When you’re a Presidential Candidate, even your music appreciation skills can and will be scrutinized, as Washington Post Style columnist David Segal takes a look at each of the Democratic Presidential contenders personal music tastes, (at least, the ones that responded to his survey).
After reading Segal’s column, I have to agree with him for saying that if musical leanings meant anything in an election, Wes Clark should be the next President of the United States. Even if he doesn’t really like the Beatles all too much. After putting up Clark’s answers to his survey questions, Segal adds:
Mad props to the general for having the courage — for that is the only word — to cough up a Journey tune as a dance favorite. It’d be interesting to know exactly how Clark actually tangos to “Don’t Stop” because the song’s not-quite-a-slow-tune pace doesn’t lend itself to any particular dance moves. You sway to a track like this one and hope that nobody is watching.
And the thought of a deranged Wes Clark belting out “Oh Sherrie” whilst stumbling around with a wine glass in both hands at his Inaugural Ball would definitely be interesting. I think.
The biggest factor is, of course, the “Hipness Factor,” something which is rather hard to define. Segal gives both Dennis Kucinich and John Kerry props, Kerry for having a rock band in high school, Kucinich, for his “eclectic musical tastes.”
The one candidate that Segal conspicuously fails to mention is our current Incumbent. And for that, Segal earns my profoundest relief. George W. Bush is about as hip as a Coal Miner’s Daughter. For the life of me I can’t imagine his essential CD library containing anything other than liberal doses of Sinatra, some Irving Berlin and George “Over There!” Cohen compilations, with a sprinkling of “essential” Showtunes just for laughs.
It’s probably a good thing that “Hipness Factor” is not considered when discussing a candidate’s electability.