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Many artists and entertainers are supporting both Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich for president in 2008. Their words and their works can provide one tool of insight into the minds of the candidate's philosophies.
Ron Paul was anointed the dark horse of 2007 by GQ Magazine. Dennis Kucinich appeared in a touted spot on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report where he proceeded to empty his giant pockets. Ron Paul became known as Dr. No, and Kucinich's wife as the first possible first lady with a tongue ring. Despite the dark horse status, somehow, we learned more about these two men than we would like to think. We learned that both believe the Constitution has been routinely ignored by Washington but for nearly diametrically different reasons. And, we learned it all through the lens of what might be called the dark horse media and entertainment industry. While the nightly news casts have thirty minutes and an aging audience, a surge of sorts is launching the impossible candidates to mainstream stardom. But despite Paul's stunning fundraising numbers and Kucinich's stirring message of strength through peace, they both seem to remain marginal candidates to the mainstream entertainment press. A peek into their candidacy's entertainment supporters provides a possible analysis of why.
Aimee Alan, a pop/rock singer and songwriter, lists her stamp of approval for Ron Paul on his campaign website. She even penned a song that has since become the theme for "The Ron Paul Revolution" as its supporters deem the cause. While Paul speaks often and specifically about reinstating the Constitution, Alan's lyrics provide a more cogent and real experience of what an average Paul supporter believes. She sings about "illegal institutions" and "bringing our troops home." Alan also refers to the United States as a "police state." It's no wonder Paul's surge as a candidate has come courtesy of Comedy Central and not CNN or NBC. Whether or not the United States is in fact a police state is a null point. Alan is characteristic of many Paul supporters and this message is one very unlikely to resonate with mainstream viewers. The imagery of Alan's music video is one of a modern American Revolution. While Alan dances in sexually suggestive motions, young men march with powdered white wigs, an image clearly meant to stir passions of the time of the Boston Tea Party. The message is one of a young generation rising up in a modern world to retake transcendent ideals, something not immediately acceptable to middle class, middle-aged America.
Kucinich's approach seems more conventional for campaign politics even while his messages retain many dark horse qualities. Nonetheless, Kucinich has been privy to the same resources as Paul for entertainment purposes. His appearances on comedy shows have shown his ability to lead a different pack. Sean Penn, often known for his vocal opinions on political matters, is a strong Kucinich supporter. His current film dossier includes War Made Easy: How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death, the upcoming films Milk about California's first openly gay elected official and Crossing Over, a "multicharacter canvas about immigrants of different nationalities struggling to achieve legal status," and the foreign film Persepolis, a coming of age story about an outspoken Iranian girl during the Islamic Revolution. Penn's films give engaging insight into what at least one Kucinich supporter likely believes are the best ways to approach the tough issues for America. Often approaching contemporary issues from a humanistic perspective, Penn and the Kucinich campaign has advocated an image of Strength through Peace to retake the Constitution. Penn, however, may offer a bit of a distraction to some of this core message. In a stump speech for the Ohio Congressman, Penn noted that, " ...existing law provides that the likes of Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld, and Rice, if found guilty, could have hoods thrown over their heads, their hands bound, facing a 12-man rifle corps executing death by fire squad." Now there's an image, not necessarily of peace.
As a whole, pulling singular supporters of a candidate and mincing their words to extrapolate the candidates' positions is a dangerous and often unreliable tactic. Paul probably will not ask his supporters or anyone to dress sexually in erotic dance movements, and Kucinich would probably not suggest firing squads for the Bush Administration. We must not forget, though, that each supporter provides a niche, a face of an artistic revolution that makes up the dark horse media. While the campaigns may not condone every message, their listing of these individuals on their websites condones their support.