Toby Keith Praises Obama, Says He's A Democrat

LOS ANGELES — Barack Obama is getting praise from Nashville, courtesy of one big, patriotic country star.

Toby Keith, perhaps best known to non-country audiences for his post-Sept. 11 song "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue," says he's a Democrat, and was impressed by the senator from Illinois.

Keith has said in the past that the 2002 song _ which included lines aimed at the Taliban like "we lit up your world like the Fourth of July" _ was more patriotic than pro-war.

Asked while promoting his new movie "Beer For My Horses" about the role of patriotism in the current presidential election, Keith replied: "There's a big part of America that really believes that there is a war on terrorism, and that we need to finish up.

"So I thought it was beautiful the other day when Obama went to Afghanistan and got educated about Afghanistan and Iraq. He came back and said some really nice things.

"So as far as leadership and patriotism goes, I think it's really important that those things have to take place. And I think he's the best Democratic candidate we've had since Bill Clinton. And that's coming from a Democrat."

Comments

[fearwig]

If we can win over Kobe Teeth, I guess we've accomplish­ed... uh, something.

[Seldona]

Whatever sells more albums, right Toby?

[ChezMJ]

I've hated Toby Keith since he trashed the Dixie Chicks for exercizing their constitutional right to free speech. I hated the Red Cross for refusing a million dollar donation from the Dixie Chicks. When they apologize, then I'll believe in them again, although I'll never like TK's music.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

Ditto!

[vschicago]

White supremacists support anyone when it's in their interest to do so; not saying TK is one...

[somsoc]

TK laughed about what Clear Channel was doing to the Dixie Chicks, now he says he is a Democrat, but he says Clinton was a better candidate than either John Kerry or Al Gore, no, Clinton was just more of a moderate conservative who shafted little things like Education, the safety net for the poor and failed on issues like Social Security and National Health Care. He had other concerns. FYTK

[meanguy]

he's been a registered democrat for decades...­last time i checked, liking the dixie chicks is not a requirement for party membership; they're not the offical 'party band'...an­d clinton was a far better candidate than those who followed him; he knew how to actually win an election as opposed to pandering to the michael moore/nancy pelosi/bill ayers moonbat wing and going down in flames on election day

[Jessegirl]

Toby is soooooo Democratic now eh?....How convenient.
Just when it looks like people are wondering if he's a racist and
just when it looks like a black man will be our next President, he's all of a sudden
Mr. Open-Minded.
This guy is just AFRAID of being labeled a racist...H­e's only thinking of his career.
He certainly cut the Dixie Chicks NO SLACK when they were labeled "against the troops".
He led his fans down the road to publicly 'mutilate' them.
And now look...Tob­y is AFRAID of his OWN BACKLASH
OH ya!!!!!...­..That's Karma baby!.....­Lick it up!!!!!!

[530Rose]

Celebrities should absolutely speak their minds about issues and candidates. They have the ear of thousands of people. There are more people in this country that watch Entertainment Tonight than Meet the Press or The News Hour.

I listen to entertainers like Keith Olberman, Bill Maher, John Stewart all the time. I don't make decisions based on what they say, but it has made me check things out further and rethink my beliefs occasionally. If country music fans (and there are zillions of them) hear some GOP singer ragging on the Democrats, Toby can be a voice of reason. There are so many people who would listen to him that will never listen to Rachel Maddow.

The Big Tent Party needs all these folks in order to make the changes and sacrifices necessary to return this country to a place to be proud of. Why be so mean when someone tries? You gotta remember the price the Dixie Chicks paid for criticizing Bush and the war. They went from one of the most popular country acts to having trouble filling a concert or selling a record. Not everyone is willing to put their career on the line to speak up like that. I am glad to see that Toby Keith is comfortabl­e/committe­d enough to buck the radio stations that play his music. He has put himself on the line for our party, and this is his welcome?

Don't be mean, leave that to the GOP!

[3ten]

ok. point well taken

[somsoc]

Rose, I have no problem with celebrities or anyone speaking their minds about issues and candidates, even you! But your observation regarding our imbecilic, uneducated and illiterate nation which watches more entertainment tonight than Meet the Press, or others who would be swayed by the likes of Toby over Rachel Maddow, Bill Maher or Keith Olberman, says all too much. It really makes me wonder if we need to have a current events and civics test to qualify for voting. Rose, BTW, the Dixie Chicks went on to Europe, a rather educated area of the western world, and outsold Toby and his ilk, and had one sold-out concert after another for a period of two years. Do some reading, if you can.

[530Rose]

Yeah, they were in Europe when Natalie said what she did. Yeah, they could still sell records in Europe. But the reason the Europeans like to come to the US to tour is Mo Money! And Yes, I can read. I read an interview with Natalie Mains that talked about the effect of that event on her career. I agree with you that it is a sad state of affairs when more people are interested in celebrity stories, shopping at WalMart, and watching Nascar than following politics as closely as we do on this list (a good reason to continue the caucus process, IMHO). However, it is true, and we ignore it at our own peril. I think there should be licenses for all kinds of things - especially voting and parenting. However, who gets to set the standards? You and I may not be in the majority. My point is that unless we can appeal to a broader base, including some of those who have been rabidly against us in the past, we risk losing again (probably not this time). Why not be inclusive? A little sugar goes much further than a bowl of vinegar.

[thelonegunman]

oh oh... the haters in the red staters are gonna Dixie Chicks Toby... (i hear the hate mail churning up and the record demolitions beginning.­..)

[meanguy]

sorry, the rest of the world doesn't fall for carefully selected soundbites-we know toby has not changed, but the loony left has a short attention span

[CindyM2008]

I guess the loony right then does too. The freepers are saying somenasty things about TK.

[LibsRway2funny]

Hell,, I thought Obama was a Socialist!

[scottarino]

hardly, I WISH he were, but...

[spell]

Thanks, Toby, but really, WHO CARES?

[Hellooo]

I care. If Toby has seen the light , welcome to the party.

[OlskoolDem]

Toby Kieth is a Democrat and I'm Patsy Cline,
Toby was an outspoken supporter of GW Bush in 2000 my how ratings have changed,..­..

[Mojane]

"So I thought it was beautiful the other day when Obama went to Afghanistan and got educated about Afghanistan and Iraq. He came back and said some really nice things."

Dang, ain't that sweet and completely stupid. "the other day"? "got educated"? "came back and said some really nice things" ?

Saw him on Colbert once, singing his lynching tune. Where's his sheet? What an dumb lump.

[Keith52]

But he still thinks Barack should conduct business from a separate "Coloreds Only" section of the white house... Ooooh. I feel nauseous just writing that. Ick. Sorry people...

[meanguy]

that smear is completely ignorant, even by PuffHo's 'standards'

[3ten]

too little, too late, Toby. You've been showing your personal aggression, sense of superiority, pro-war colors for many years now. So somebody makes a trip. Did you know anything at all about that person before he did something you thought you could understand, like taking a trip to Afghanistan?

[stevorama]

Seriously doubt TK's pro-lynching anthem (Beer for my Horses) is on O's ipod.

[530Rose]

Well some of us grew up watching Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger rather than Sesame Street. We found out about the Wild West "lynching parties" that typically were a bunch of cowboys paid by the big ranchers to drum up some charges about some poor (white) guy that wouldn't "sell" them his land. Rather than leave it to the courts, they broke them out of jail, hauled them to the nearest tree, and strung them up sometimes leaving them there for days. Women and children watched, enjoying a little entertainment in an otherwise bleak life. If the poor sap was lucky, the "Good Guys" rode in and saved the day. It had nothing to do with race, more with corporate greed. Beer for my Horses has nothing to do with Racism. It is just a stupid song. You gonna rag on Willie for singing it too? Grow up.

[kfdan]

Well, if Toby Keith can come around so can a lot of the NASCAR/country western music crowd! I haven't had much faith in the country western crowd since Hank Williams but perhaps, they aren't asleep!

[530Rose]

There are a huge number of dissatisfied and disenfranchised rednecks in this country. This is our chance to show them the light!