Evergreens and the Election Year in the United States

Not a man of great spontaneity anyway, Mitt Romney never seems more forced than in those instances when he suddenly pauses during campaign appearances as if in the grip of an extraterrestrial power. This is when the former consultant, who is known for his cool wit, bursts out with bright excitement and jubilates: "Our country is so beautiful! As beautiful as only hymns and songs can be in which we praise our wonderful homeland!" Thankfully, Romney spares his audience the singing rendition; but he quotes with poorly feigned spontaneity one, two, or – when succumbing to an especially strong bout of patriotism – even three lines from the old song “America The Beautiful." He gives homage to the "amber waves of grain" in the same way as to "God [who] shed his grace on thee" and the "heroes" wandering thereupon. Romney engages in this exercise, with his head thrown back and his eyes directed to the heavens, before turning to his audience and rejoicing: "I love this country!"

Embarrassing Entreaties

The song, written in 1893 by a lady English professor at the elitist Wellesley College, is easier on the ear than the national anthem and therefore a staple of the patriotic song repertoire. For Romney, "America The Beautiful" is a vehicle to demonstrate closeness with the person on main street, who was probably quite shocked after learning of the Mormon's tremendous wealth. But with his embarrassing entreaties of grains and heroes Romney also follows the example of the current President. Barack Obama harnessed "Of Thee I Sing," the other hymn that is almost more popular than the "Star Spangled Banner," to pull his political cart.
    Also known as "America, Of Thee I Sing" is from 1831. Obama allowed himself to be inspired by it after his election to create a picture book that he dedicated to his daughters Malia and Sasha. Using 13 heroes in American history, the book sets out to showcase for America's youth model virtues such as courage, creativity and love of others. The number 13 was chosen to honor the 13 colonies that cast aside the British yoke 230 years ago. The selection of the heroes also has heavily patriotic overtones as it includes national icons such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King. In these ranks Obama places celebrities who represent the clientele of his democratic party - like Latino activist Cesar Chavez or African America artist Billie Holiday and athlete Jackie Robinson. With the double page on Albert Einstein, Obama demonstrates his reverence for America's Jewry.

    Though the heroes may be of different skin colors, Obama white-washed them all into symbolic icons for this simple lesson: "America is made up of people of any kinds" who should "help each other up and work together" – for the good of the nation. This had already been the credo of his keynote address to the Democratic National Convention in 2004 laying the foundation to Obama's meteoric rise as the carrier of hope for his party. But after three years in the White House, he had to realize that the stock price for feelings of togetherness and fellowship is currently at a low point. Obama recently came up with a song to address this problem as well: at an event before an African American audience, he led his spectators in the soul classic "Let´s Stay Together" by Al Green. The chosen title can leave no doubt as to his intention; although they have suffered the most under the recession and persistent high unemployment, African American voters, please, do not abandon "your President."

"Sweet Land of Liberty "

The other candidates in the Republican camp have thankfully spared voters songs and musical interludes so far, although Catholic candidates Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich certainly had enough reason to seek spiritual strength in a hymnal. At least Gingrich, however, cannot make do completely without Patriotic songs. His current wife No. 3 recently published a picture book that leaves Obama's opus far behind in the dust of yonder in terms of kitsch and banality: in "Sweet Land of Liberty"– which is a line from "Of Thee I Sing" – Callista Gingrich recounts the story of "Ellis, the Elephant." It is no coincidence that she chose this trunked animal because the elephant is her party's mascot. Naturally, the name "Ellis" is a reminder of the island by the same name in New York harbor where the ancestors of so many Americans began their new lives in the "Sweet Land of Liberty."
    "Sweet Land of Liberty" is often offered for sale at Newt Gingrich's campaign events, next to the numerous works by the candidate. Should his bid for the presidency fail, as a book tour the campaign has certainly been a worthwhile undertaking. Curiously enough, the impossible story of Ellis has at least one commonality with Newt Gingrich's own political appearances: like in "Sweet Land of Liberty," African American faces are absent from the campaign events of the seasoned politician from Georgia. And this, even though the "Peach State" produced artists like Little Richard, James Brown and Otis Redding as well as an entire choir of African American singers and composers of world renown.

Andreas Mink is the U.S. Editor of Jüdische Medien AG. He lives in Connecticut.