It seemed only natural that a certain hip-swiveling crooner would show up at a political rally in Memphis on Saturday. “Elvis” sported a sequined white suit, black shades, slick-backed hair and–of course–carried an “Edwards for President” sign.
The cameras loved him. Journalists interviewed him. Even Memphis voters who had come to hear North Carolina Sen. John Edwards speak about weighty issues such as health care were crowding around Elvis, taking pictures.
Still, in a campaign where much talk has centered on looking “presidential” since former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean let loose a decidedly unpresidential screech in Iowa, Edwards’ staff clearly didn’t want their guy captured on film with a bad fake King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
When the senator began walking toward Elvis–much to the excitement of photographers–one of Edwards’ handlers assessed the situation and steered him in the opposite direction.
The photographers are still complaining about their missed opportunity.
–Kirsten Scharnberg
LINE DRAWN IN THE CHEESE?
Shortly before Howard Dean headed home to Vermont from Wisconsin on Friday, he did a phone interview with a Seattle radio station in a last-ditch plea for votes in Saturday’s Washington caucuses.
One of the hosts on KZOK couldn’t understand what “those cheeseheads” have that Washington residents don’t. Another referred to Dean’s e-mail describing Wisconsin as a make-or-break state for his campaign as “drawing a line in the cheese.”
Unperturbed, the former governor answered their questions almost automatically, as he has done in innumerable radio and television interviews in the past week.
But no one noticed until after he had hung up how host Bob Rivers had thanked Dean for the interview. “Oops,” Rivers said. “I just referred to it as the final days of his campaign.”
–Rick Pearson
STANDING BY HIS MAN
Driving through Tennessee, whose Democratic presidential primary is Tuesday, it’s hard to miss the influence of George Jones.
The country music legend, whose 1969 marriage to Tammy Wynette kicked off his sensational recording career, can be seen on billboards touting his latest success: “George Jones Country Sausage.” (Available, the ads say, in mild or hot, chubs or patties.)
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But Jones has lent his name to another product: retired Gen. Wesley Clark’s campaign. A new commercial is to begin playing Sunday on radio stations across the state.
“Like Wes Clark, I’m no career politician,” Jones says. “But I know a leader when I see one.”
–Jeff Zeleny
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