Interesting. Since 1992, Nashville stars have given more to Democrats than Republicans

[wyldwolf]

On a warm evening last month, country music star John Rich strode onto a flag-draped stage in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., and struck a pose in front of a "Fred Thompson for President" banner.

"I want to tell you," he told the cheering crowd in Thompson's hometown, one of many he's sung for in the two months he's spent on the campaign trail with his candidate of choice, "Country music in general is behind Fred Thompson for president of the United States. He's the only candidate, as far as we're concerned."

Well, not exactly.

Rich may be on the Thompson bandwagon — as well as the candidate's Tennessee fundraising committee — but the other half of the hit duo Big & Rich, partner "Big" Kenny Alphin, gave $2,300 to Democrat Barack Obama this summer.

The Tennessean studied 15 years' worth of federal campaign-finance records, searching for donations from Nashville stars, and the results show that political opinions are as divided on Nashville's Music Row as they are in the rest of the country.

Hollywood has a reputation for dabbling in politics, but Nashville stars do their fair share of politicking too.

Since 1992, donations to Democratic candidates have outnumbered Republicans by a ratio of three-to-one, due in part to six-figure donations from Bonnie Raitt, who, at best, falls into the Americana category. Even without Raitt's largess, Democratic-leaning artists come out slightly ahead in their political giving compared to their Republican counterparts.

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The Dixie Chicks — whose anti-Bush remarks in 2003 sparked a harsh backlash among conservatives — give to Democrats. The Oak Ridge Boys give to Republicans....

Willie Nelson supports Dennis Kucinich. Mitt Romney has Randy Owen in his corner. Raitt gave to both Kucinich and John Edwards. Randy Travis is a Bill Richardson fan. Toby Keith, a lifelong Democrat, started giving to Republicans after 9/11.

Merle Haggard wrote a campaign jingle this year for … Hillary Clinton?

"This country needs to be honest," Haggard sings in "Hillary," the single he introduced during a cross-country tour this year. "Changes need to be large/Something like a big switch of gender/Let's put a woman in charge."

Thunderstruck fans of the man who wrote the anti-hippy anthem, "Okie from Muskogee," greeted the new song with cheers and jeers when he sang it at a Seattle concert in March. Media there reported some people left the auditorium wondering if Merle was pulling their leg.

He wasn't.

"I might be biting myself in the leg here," Haggard said in an interview last week with National Public Radio, acknowledging that there isn't a lot of overlap between his fan base and Clinton's.

Haggard stops short of an actual endorsement of the Democratic senator from New York. But after a lifetime of voting Republican, Haggard has declared himself fed up with the war, with American jobs going overseas and with Wal-Mart replacing mom-and-pop shops. He says he's ready to vote for a Democrat.

"Things have changed around me," he said. "I still believe in my country, but I don't believe in some of the people running it."

more...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-10-30-country-campaign_N.htm

[TNDemo]

1. We're a blue county in a red state.

Although people tend to think of Nashville as completely red, more than half of us aren't.

[cobalt1999]

2. This Haggard quote is why the Democrats win big in 2008...

"But after a lifetime of voting Republican, Haggard has declared himself fed up with the war, with American jobs going overseas and with Wal-Mart replacing mom-and-pop shops. He says he's ready to vote for a Democrat."

I've heard the same sentiment from many lifelong republicans.

[riqster]

4. Republicans aren't Republicans any more

...Look at what they do, as opposed to what they say. They are fiscally irresponsible, love to start wars overseas, and stick their noses into people's private business. Three main planks in the Reep platform have been burned to ashes by the Reaganistas and their descendents.

Smart voters who see through the rhetoric to the actions of the Reeps are waking up.

[zbdent]

3. The Oak Ridge Boys gave to Republicans?

Was this before or after Osama bin Laden left the group?