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Edwards Visits Mellencamp Concert- Ends on Sour Note
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ShareNovember 10, 2007 11:35 AM
ABC News' Raelyn Johnson reports: Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., and John Mellencamp have been friends for years, but fans at the singers Iowa concert didn’t appreciate an on stage reunion.
Mellencamp began to sing a few lines of "Small Town" when he stopped and surprised nearly 17,000 concert goers packed into the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. "This guy is from a small town and he just so happens to be running for president of the United States. Is John back there?" Mellancamp asked.
Edwards emerged from backstage and was greeted to competing jeers and cheers. Judging from Edwards's brief stay, it seems the jeers won.
"The good news is, I have been in your small towns, born and raised in a small town, I've been all over your state in small towns and you didn't come to listen to me so I'm not singing, thank you for being here have a wonderful night," Edwards said.
As Edwards left the stage glad-handing, Mellencamp tired to quiet concertgoers saying, "Guys that run for president aren't as stiff as you think they are, they're pretty fun guys, that guy's a pretty fun guy."
All of the Democratic candidates are seeking high visibility this weekend leading up the Iowa Democratic Party Jefferson Jackson Dinner. Mellencamp and Edwards had been in touch for the several days, but staffers were able to keep quiet about the surprise concert.
November 10, 2007 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (9)
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As Edwards left the stage glad-handing, Mellencamp tired to quiet concertgoers saying, "Guys that run for president aren't as stiff as you think they are, they're pretty fun guys, that guy's a pretty fun guy."
this whole coverage is pretty "tired"
Posted by: web | Nov 10, 2007 7:28:25 PM
It was a commercial plain and simple. Maybe his next album can have an Edwards commercial between tracks 4 and 5. People are bombarded with commercials all day long, is it too much to ask to pay concert ticket prices and get a few hours of uninterupted music?
Posted by: Pointless | Nov 11, 2007 12:12:52 PM
Mellankamp of course can invite anyone he wants, on-stage. But he should have learned from the jeers just how that can backfire. Remember the song Bubba used as a campaign tune? "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow"---and that group's LPs dwindled after that tune got used.
The Breck Girl can prance onstage all he wants. If he angers more people who came expecting to get AWAY from politics, this can only help marginalize Edwards more than he has already done to himself by preaching small-town-boy while arriving in a limousine.
Posted by: quiller | Nov 12, 2007 1:05:25 PM
I bought a ticket to a concert and a political rally broke out. It's not the first time that's happened. Remember Paul Weller's funeral? When will the dems ever learn?
Posted by: Karen | Nov 12, 2007 4:33:50 PM
"I know a lot of things, but I don't know a lot of other things" John "Cougar" Mellencamp
Posted by: Karen | Nov 12, 2007 4:36:18 PM
Paul Wellstone? Paul Wellstone was a vehemently political person; for his funeral not to break into a political rally would be a tragedy. If but someone more competent than Walter Mondale had been present to lead.
Posted by: karens editor | Nov 12, 2007 5:12:37 PM
To my invaluable editor, thank you for correcting my error - I realized it after I posted. Paul Wellstone's funeral/rally may have been inevitable, but it cost his party dearly.
Posted by: Karen | Nov 12, 2007 6:25:23 PM
To my editor:
"If but someone more competent than Walter Mondale had been present to lead."
You may want to consider obtaining an editor yourself - it would make your writing much clearer.
Posted by: Karen | Nov 12, 2007 6:36:36 PM
"I bought a ticket to a concert and a political rally broke out. It's not the first time that's happened. Remember Paul Weller's funeral? When will the dems ever learn?"
Paul Weller's dead?! Damn, there goes that Jam reunion.
Posted by: David Watts | Nov 13, 2007 2:30:58 PM
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