I love Willie: great songwriter, great singer, great eccentric personality, still a loose canon at 70 freaking years of age. But none of that means he knows dick about politics, in fact as we have discussed in great detail, length and variety in the past, perhaps all of those good things specifically lead to someone not knowing dick about politics.
Willie has endorsed the tiny terror, Dennis Kucinich for president:
- WILLIE NELSON ENDORSES CONGRESSMAN DENNIS KUCINICH FOR PRESIDENT
One of the most beloved figures in popular music and culture is endorsing the populist candidate, Dennis Kucinich.
Statement from Willie Nelson:
"I am endorsing Dennis Kucinich for President because he stands up for heartland Americans who are too often overlooked and unheard. He has done that his whole political career. Big corporations are well-represented in Washington, but Dennis Kucinich is a rare Congressman of conscience and bravery who fights for the unrepresented, much like the late Senator Paul Wellstone. Dennis champions individual privacy, safe food laws and family farmers. A Kucinich Administration will put the interests of America's family farmers, consumers and environment above the greed of industrial agribusiness.
I normally do not get too heavily involved in politics, but this is more about getting involved with America than with politics. I encourage people to learn more about Dennis Kucinich at http://www.kucinich.us and I will be doing all I can to raise his profile with voters. I plan to do concerts to benefit the campaign."
"It's an honor," commented Rep. Kucinich, "to earn the support of a man who has come to symbolize the best values of America." Kucinich is a four-term member of Congress from Ohio, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and leading critic in Washington of the Bush Administration's foreign and domestic policies. He is an advocate for family farmers.
My feelings on Kucinich are expressed here and here - they are not favorable.
Article comments
1 - Natalie
Willie rocks!
No, I don't and won't use the world's coolest septuagenarian as a political barometer. (But then, I don't vote for the best politician; I vote for the best person.) However, I support Kucinich, the only anti-war candidate.
2 - Brian Flemming
I think it is safe to dismiss "tiny terror" and (in those other threads) "vicious chihuahua," "deranged demagogue" and "munchkin" as serious criticisms of Dennis Kucinich.
3 - BJ
Uggh.
4 - Eric Olsen
I knew all three of you were going to say what you did, or at least the first two of you.
Being in Cleveland, some of those terms are code that doesn't bear further explanation here - feel free to dismiss all but "demagogue" which he most certainly is, and I will add "opportunist": he didn't suddenly see the light about a woman's right to choose until he decided to run for president and noted the glaring disparity with the rest of his populist, borderline-socialist agenda. He is anti-free trade, an unabashed protectionist, and if I will be forgiven by a long line of farmers on my mother's side, there is nothing magical about the family farm. It is time we offer less, not more protection to farmers. Thank you, please vote for me.
5 - clslate
Both Kucinich and Willie get my vote.
6 - Al Barger
Willie's endorsement of Kucinich reminds me of the time he hosted Saturday Night Live some years ago. His centerpiece sketch was "Great Moments in the History of White Trash." For Dennis Kucinich, as Willie said of his fan base, "He never amounted to much, but he sure was good people."
7 - Natalie
Goddamn my predictability. ;)
Well, Eric, Kucinich is a politician. Gore changed his position on a woman's right to choose as well, right? And one can support that right without supporting abortion. That's how many Catholic pols deal with the issue.