if McCain's advisers are semi-serious, they ought to check the Tony Bennett collection for a tune - old but hip is McCain's targeted niche.  (I advise against "Who Can I Turn To When Nobody Needs Me").  I wouldn't rule out "Jimmy Mack (When Are You Coming Back) either.

Let's see, I should spread the wealth.  If Hillary is dead set against "It's My Part (I'll Cry If I Want To), then "The Way We Were" by Babs ought to work - it captures Hillary's only demographic (aging white chicks) and plays to the backward looking angst of her whole campaign.

And for Barack?  My choice would be "Sweet Talking Guy", but I'll bet his campaign would prefer to go in a different direction.

This was all so much easier when Big Al went with the peppy "You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon, obvious lib.

Comments

[Bill in AZ]

"Against the Wind" by Bob Seger - should be the theme song of the entire Republican party.

[Don]

That would be "Send in the Clowns"

[Pat Curley]

Or Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right? Of course, I can't hear that song without cringing after seeing Reservoir Dogs.

[Other Tom]

For the first First-Husband-to-Be, "Under My Thumb."

[Cecil Turner]

Oh, come on - "Take A Chance On Me"? That will be his Waterloo.

[shudder] . . . that one was really bad. No Abba. Personally, I'd try a train song (preferably rock: Train Kept a Rollin'; Locomotive Breath). Or he could go for truth in advertising: Rock and Roll ("Been a long time . . .").

[Other Tom]

For Barack, how about "Paint It Black?"

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Peggy Lee's, 'He's a Tramp (but I love him)'.

[Patrick Tyson]

Isn't Obama's Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours?

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

For those not up on their Peggy Lee:

He's a tramp

But I love him

Breaks a new heart

Ev'ry day

He's a tramp

They adore him

And I only hope

He'll stay that way

He's a tramp

He's a scoundrel

He's a rounder

He's a cad

He's a tramp

But I love him

Yes, and even I

Have got it pretty bad

You can never tell

When he'll show up

He gives you

Plenty of trouble

I guess he's just a

No 'count pup

But I wish that he

Were double

He's a tramp

He's a rover

And there's nothing

More to say

If he's a tramp

He's a good one

And I wish that I

Could travel his way

[boris]

Suggest Martina McBride's "Independent's Day"

[Sue]

boris,

That is Sean Hannity's theme song. I'm not too sure he wants to associate that closely with Hannity.

[Rick Ballard]

McCain could do worse than run through a Top Gun medley. Smooth start with Take my Breath Away followed by a bit of Great Balls of Fire plus a piece of the Anthem beginning at 2:38 and kicking over to Hendrix's finish of the "Star Spangled Banner" to close.

Not a campaign song but it would be a great warmup for him.

[centralcal]

Willie Nelson's, "Old Friends."

Old (he is)
Friends (my friends - ad nauseum)

Pretty well covers McCain.

[MikeH]

For Obama - David Johansen/Buster Poindexter's "Hot, Hot, Hot." It just fits in so many ways. "How you feelin'?"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrhf_zgtmAg

[boris]

Heart's "Straight on for You"

(Sue, it was just a pun)

[Rick Ballard]

First exit hints in WI - no numbers:

"But a substantial majority of Democratic voters are women, more than usual for a Wisconsin Democratic primary..."

Now I really want to see the results for CD-2.

[capitano]

Nah, he should go with "Good Old Shoe" from the movie "Wag the Dog" -- it works on lots of levels.

"GOOD OLD SHOE"
Written by Edgar Winter
Performed by Willie Nelson & Pops Staples

[hit and run]

Cecil:
Personally, I'd try a train song

Uh, Ozzy's Crazy Train.

[SusieOh]

For John McCain: either 'Stuck in the Middle with You' (Steeler's Wheel) or 'You May Be Right, I Just Might be Crazy' (Billy Joel).
For Barak Obama: 'It's only Words' (BeeGees)

[SusieOh]

For John McCain: either 'Stuck in the Middle with You' (Steeler's Wheel) or 'You May Be Right, I Just Might be Crazy' (Billy Joel).
For Barak Obama: 'It's only Words' (BeeGees)

[Porchlight]

I still like "Mack the Knife," the Bobby Darin version. Not so flattering to McCain, but it's generationally appropriate, a killer song, and "oh the line forms on the right, babe, now that Macky's back in town....."

[Rick Ballard]

Geraghty is hearing differnt results:

"I'm hearing that after two waves of data, Wisconsin looks like a blowout in favor of Obama, in the neighborhood of 60 percent to 40 percent."

[Other Tom]

Porchlight, you ever hear the Lyle Lovett version of the origial (known as "Moritat")? It plays during the closing credits of the flick Quiz Show, and is an all-time downer. A few stanzas:

"Jenny Towler, she turned up lately
With a knife stuck through her breast
While Macheath, he walks the embankment,
Nonchalantly unimpressed

"And the ghastly fire in Soho,
Seven children at a go--
In the crowd stands Mac the knife, but
He isn't asked, he doesn't know

"And the child bride in her nightgown,
Whose assailant's still at large
Violated in her slumbers
Mackie how much did you charge?"

[RichatUF]

Rick-

Kick a quaking rootball real hard and see what happens?

Lifting this from the other thread-I have, and with Sam Adams as my co-pilot, I came up with a sketch of 3 possible scenarios for the DNC through the end of the convention. Most possible comes down to the lowest common denominator of the best organized factions of the religious left and trial lawyers [which may explain the Gramscian race baiting {if Team RW can push Jewish(mostly 'white') and RC ('white' and 'hispanic') RL voters into her camp, she can draw the trial lawyers and the issues they follow/create}]; however, I've got a few other combinations as well-some more destructive than others. I need to do some more research for some numbers to confirm a few things, but I think I might be heading in the right direction.

The odd thing about it all is that I haven't really come up with anything good regarding the OFF constellation that has been forming around BHO. I'm thinking it might be a Chicago/Hyde Park specific issue-maybe something regarding the CME/CBOT or maybe even Farrakhan-not sure without more research on his time in Chicago.

On WI I came up with a tie: RW [49.4, 50.4] BHO [50.6, 49.6]. Watch it be a BHO blow out, and I can hit the bar after polls close!

Can't really come up with any good songs-how about the 1812 Overture for McCain and Revolutionary Etude for BHO. We could get dueling symphonies-at least it would be a change for the better!

[Porchlight]

You're right, OT, the Darin version is cleaned up pretty substantially from the original. I guess with Brecht lyrics one shouldn't expect much sunshine. Probably best for McCain to stick with "Jimmy Mack" after all.

[hit and run]

Um, people, it's quite easy.

For McCain, you pick from this soundtrack.

Of course, Maverick by Restless Heart would be a natural choice, but I have to confess, I am cannot remember that song (and I have to confess Maverick is one of my favorite movies, make of that what you will).

Don't overlook Waylon Jennings, You Don't Mess Around with Me (warning: amazon.com wmv link)

My game is the winner take all
I live on the edges so I'm subject to a fall
I ain't never been a loser I ain't never gonna be
I'm like runnin' in a ringer you don't mess around with me.

[capitano]

Tiger Woods by Dan Bern

Heard this on XM yesterday, it's perfect for McCain to distinguish himself from the Dems, but semi-NSFW (lyrics)

[hit and run]

From Ambinder, quothing CBS:

Info from our trusty pals at CBS News: this electorate is very white; only four in ten have a "college degree." They're "less affluent" than Dems in other states. The percentage of late deciders is declining: only 27% made up their minds within the last seven days.
-- Issue number one is, of course, the economy, followed by health care... adding the economy and health care brings you to nearly 70% of the electorate.
-- Change trumps experience, 52 to 24.
-- Very few first time voters -- only 17%.
-- 27% of the electorate were independent
-- Clinton was seen as the most unfair attacker;
-- Obama (55%) was seen as the candidate most like to improve relations with the res tof the world.
-- Clinton and Obama are seen as equally qualified to be commander in chief (50% and 48%), while Obama draws 60% or more on the questions of who best can unite the country and beat the Republicans.

[Rick Ballard]

Rich,

The next RW ploy is going to be an examination of BHO on third trimester abortion by the media using the "Republicans are sure to" line again. If she happens to get creamed tonight, count on it before the end of the week.

Recruitment of Alinsky Acolytes usually occurs during their undergraduate years from what I've noticed. Some kindly professor notices an interest in Howard Zinn type history and follows up with helpful sugestions. Gramscians work on an affinity basis - there has to be a little rot already started. They pick up the scent and see where it leads.

[PeterUK]

Neil Sedaka's Oh Carol.

"Obama I Am But a Fool
Darling I Love Though You Treat Me Cruel
You Hurt Me And You Make Me Cry
But If You Leave Me
I Will Surely Die".

[hit and run]

Mike Allen emailed Ben Smith at politico:

The party officials said that if the trends reflect in the interviews with hundreds of Badger State voters, the news out of the primary will be: Obama encroached deeply into three of Clinton’s core groups of voters — women, those with no college degree and those with lower incomes — while giving up none of his own. However, Clinton looked to be winning senior citizens, the officials said.

Listen, I know what YOU're thinking and it's just not right. Not right. It should be rightfully and righteously denounced for what it is. Crude.

I cannot believe that YOU, when faced with the statement that Hillary is winning the senior citizens vote thought, "she's winning the message of change....'Change my Depends!'"

That's unconscionable.

YOU should be ashamed.

I rightfully and righteously denounce YOU!

[Jane]

Micky Kaus says that when Hillary faces a brutla loss, she gets a surge of people who feel sorry for her - while when she wins the opposite happens. So a loss in Wisconsin is okay. I'm not sure about his logic since she has lost 8 in a row.

[Jane]

brutla? I like that word.

[Jane]

Gawd get that woman off the stage with McCain. She looks just like Cindy Sheehan.

[Ann]

Jane, just turned on Fox. What woman? His wife?

[Jane]

Nah, a woman in red. She is out of the camera shot now, thank goodness.

[Sue]

(Sue, it was just a pun)

Damn, I'm slow. I just thought you didn't know how to spell independence. ::grin::

[Jane]

Good for McCain talking about Castro, Chavez, and Pakistan. Take that Obama!

[SteveMG]

For the life of me, I've never understood the thinking behind people who go to a website and, like a four year, pull their little penises out and wag it around.

Who are they trying to fool? Or impress?

You're sitting behind a computer typing on a keyboard and acting tough to a bunch of folks you'll never meet.

Geezus.

[Sue]

Who are they trying to fool? Or impress?

Who are you talking to?

[Jane]

Steve,

I'm trying to figure out who you are talking to. Perhaps I am a voyeur.

[hit and run]

You know, I found Obama's Chavez/Cuba statement released today acceptable.

And I mean that in a I didn't expect to be able to accept them way.

I laid down my cynicism momentarily to applaud Obama.

And I found much to be cynical about regarding Obama's previous Cuba stance...if he had pushed that again today, he would have *renewed* his call to rollback the Bush position on trade/travel with Cuba. He didn't. That's kewl.

OK, picking my cynicism back up again, you commie in Hope's clothing.

[hit and run]

Chavez/Cuba?

Oh, cripes...

It's the THREE BUCK CHUCK TALKING!!!

Castro/Cuba, of course.

Long live Chuck!!!!

[hit and run]

SteveMG:
pull their little penises out and wag it around.

Do NOT go back to the "Democrats Looking For Their Pride" thread.

I beg you.

[Sue]

Did Hillary just make a jab at McCain? I'm not sure I heard her correctly but her cranky conservative remark...was it referring to McCain?

[hit and run]

Sue:
Damn, I'm slow. I just thought you didn't know how to spell independence. ::grin::

You fell victim to the fourth great blunder.

1) Never get involved in a land war in Asia
2) Never go all in against a Sicilian when death is on the line
3) Never get between hit and run and the beer
4) Never argue with boris when the topic is music

[hit and run]

CNN has called WI for Obama...with 6% reporting.

It's 55-44 right now

[Ann]

but does anyone else see her looking in a mirror and aging quickly into a ravaged witch while screeching ''ITS MY TURN YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING IDIOTS".

[vnjagvet]

RW did not live up to my expectations.

McCain did.

[Sue]

Obama's speech is lacking tonight. For some strange reason.

[hit and run]

Geraghty:

ANOTHER UPDATE: Wow. To twist in the knife, Barack begins his victory speech tonight while she's still giving her not-very-concessionary concession speech. CNN switches over.

"Houston, I think we've achieved lift-off."

Hey, the last person to pull the big step on someone else's speech was Romney, by the way.

But, hey, I also like the not so subtle Texas reference there.

[Jane]

Obama is downright ugly tonite. Same jokes, no bona fides on Iraq, and the same old rhetoric. "The fierce urgency of now" isn't you Obama.

[Ann]

Typepad just posted half my comment. I was trying to credit Rick for his Red Witch mental image. Hillary does not look good tonight.

Of course, typepad posted SteveMG's visuals, go figure!

[Other Tom]

"It appears that Mrs. Clinton has absorbed another savage drubbing tonight."

--Howard Cosell, from beyond the grave

[Elliott]

After "Madison," "Houston," etc., "my friends" isn't quite as grating.

[Jane]

So Obama will end the war AND global warming? Will it be in the first 100 hours? will that be business hours or regular hours?

And how does one "end global warming"? Will he shoot the sun?

The man sounds shallow, and we have heard this speech before. Seems like tonite he should at least mention Cuba, or Pakistan. Does he still plan to invade?

I must be ahead of the curve, but his commuppance is coming.

If only we would be better neighbors.

Indeed.

[Sue]

Jane,

He is stumbling through his speech. Something he hasn't done much in the past. I'm wondering if they are feeling the heat of his using other people's words as his own and Michelle's lack of pride.

[Jane]

Must be a bad teleprompter. The halo is fading.

[Elliott]

Indeed, OT. An injury inside the final five minutes means she will be charged a timeout.

I have on at least one occasion shamelessly and without proper citation inserted "absorb another savage drubbing" into a recent discussion of the Democratic primaries. It looks like I will have the opportunity to repeat that behavior.

[vnjagvet]

Those damn CEO's. We've got to penalize them.

[Jane]

This is funny:

NBC reprimands employee for using picture of bin Laden behind Obama story

NEW YORK - NBC News said Tuesday it has reprimanded the employee responsible for mistakenly flashing a picture of Osama bin Laden on MSNBC as Chris Matthews talked about Barack Obama.

"This mistake was inexcusable," MSNBC spokesman Jeremy Gaines said.

It happened during the opening of "Hardball" Monday evening. Matthews was previewing a story on the controversy over Obama's use of another politician's words, and a picture of bin Laden briefly flashed on the screen beside him with the headline "Words About Words."

[centralcal]

Haven't read the thread, but damn - Obama is fading fast! I guess he ran out of Deval's catchy phrases?

[Sue]

Jane,

I read that earlier and noticed they mentioned everyone who had slipped and called Obama Osama but Ted Kennedy. Wonder why they left him out?

[Jane]

This is really a bad speech. Really bad.

[vnjagvet]

The catalogue of "stuff".

Art music science literature and social science in the schools.

$4,000 college student tuition for working in a homeless shelter.

Damn, I can't keep up.

[Elliott]

Sue,

Obama was quite keen to tell the world that a six-year old had led the crowd in the pledge of allegiance.

[Sue]

Jane,

Rich Lowry makes the point it isn't great rhetoric because he is trying to lay out policies.

[hit and run]

Yes, the exit polls do indicate a savage drubbing by Obama.

The only thing I see interesting at a glance it the male/female breakdown:

Vote by Gender and Marital Status
                             &nbspClinton  &nbspObama
Married Men (27%)       &nbsp36%   &nbsp63%
Married Women (35%)   &nbsp51%   &nbsp47%
Unmarried Men (16%)    &nbsp26%   &nbsp70%
Unmarried Women (22%) 51%   &nbsp49%

Hillary barely carried the women, and Obama cleaned up with us men.

Misogynists, the lot of us.

Don't worry, Hillary, if I rouse myself from the couch on May 9 -- and if you're still in the race -- I find myself in need of saying for some strange reason -- I will prove myself sufficiently misogynless.

Or whatever.

[Sue]

Holy Mother of God. He is going to apologize to the world. This man is dangerous.

[RichatUF]

Sue-

Obama's speech is lacking tonight. For some strange reason.

Its his economic plan: puff, fluff, and stuff. Oh good he is introducing a "public service draft"-and the crowd cheered.

Going out on a limb, dancing around immigration-tough, but not so tough. CIC, my job will be to keep you safe...maintaining the finest military in the word...caring about our troops when they come home...deploying our military wisely...the war in Iraq has been unwise...distracted us from Afghanistan...anti-American radicalism...I will end the war in 2009 and bring the troops home...I want to end the mindset that got us in the war-the politics of fear...using 9/11 as a political weapon of fear...we should never fear to negotiate...to solve differences without the resort to war...I want to go before the world and say that America is back and that we are ready to lead...lead to end the genocide in Darfur...lead by example by [restoring...?] civil rights and human rights...

all these things are possible if you are ready for change...

[how is a warmed over 3rd Way politics of Bill Clinton change and how would it reduce anti-American radicalism?]

[Ann]

Marshmallows, peace, screw Iraq, pander, pander, keep you safe, provide the troops with equipment, no more homeless Vets
...he is clueless and the music behind him should be "The Candy Man Can"

[MayBee]

ZZZZzzzzzZZZZZzzzz

He is off. And I like him, but he is off tonight.

[Jane]

My gawd the man needs to shut up. He's not doing himself any favors.

You know it's funny. I have a similar background to Barack. I was raised by a single parent who thought education was the most important thing in the world. She gave me a work ethic, instead of hope. I guess that is why I'm not president.

[centralcal]

Omigod - where is the hook? This man doesn't know how to end his "speech!"

[Sue]

I guess that is why I'm not president.

Texas hasn't voted yet, Jane Bean. Give it time.

[RichatUF]

Sue-

Link to his issues site which sketches out some of this.

Hope...The Audacity of Hope...health insurance to every American...change our energy policy...poverty over centeries...improve our schools...that will take some time

politicians who will turn us on each other...and I know this...I have fought...I know this...nothing in this country has ever happened without someone having hope [?]

[Other Tom]

Good God! How long can this man talk? Do we have a new Fidel Castro here?

Show of hands: how many think this fellow is becoming a bit too full of himself?

[MayBee]

We're hearing his Manifesto.

[MayBee]

And I mean that in the Unibomber sense, not the communist sense.
I'm certain we are being held hostage.

[hit and run]

Rich (quoting Obama):
I want to go before the world and say that America is back and that we are ready to lead

Won't SOMEBODY PUHHHLEASE ask him if he's ever been proud of his country in his adult life?

And then ask him for specifics.

And then ask him about the time period between Jan 2001 and present.

[centralcal]

He is still going ... Like the energizer bunny!

[MayBee]

It's like the movie Speed, but with a political speech and not a bus.

[Jane]

I hope the whole country saw that travesty of a speech. Yikes!

[Rick Ballard]

Imagine yourself a seasoned Dem political hand - say a Superdelgate. How would you feel watching that third rate county fair barker?

WI-02 (Madison - Dane County) is going for BHO at almost 2/1. My theory is just shot to pieces and now I'm wondering if RW can actually stop him in TX, OH and PA. This could be '72 all over again.

[Jane]

I loved the part where he talked about how bad the VA is and he wants to put the feds in charge of all health care. DUH

[Jane]

I'm okay with '72. That was my first campaign. (I was of course on the other side)

[Sue]

My husband just said he is going to retire early if Obama wins the general election. His reasoning is Obama is going to give me everything he provides me with now so why not just spend everyday at the airport instead of the few he gets to now.

[centralcal]

Other Tom: raising both my hands - really high and waving. Oh - he's really full of himself! Too bad tonite he was a gasbag - 45 minutes worth!

[MayBee]

No. Hillary can't stop him.
Her speech was really lame, too.
Like how she's going to provide insurance for the young mother who's insurance company wouldn't pay for the procedure her son needs.
And about how Obama's insurance plan doesn't get some people insurance, and who are you going to leave out (answer:those that choose not to pay).

[hit and run]

Other Tom:
Good God! How long can this man talk? Do we have a new Fidel Castro here?

Show of hands: how many think this fellow is becoming a bit too full of himself?

1) Let's just note for posterity (and it's been noted elsewhere, this idea is not unique from me) -- Castro DID NOT "outlast" George W. Bush. That seems to be a favorite line of the MSM, Castro outlasting so many presidents, as if the 22nd Amendment was just a polite suggestion or something.

2) Is Obama just now becoming too full of himself -- is this race changing what he was months or years ago? Hmmm, good question.

I tend to think he has thought this way about himself for years. And has opportunistically stepped into this political moment in time to assert himself.

He feels the WH is every bit as much his as does Hillary.

[Sue]

I'm wondering if his rock star quality will last all the way to November. I know McCain is boring. But he is going to kick Obama around on the issues. If anyone is listening by then.

[RichatUF]

Jane-

I loved the part where he talked about how bad the VA is and he wants to put the feds in charge of all health care.

His bit about veterans was lifted from Edwards [watchout for IVAW and their little "Winter Soldier II"]. It made me grind my teeth. And look, its a BHO blow out, looks to be bar time. Nighters-

[Sue]

Folks, I've just become a full on McCain supporter. I am about to write my first check to the elect McCain campaign. I fully realize I am eating every word I've ever said.

The Mac is back!

[Ann]

Good Gawd, it is over. Did anyone notice that the crowd behind him looked as bored as we were. Empty is what I would call it.

And Hillary looked liked a witch that someone might pour water on.

I think we are good to go, even with McCain. Still wish I was more excited about our guy.

[Topsecretk9]

Well, just talked to dear old Democrat mom...Michelle's proud comment "pissed" her off and now she likes Hillary.

[Patrick Tyson]

The speech tonight (to which I paid a few seconds attention) was meant for no one here. McCain and Obama are moving into the next phase. It'll be something of a surprise if Obama doesn't run the table now.

[Jane]

I'm off too - see you all in the AM. I will play the part of alarm clock!

[centralcal]

Tops! Way too funny! LMAO! Gotta love your mom!

[vnjagvet]

As often happens, binary decisions make things much easier.

I always hated multiple choice tests.

[Topsecretk9]

Rats. Night all.

--

Yeah Cent.

Good golly I love her, but talk about a day late and a dollar short. I should say though, my mom is a decalred Democrat who doesn't know Fox news is "faux" news and as a democrat you are not supposed to watch it. (I'm not going to tell her either!)

She said she heard about Michelle Obama's comment from Edie in the morning. She has six children, did you know that [Top],? my mom asked.