Merle Haggard: "I don't think we can blame it all on one black man."

[HiPointDem]

55. Yes, he writes the lyrics. Do you think they're particularly sophisticated lyrics?

So far as I can tell he's not said anything about the Tea Party whatsoever. That includes performing at their events or endorsing them in any way. Do you think their posting that video, which is Haggard's music accompanying someone else's content, constitutes an endorsement by Haggard?


He *did* write this song for Obama's election, though:

Merle Haggard pens new song in honor of Obama

Country legend and Oildale favorite son Merle Haggard was so moved by the historic events unfolding in Washington this week that he wrote a song praising President Barack Obama.

Haggard penned “Hopes Are High” late Sunday night and was recording it Tuesday, according to publicist Tresa Redburn.


“Hopes Are High”

Hopes are high, faith is strong
If we all try we can get along
Cause there’s a new day and a brighter day
With a new song to sing along
And there’s sunshine and blue sky
And hopes are high

There’s a blue bird atop a tree
Singing loud for you and me
He’s got a new note and a brighter note
That we should sing and let ring
Cause there’s sunshine and a blue sky
And hopes are high

We’ve got the bad times behind us
And the Good times up ahead
Bet your money on the promise land
And the good things that He said
We got a new style with a sincere smile
And a new song to sing along
And we’ve got sunshine and a new guy
And hopes are high
Hopes are high

http://merlehaggard.com/2009/01/haggard-pens-new-song-in-honor-of-obama/
http://merlehaggard.com/2009/01/a-new-song/


And here's what he said after being a Kennedy Center honoree in 2010:

It was also nice to meet Obama and find him very different from the media makeout. It's really almost criminal what they do with our President. There seems to be no shame or anything. They call him all kinds of names all day long, saying he's doing certain things that he's not. It's just a big old political game that I don't want to be part of. There are people spending their lives putting him down. I'm sure some of it's true and some of it's not. I was very surprised to find the man very humble and he had a nice handshake. His wife was very cordial to the guests and especially me. They made a special effort to make me feel welcome. It was not at all the way the media described him to be.

What's the biggest lie out there about Obama?

He's not conceited. He's very humble about being the President of the United States, especially in comparison to some presidents we've had who come across like they don't need anybody's help. I think he knows he's in over his head. Anybody with any sense who takes that job and thinks they can handle it must be an idiot.

Did you talk to the President much?

I told him, "You and I have something in common: our wives are both taller than we are." And he said "No! She's got on 3-inch heels! And she is not that tall!" He was like me. He grabbed that real quick.

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/exclusive-merle-haggard-on-his-kennedy-center-honor-meeting-obama-and-oprah-and-more-20101228#ixzz1rRK0ohQP


Haggard is less sanguine about Obama today. He had the same reaction to Bush after Abu Ghraib and the Iraq War generally, & all the "terror, terror, terror" stuff. In Obama's case, he doesn't like the health care bill.

No doubt he shares some views with the average tea partier. He's not a liberal; likewise, he's not a fascist. He's said all kinds of things about why he wrote 'Okie,' some of them mutually contradictory.

"Do I contradict myself? Very well then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes."