Newspaper Article

Pop culture saturates presidential campaign

Raasch, Chuck

2004

Overview

When Democratic contender John Kerry described a gathering of musicians and actors who had bashed President [Bush] -- sometimes profanely -- as representing the \"heart and soul\" of the nation, it intensified a pop culture war that has infused the campaign almost since Day One. Republicans struck back quickly, labeling comedians Whoopi Goldberg and Chevy Chase -- who had headlined the fund- raiser for Kerry -- as out-of-touch elitists with nothing more insightful to say than debasing humor or raw profanity. -- The culture has rapidly balkanized into niche audiences, specialty cable channels and proliferating interest groups -- a bird watchers' group recently came out for Kerry. To communicate with people politically, you must crash the niches. That's why Bush or Kerry show up on \"Live with Regis and Kelly,\" or sit down with Jon Stewart's \"Daily Show\" on Comedy Central, but don't appear on \"Face the Nation.\" [Kathleen Hall Jamieson] also thinks that Stewart may be a secret weapon for Kerry because the comedian has been so anti-Bush. Others worry that shows like Stewart's or concert tours awaken voters but don't inform them.

• Publisher: USA Today, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, Inc
• Subject: Bush, George (President) / Felling, Matthew / Kerry, John F / Ruby, David / Stewart, Jon