Obama, Romney go country in CMT Music Awards
(CNN) - President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney courted the country music vote Wednesday night, both making appearances in the opening segment of the CMT Music Awards.
The video featured a faux news report in which the show's co-hosts - actress Kristen Bell and country star Toby Keith - refuse to share the stage, prompting a campaign between the two over who will win the spotlight.
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Included in the mock news story were interviews with actor Matthew McConaughey, journalist Steve Kroft and rocker Jon Bon Jovi, all of whom debated the choice between Bell and Keith.
"As they say, as country goes, so goes the country," Bon Jovi said, tweaking a famous political phrase about the swing state of Ohio.
The segment then switched to Obama, seen staring pensively out an Oval Office window as someone off camera asks with urgency, "Mr. President, do you have a decision?"
Turning to the camera, Obama replied, "This is one of the toughest decisions I've had to make since I've been in office. But I think I've decided."
He then walked to his desk, leaned over an official-looking document and circled both names on the sheet of paper.
"I want them both," he said.
The segment immediately cut to Romney, who was staring into the camera with a giant Texas flag hanging behind him. (The presumptive GOP nominee has been campaigning in the Lone Star State this week.)
"Boy, I thought the presidential election was a tough race, but it's nothing compared to the politics at the CMT Music Awards," Romney said.
Offering a solution, he proposed that both Bell and Keith host the show.
"See, I just put two people back to work," he joked. "You're welcome, America."
After the candidate cameos, the story line turned to reveal that the race between Bell and Keith had turned "negative."
The segment aired a Bell opposition ad against Keith, slamming him for such crimes as having all-ivory teeth, leaving the toilet seat up and forgetting to call his mom on Mother's Day.
Meanwhile, Keith's attack ad against Bell hit her for telling lies - as an actress.
After some final input from none other than country legend Willie Nelson, the actress and the musician agreed to take on the show together.
In a nod to Keith's 2011 hit, the pair arrived on stage in a giant red Solo cup.
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The super charismatic appeal and the comparison of alexithymic MItt would not work in Mitt's favor. When George Romney was told he shouldn't tell jokes on the campaign trail, back in the 60's, because he had as bad as a delivery of them as his son, MItt's, George took heed and stopped trying to be something he was not. Mitt's father was voted gov 3 times, while Mitt didn't even risk re-running fior a second term. Nobody likes a phony.
BTW CNN maybe I missed it, but where it the BIG story of the teapublikkkans ALL voting against women getting paid the same as men for the same job/position?
Keep piling it on rethugs. Women are going to be your downfall in Novembef. Keep messing sigh our rights!!!
Come on President Obama don't waste your time with this. You know those necks do not want you there. And you know they all will be packing heat. Let Mittens have this one. Seriously.
OBAMA 2012!
I bet there will be deafening BOO's when Obozo gets on the screen, and deafening CHEER's for Romney!
BREAKING: the president is somewhere in San Francisco around the area I work in. Thousands of us gathered downstairs in lobby to see him but they made us disperse due to fire hazards. The Secret Service is not telling us exactly where he is but there are police, dogs, sniper units and everything. IF Willard thinks he has a slight chance of taking CA he is sadly mistaken. I hope I get to see him as I am so excited.
Go Mr. President!
WKT....your bishop double speak, the poosy mittsy cannot even walk right, do you expect the hear him sing?????he is such a bad joke.......
Whats CMT...and why does it have its own awards?
-WKT
I bet there will be deafening BOO's when Obozo gets on the screen, and deafening CHEER's for Romney!
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Polite applause for Romney: remember when he tried to slip in "y'all" and tried to wax poetic about cheesy grits? he's about as genuine as a Confederate nine-dollar bill. As for Obama, why should he bother?
Marie MD – nice spin youve got there... The bill was to force all employers to PROVE that differences in men and women's pay isnt due to discrimination, but I do understand that framing it as "republicans are against giving women and men the same pay for the same work" fits your agenda much better.
@Vince....CMT is Country Music Awards. I wonder why they want President Obama will Ted Nugent and John Rocker be there?
OBAMA 2012!
Mitt Romney's grandfather
Isn't it discrimination to pay men more than women doing the same job, Bob? The Rs might as well kiss the women vote goodbye!
Maybe Mitt will tell us why none of his five sons volunteered for military service during Americas longest wars on the CMT show ?
-Bob
Marie MD – nice spin youve got there... The bill was to force all employers to PROVE that differences in men and women's pay isnt due to discrimination, but I do understand that framing it as "republicans are against giving women and men the same pay for the same work" fits your agenda much better.
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Nice spin job of your own. The GOP tried to frame this as an undue burden on employers: how is it an undue burden on employers? Sen. Heller of NV has sealed his own doom by saying this on the Senate floor without explaining how this is such a burden. Given his response, what else are people to conclude? Concocting a false defense of employers as a way of defending pay discriminiation is a bone-headed move at any time, especially in an election year when the GOP has such bad ratings among women.
I won't be watching the likes of people like Ted Neugent.
Didn’t CNN interview some inbread Republican slackjaw at one point during the 2008 campaign – at a minor league ball game and where said slackjaw called President Obama a ‘Dirty Muslim’?
Wasn’t that actually in Nashville, TN…where the CMT are held tonight?
I don’t expect a lot of cheers for the President at the CMT awards – any actually support will be drowned out by the dueling banjos and jug blowin’.
This is what American politics has come to. Cameos, sound bites, big money (both of them), appearances, and no substance.
Vote 3rd party!
Didn’t CNN interview some inbred Republican slackjaw at one point during the 2008 campaign – at a minor league ball game and where said slackjaw called President Obama a ‘Dirty Muslim’?
Wasn’t that actually in Nashville, TN…where the CMT are held tonight?
I don’t expect a lot of cheers for the President at the CMT awards – any actually support will be drowned out by the dueling banjos and jug blowin’.
Yeehaw Y'all!!!
@Expat, I don't remember that incident precisely but I do remember them interviewing some inbred hick with about 2 teeth, saying he would never vote for a black ass _ _ _ _ _ _. Now that I remember.
OBAMA 2012!
Obama will be the one in the clown car....
Can't wait until our Prez is re-elected and this campaign is simply over.
The desperation of the left makes for some entertaining reading.
Democracy destroyed????
Good. Democracy's do not work.