The Cult Has A Song, It Just Needs A Dance

So Obamamania has taken on a whole new meaning in my life — in the form of a mix-cd. Last night I just received the best indication of my political nerdiness factor when a friend sent me a “Hope The World a Better Place” mix cd full of speeches and songs, all with some relation to the Obama campaign, hope or change messages:

itunes.pdf

Better Way - Ben Harper
Don’t Stop - The Rolling Stones
We Shall Overcome -MLK Jr
Running Down A Dream -Tom Petty
Better - LMNO
Waiting On The World To Change -John Mayer
Fired Up And Ready To Go - Bergevin Bros
2004 DNC Keynote Address - Barack Obama
Changes - 2PAC
Hope - Shaggy
I Won’t Back Down - Tom Petty
I Got A Crush On Obama - The Obama Girl
One - U2
Yes We Can - Wii I Am
Signed Sealed Delivered - Stevie Wonder

Previous to this, the Obama campaign has already played an amusing role in my life. It has brought ex-boyfriends who I swore I’d never talk to again back on speaking terms. It has afforded some entertaining road trips through South Carolina and a new found love for “Bo-Tatoes.” It has brought me closer to old friends who choose to text message me absurdities like “DOMINATION” when Obama won a league of states on Super Tuesday.

Overall, I have been quite impressed by the enthusiasm for this election within my generation and now I have my own personal soundtrack to appreciate it all even more.

Obama Fried Chicken

I have yet to really discuss my recent trip to South Carolina this past weekend where I volunteered for the Barack Obama Presidential campaign. I think I am still exhausted from nearly eight hours of “GOTV” (get out the vote) efforts where I knocked on over 200 doors and participated in what turned out to be a landslide victory for Obama. It was definitely worth the long drive and the strange stay at the chain-smoking, divorcee, bandit headquarters: Extended Stay America.

South Carolina, among other things, is a very quirky state. While only eight hours from Washington, DC, it has enough foreign elements to make you realize that you are not inside the beltway any longer. My first observation was at 2 AM on the drive down, when I saw “South of the Border” - the most politically incorrect Mexican amusement park right off Highway 95. It was complete with fake cacti and “Pedroland Park” which boasts of rides named Quadzilla, Wild Sombrero, and The Red Baron Airplanes.

In addition, I just read that one fine establishment in South Carolina started accidentally promoting the “Obama Special” - a two piece mixed chicken plate with white and dark meat - on its menu during the primary season. The NAACP, for one, is not a fan of Obama Fried Chicken.

Restaurant customers order Obama special; NAACP sees a problem

Posted: Jan 30, 2008 08:02 PM EST

COLUMBIA, SC (AP) - The NAACP says a sign on an Aiken restaurant mentioning Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on the same line as a dark and white meat chicken dinner special was either a gross error or insidious racism.

Bullseye Big Chicken owner Bruce Pierson says he didn’t realize the sign might be racially charged until customers started ordering the Obama special.

He says the sign initially said “Welcome Bill and Obama” as a greeting to former President Bill Clinton and the Illinois senator.

It all couldn’t fit on one line, so Pierson put Obama on the second line of the sign along with the two-piece “mixed” dinner.