That said, there are clearly people who at least are aware of the fact I've been opining on the election, (even if they're not reading what I have to write), because more than one has expressed surprise that I'd have the nerve. After all, who the heck do I think I am? I'm just a guy who hangs out at piano bars and goes to the theater (when he can afford it).
And then it hit me- I am eminently qualified to write about this years campaigns precisely BECAUSE of my love of musical theater. The ups and downs of this election season have been nothing if not theatrical. So, I got to thinking- what exactly would the McCain Campaign look like if it were staged with music? What would the "arc" be? With apologies to Lerner, and Lowe, this is what I came up with. (I was once told that every household has at least one copy of the cast album of the musical I'm about to lovingly rip-off, so if you can't follow along without it go put it on the record player. What, people don't have those anymore? I'm screwed.)
ACT 1, SCENE 1:
McCain Campaign Headquarters.
AT RISE: We see JOHN MCCAIN and STEVE SCHMIDT (McCain’s top advisor) sitting on a sofa watching BARACK OBAMA’S latest speech on CNN.
SCHMIDT: I’m telling you boss, we have this in the bag!
MCCAIN: Really? He seems so eloquent!
SCHMIDT: That’s exactly it! America doesn’t like eloquent! Why do you think Dubya was elected twice?
WHY CAN’T THE DEMS
(to the tune of “Why Can’t the English?”)
SCHMIDT: (Sung)
Look at him, a prisoner of his party!
Insisting that it’s good to be a smarty!
By rights he should be taken out and decked,
For insisting on showing off his intellect!
OBAMA VO: (Spoken)
“Nuance.”
SCHMIDT: (Spoken)
“Nuance!
Heavens, what a word! (He sings)
This is why those Democratic asses,
Never can appeal to all the masses!
MCCAIN (Spoken):
Come on, I don’t think that’s the only reason!
SCHMIDT (Spoken):
Isn’t it? (He sings)
Hear him talk about PA,
It will take your breath away!
Saying that it clings to guns and God.
“Obama,” says the NRA,
“Wants to take your guns away!”
That’s how we’ll convince them he’s a fraud!
Hear that Hillary- or worse
Hear a Kennedy converse!
It distances them all right off the bat!
All of them keep their words straight
And make sure they enunciate!
I ask you, John, who wants to vote for that?
It's “nuance” and “smarts” that keep them from their prize
Not our dirty tricks and filthy lies!
Why can’t the Dems teach all their members how to speak?
They have to know their manner is far too slick and sleek!
If you sound like Al Gore does instead of the way Bush sounds
The rural voters throw you to the hounds!
MCCAIN: (spoken)
Seriously?
SCHMIDT:
A Democrat’s way of speaking almost always is defeatist!
The moment he talks he gives us all the chance to shout “elitist!”
Use proper English and they’ll think something’s amiss!
Oh, why can't the Dem’crats learn to
MISpronounce words like “nuke-you-ler” so they hurt a person’s ears?
If you say “ain’t” you’ll hear the voters' cheers!
Words that end “I-N-G?” Make certain the “g” sound disappears!
George Dubya hasn’t used one in years!
Why can’t the Dems teach all their members how to speak?
Looking educated simply makes them all look weak!
If you use proper English you're regarded as a freak!
Oh why can’t the Dem’crats?
Why can’t the Dem’crats
Learn To Speak?
SCENE 1A:
MCCAIN: You have a point. We’re really going to have to choose a running-mate who doesn’t seem too slick, too elitist. So that rules out Romney. How about Lieberman?
SCHMIDT: Lieberman’s a Jew! They’re ALL elitist!
MCCAIN: Oh, right. But who?
SCHMIDT: I’m glad you asked. Let me introduce you to Governor Sarah Palin!
(SARAH PALIN, an attractive woman with bangs and glasses pops up from behind the sofa, momentarily startling MCCAIN.)
PALIN: Ta-dahh!
WOULDN’T I BE MAVERICKY?
(To the tune of “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly)
PALIN: (singing)
I’m feeling bored today I think I’ll shoot a caribou!
SCHMIDT: (humming)
Mmmmmm.
PALIN:
If I’m allowed I think I’ll also ban a book or two.
SCHMIDT:
Mmmmmmm.
PALIN:
When I make policy I just ask what would Jesus do!
SCHMIDT:
Mmmm, Mmmm- Wouldn't she be mavericky?
PALIN:
All I want is a VP spot,
I’m exactly what Biden’s not!
And don’t you think I’m hot?
Oh wouldn't I be mavericky?
Lots of oil in Alaska state
Bible-thumpers will think I’m great!
Make me your running mate!
Oh wouldn’t I be mavericky?
Oh, so mavericky I’ll win over women who liked Hill.
I will really shake things up
When I try to ban the Pill!
I fought off that Bridge to Nowhere
Sure I did! Really- no, I swear!
But you don’t even care
‘Cause wouldn’t I be mavericky?
MCCAIN:
Mavericky?
SCHMIDT:
Mavericky!
PALIN:
Mavericky!
ALL:
Mavericky.
SCENE 2
MCCAIN and SCHMIDT sit on the sofa DSL while PALIN stands USR The two men are prepping PALIN as she pretends to field reporters’ questions.
SCHMIDT (speaking into his pen as if it were a microphone): But Sarah, what do you say to the people who claim your husband was a member of a revolutionary political party that supports the idea of Alaska seceding from the United States? Do you associate with terrorists?
PALIN: Oh, well I don’t know ‘bout that sorta thing, but I’ll tell you who associates with terrorists! Barack Obama, that’s who! Why, he’s friends with someone who by his own admittance wanted to bring down the country! You betcha!
SCHMIDT: Brilliant answer!
MCCAIN: I don’t know- I feel like we should have asked Sarah some of these questions BEFORE we announced her as my running mate! I mean, how’s she going to deal with all these skeletons in her closet?
SCHMIDT: Easy, John- she’s hot! Nobody’s gonna attack a hot woman! All she needs is a little bit of pluck! Watch this! Sarah, some people are saying that you lied when you said you were against the Bridge To Nowhere- how do you respond?
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PLUCK
(To the tune of "With A Little Bit of Luck")
PALIN: (singing)
The Congress gave me four hundred-some million
To build a bridge that I wanted to build
The Congress gave me four hundred-some million,
But
With a little bit of pluck, with a little bit of pluck
I’ll claim I’m the one who got it killed!
With a little bit...with a little bit...
With a little bit of pluck I got it killed!
SCHMIDT: (spoken)
What about the charges against your office back home in Alaska?
PALIN:
Alaska brought an ethics charge against me
On my abuse of power they’re fixated
Alaska brought an ethics charge against me
But
With a little bit of pluck, with a little bit of pluck,
I’ll pretend that I was vindicated!
With a little bit...with a little bit...
With a little bit of pluck it was negated!
Oh, I could tell the honest story
But with a little bit of pluck the charge I’ll duck!
I asked a librarian how I ban books
If I don’t like the messages they share.
I asked a librarian how to ban books-
But
With a little bit of pluck, With a little bit of pluck,
(winking)
I’ll just point out that they’re all still there!
With a little bit...with a little bit...
With a little bit of pluck I’ll say I’m fair!
With a little bit...with a little bit...
With a little bit of lies and pluck!
MCCAIN: (spoken)
But what about your daughter’s…condition?
PALIN:
I am opposed to real sex education
But Bristol’s pregnancy I must report
I am opposed to real sex education
But
With a little bit of pluck, With a little bit of pluck,
I’ll just say
I’m proud she won’t abort!
With a little bit...with a little bit...
With a little bit of luck, she won’t abort!
Sure I may be a big hypocrite
But with a little bit of pluck I’ll dodge the muck!
Oh sure it’s true, my husband wants to secede
And he belongs to radical fringe groups.
Oh ya, it’s true, my husband wants to secede
But
With a little bit of pluck, With a little bit of pluck,
I’ll just wink and make the press my dupes!
(winks)
With a little bit...with a little bit...
With a little bit of pluck the press won’t swoop!
With a little bit...with a little bit...
With a little bit of lies and pluck!
MCCAIN AND SALTER:
She doesn’t have a single explanation
For all the scandals that she’s in knee-deep!
And what she lacks is one qualification!
But
With a little bit of pluck, With a little bit of pluck,
Dumb Americans will make her Veep!
With a little bit...with a little bit...
With a little bit of pluck, they’ll make her Veep!
With a little bit...with a little bit...
With a little bit of lies and pluck!
SCENE 3
A McCain/Palin Rally.
PALIN stands DS as she addresses an unseen crowd.
PALIN:
I’m just so glad to see you all here in what I like to call the ‘real America.” You all have real American values! Not like those people in fake America where they’re all latte-sippin’ elitists! They all think they’re better than you because they had a pair of towers! After all,
I’M A REAL AMERICAN
(To the tune of “I’m An Ordinary Man.”)
PALIN: (sings)
You’re all real Americans,
Who desire nothing more than for our country to stand tall,
And to protect it from the terrorists who wanna see it fall!
You’re real Americans, who like to sit in pews!
Who want us all to be
Completely free
(Unless, of course, you don’t share all our views.)
You’re all real Americans!
But
Let Obama win this race-
And don’cha know, there will be sobs!
He is not like you or I
And our freedoms all will die
When he gives that guy Bill Ayers and his terr'ist slayers jobs!
Let Obama win this race-
And all our liberty he’ll steal!
Can’t you tell the way he talks
And that cocky way he walks
Is elitist! The effete-ist! So we cannot let him beat us- HE’S NOT REAL!
You want to go and do some hunting?
Well, he’ll just take your guns away!
And you can forget goin’ to church-
When he makes it a crime to pray!
Don’t let Obama win this race!
‘Cause that would be a real disgrace!
I can guarantee, you betcha
That the terrorists will getcha
And I know it’s what your thinkin’-
That’s the reason that I’m winkin’!
We can never let Obama win this race!
(PALIN basks in the applause of her supporters and barely flinches when, OS, someone shouts, “Kill him!”)
SCENE 4
McCain/Palin Campaign Headquarters.
MCCAIN stands SL with SCHMIDT. Despite PALIN’S apparent triumph in the previous scene he looks agitated. PALIN sits on the sofa, looking lost and confused.
MCCAIN: I know she’s playing well to the base, but as soon as she goes off message she’s a disaster! How can we let her make this trip to New York?
SCHMIDT: Don’t worry- she’s gonna pose for some pictures and look Vice Presidential. That’s it! We’ve lined up Kissinger and a real top-drawer list of diplomats. All anyone is going to see is poise! I promise!
MCCAIN: You’d better make sure of it! So far she isn’t working out the way you promised!
DON’T LET HER SPEAK TO THE PRESS
(To the tune of "Get Me To The Church On Time")
MCCAIN: (sings)
She’s meeting Henry in the morning!
What they’ll discuss I cannot guess!
Our Iraq missions?
Talk preconditions?
Just don’t let her speak to the press!
She’ll be in New York in the morning!
Make sure she’s wearing a tight dress!
Don’t let her take questions!
That’s my one suggestion!
Please, don’t let her speak to the press!
If they have cameras
Go let ‘em shoot
But if they take notes,
Give ‘em all the boot!
She’s meeting Karzai in the morning!
And this is one thing I must stress!
She’s good at winking!
But not great at thinking!
Don’t you let her speak
Please just don’t let her speak
For God’s sake, don’t let her speak to the press!
SCENE 5
The Vice Presidential debate.
JOE BIDEN, a man with a comb-over and an easy-going smile, stands USL with an unnamed advisor. BIDEN looks confident as his adviser frets. SARAH PALIN stands USR with JOE SCHMIDT. DSL and DSR are two podiums.
ADVISOR: Just remember, Joe- watch the verbal diarrhea! We don’t want any gaffes and we don’t want you to look boring! And be respectful!
BIDEN: Don’t sweat it! For once I’m not the one who has to worry! (He sings)
AT THE V.P. DEBATE
(To the tune of "On The Street Where You Live")
BIDEN: (singing)
I have often talked like a blowhard bore;
But I’ve never met somebody whose skills were so poor!
All at once am I several stories high
Knowing Palin’s the one I‘ll debate!
Did she really hunt from a flying plane?
Can she see Vladimir Putin through her windowpane?
Did she know McCain and Bush share a brain?
I’m so glad Palin’s who I’ll debate!
And oh! I’ll take her to task, too
‘Cause I know she won’t have a plan!
(Stage whispering to SR)
Just hope, they don't ever ask you
Who commands our forces in Afghanistan!
(Singing)
People mock my hair- they don't bother me.
For I’m sure that I will kick her ass on live TV!
Let the time go by, I won't care if I
Make her look bad at the Veep debate!
(The two candidates cross DS, shake hands, and then walk to their podia, while their aides remain USL and USR in the wings. A strobe light turns on and shows BIDEN’S face grow more and more confident as PALIN begins to look like a caribou caught in headlights. After a minute of pantomime, the two shake hands again and walk off USL and USR respectively. SCHMIDT is left standing, alone, USR. Tight spotlight on SCHMIDT as he slowly puts his head in his hands.)
© 2008, Christopher Stansfield. Some rights reserved. This work is licensed to the public under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License, and may only be distributed according to the terms of said license. To view a copy of this license, please click here.
Ha!
ReplyDeleteThis is very well thought out. I can really hear your lyrics matching up to the tunes in my head.
Consider yourself a three-fan blogger now ;-)
Tattoos,
ReplyDeleteMy settings have apparently been in error, and I was unaware you had commented until just now. Thanks so much- I hope you'll keep reading, and I've now added your blog to the ones I keep up with. Just out of curiosity, how did you find me? The mystery of the proliferation of this particular entry has still yet to be solved.