More "Otherism"

The Obama campaign released a pretty tough ad last week featuring a voice-over of Mitt Romney singing "America the Beautiful" while showing images of shuttered factories and text about shipping jobs overseas.  The Romney campaign cried foul and released its own ad suggesting that Obama only cares about his campaign contributors and featuring Obama singing a line from the old Al Green it, "Let's Stay Together".  It's a curious choice, because Obama comes off looking pretty good, but Suzy Welch, former editor of the Harvard Business Review, had an explanation:

 

“It’s the difference between the songs that they’re singing,” Mrs Welch said. “Mitt Romney didn’t exactly do a beautiful job on that song, but think about what he’s singing, OK? I mean it’s that patriotic song and he goes all the way through it. Then you’ve got the very cool Barack Obama singing Al Green. That is the two different Americas. Isn’t it?”

 

It's still a curious choice since the only thing "different" or "otherly" about the song, now such an established part of the American mainstream, is that it was sung by a black man, but maybe that's the point. See also Obama, the Other and America the Bountiful. 

 

Mitt Romney sings a little song

His voice is not so very strong

But it's a patriotic tune,

One he tries his best to croon.

 

Obama sings a different tune

"Let's Stay Together" and commune.

Obama's from the Al Green school

He's really being very cool. 

 

Two different nations isn't it?

One for 'Bama, one for Mitt,

One's ironic, one's sincere

One's so cool, it sports a sneer.

 

One is dark and socialistic

The other's bright and optimistic.

Government paternity

Or Land of opportunity.

 

The GOP is on another

Kick to make the Pres "the Other"

But scaring us with Al Green's song?

That's been mainstream for so long

 

Even white folks like it, Mitt,

You really must be out of it.

We are one nation after all -

Mitt, you shouldn't act so small.