Romney guest mash-up: Everybody loves Meatloaf?
Canton, Ohio (CNN) - As the standard-bearer of the conservative party, Mitt Romney may not draw as many Hollywood endorsements as his rival.
But what his celebrity backers lack in quantity they make up in unconventional appeal.
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Case in point: aging rocker Meat Loaf, who wore a sequin-sleeved blazer to endorse Romney in a halting but heartfelt speech Thursday.
The entertainer didn't perform his signature hits, but he did paint in stark terms voters' choice this November.
"This is the most important election in the history of the United States," he told an audience in Defiance, Ohio. "Because there has storm clouds come over the United States!"
"There is thunderstorms over Europe," he continued, warming to the weather theme. "There are hailstorms, and I mean major hailstorms, in the Middle East."
Meat Loaf also offered a dubious defense of Romney's running mate's controversial budget plan.
"I want you to know at 65 that Paul Ryan has not pushed me off the cliff in a wheelchair," he joked.
The next evening, "Everybody Loves Raymond" actress Patricia Heaton cracked some edgy jokes of her own at another football field rally in North Canton.
Telling the audience she came from an Irish-Catholic family, Heaton invoked Romney's Mormon religion – something he does not frequently mention on the campaign trail.
"I have over a hundred first cousins on my mom's side, so we're giving those Mormons a run for their money," Heaton said.
After joking about nearby Akron ("I was born on the west side of Cleveland. You know what Cleveland's motto is? At least we're not Akron!"), Heaton couldn't resist poking fun at the well-toned body of Romney's clean-cut running mate Paul Ryan.
"I have to tell you, backstage I didn't recognize him with his shirt on," she said, adding: "And I did wear orange, not only because I'm a [Cleveland] Browns fan, but I was afraid Paul would have his shotgun."
On Friday, as has become common over the previous weeks, Romney supporters were also entertained by a folksy band who voiced their support for the candidate in between twanging riffs. The parade of country singers who have backed Romney are perhaps an unusual fit for the former governor of Massachusetts, whose running mate has joked is an aficionado of elevator music.
None of these high-profile fans could equal the pithiness of Romney endorser and football great John Elway, who announced in October he was backing Romney with perhaps the briefest speech on record.
His entire statement, including a reference to a winning football game a day earlier, is below:
"I must say today has been a very good day," Elway told an audience in Denver Oct. 1. "Not only because of what happened yesterday, but because I get the opportunity to introduce to you the next president of the United States, Gov. Mitt Romney."
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" After 75 years of Liberal Polotiics you would think everything would be fixed wouldn't you? So why we in this huge mess????'
Sorry Ray E of Georgia, 75 years??? What have you been smoking. Ray-Gun, Bush 1, and Bush 2 were "liberals"? You need to gedt your head cleaned out. We have seen the distruction of the country under conservative "businessman" presidencies and President Obama is trying to save the country from Republican stupidity.
Wow, Meatloaf is backing Mitt the Twit, that's what I've been waiting for, a quality celeb endorsement for Poor Little Rich Bully. I was undecided until now, but Meatloaf and Ted NugAss endorsements, what more do I need.
Meatloaf hasn't been relevant since the 70's. Who Cares about him!
Mr. Loaf needs a remedial grammar refresher course. That being said, if the election were based upon "celebrity" endorsements, Mr. Romney's hand of two old rock singers whose "primes" were in the 1970's (Loaf and Nugent), a supporting actress on a t.v. show that's been off the air for over five years (Heaton), and a retired quarterback nobody outside of Denver really cares about, would get trumped (no pun intended) by Mr. Obama's endorsers.
Stars??!!
I'm from Ohio and I just voted for OBAMA!!!
So let's see. Meat Loaf moved from California back to Texas. How come he has applied for an absentee ballot from California? Could he, like Ann Coulter, be trying to commit voter fraud?
Romney is great, and he will run this country 100% better than Obama. You aren't in highschool,Obama, trying to win a popularity contest by telling people what they want to hear and your appearances on MTV, nick, and the view!
I will take Colin Powell over Patrica Heaton and Meatloaf. The sheer lack of postings here should let you know how relevent this story is. I think I will turn Faux News back on and watch 24×7 coverage of the Lybian consulate attack coverup that wasnt.
Meatloaf...what? I only like meatloaf with mashed potatoes. The GOP can only get has beens, second tier talent, and old people. This is the type of country they want, one from the 1950s, in turmoil, and fractured.
With chronic high unemployment, staggering deficits and and a gdp growing at the speed of smell I could care less who is endorsing who. Our nation is in dire need to get the economy moving forward. Failure to do so and we will leave future generations with a massive problem were they will have to make great sacrifices to solve.
Instead of ranting on about Meatloaf , you should be questioning Obama about the lies and cover up when 4 Americans lost their lives while he was watching.
Where is the outrage..????
Here is something to think about if you are considering voting for Romney as president:
Your lifetime risk to develop invasive cancer as a man: 44% (almost 1 out of 2 odds) Statistics from Cancer org.
Your lifetime risk to develop invasive cancer as a woman: 38% (over 1 out of 3 odds) Statistics from Cancer org.
Cancer does not care what political affiliation you have or what color your skin is. Just think about that for a while, and then think about the fact that Romney wants to remove protections for pre-existing conditions and bring back lifetime caps on insurance benefits...
Do you really want to have to flip that coin?
Obama/Biden 2012 – With a healthy, educated, and secure workforce, America will prosper.
Patricia Heaton? So sad, I was such a fan but now I'm just happy your career is in the toliet. How can you support such men?! Meatloaf? Really? You can judge a man by the company they keep and they are all keeping very shabby company.
While I've always liked Meat Loaf's music & Eastwood's movies, it's rather trite for them to talk about Social Security & Medicare! Of course They're not pushed off a cliff, they're multi-millionaires! Most of Americans are Not! We're barely clinging to our Middleclass status & it's not due to "failed policies" of Obama, but to a congress who refuses to work w/him! How can it be legal for congress people to sign pledges to an outside party, against taxasion of the uber-rich? While we're at it Citizens United must be repealed! Every successful nation has a taxasion gradescale! Does it make sense that billionaires pay 10-14% or less & the middleclass pays 30%!? No! Does it make sense that we, the people, have to pay for "corporate welfare"!? No! For this nation to succeed Every1 must "sacrifice," which was a mantra 2 yrs ago, not just the working class! The only 1 on Our side is Obama! Forward-Obama 12!!
Pink slime meatloaf
Meatloaf?? Was Pat Boone too busy??
Obama's a joke.
Sweet! Romney has a guy backing him whose band at one time released an album that had cool artwork! If he wasn't such principleless flip flopper, he'd definitely have MY vote!
Romney/Ryan's new slogan: "Two bat's out of hell!"
Meatloaf's version of America the Beautiful reminded me of Roseanne Barr's attempt to sing the national anthem. Was Meatloaf drunk? He sure looked and sounded like he was!!
That rendition of "America" was totally disgusting and disrespectful. No wonder Romney looked so embarrassed and uncomfortable.
Why do so many of Mitt's supporters have such poor grammar? From Meatloaf to those making comments on Mitt's behalf in this forum – they're almost incomprehensible. Don't get me wrong, even the unintelligent deserve political input but do you really want leadership chosen on the basis of fear and prejudice rather than reason?
Bat out of Hell will always be one of my favorite "cruising" albums but after this all I can do is shake my head at the singer. I had no idea he was backwards.
the amount of blind hate for anyone who disagrees with you that every Obama support seems to have gotten from their acid tongued leader, is frighting. At what point in an Obama second term does their hate turn to action? is there a government crackdown on decent in our future?
I can't believe Romney stood there and smiled as Meatloaf utterly destroyed our national anthem. Did you see the shocked and disgusted looks on the faces of most of the audience in the background ?