Obama was beaten to it by years
Not by Alan Keyes, nor yet Jesse Jackson. And it was a fair while back too - Louis Jordan had a tilt in 1952.
Regrettably, 'Jordan for President' is not on youtube, but I can offer up an audio extract of his campaign.
And, courtesy of Guido van Rijn's 'The Truman and Eisenhower Blues' (Contiunuum, 2004), the lyrics and a campaign photograph:
spoken: All right, folks of this strivin' community:
If I'm elected your President,
Every Sunday evening at two-thirty,
I'll entertain all your kiddies on the White House lawn.
spoken: All right, folks: if you send me to Washington as your leader,
I'll personally see to it that every living American gets his portion, (after I get mine.)
spoken: All right, folks: we all are worrying about the coming election,
But you know, folks, we gotta make the proper selection.
And I wanna get all you people straight about all the candidates:
Now, if you want a man with a good offer,
Then cast your ballot for Kefauver.
And you can rest and be assured,
You'll get no graft from Taft.
But if you want administration that will groove you,
That will move you, and keep you sent:
Vote for Jordan for President!
That's me, folks, on the swing ticket
Now, if you want to get the military bit straight,
We all know that MacArthur would be great
And if you want a hipster, that'll take no sassin', Then vote for Stassen.
But if you want to walk on the sunny side of the street,
With a candidate with a beat,
Vote for Jordan for President!
That's right folks!
You know, folks, I ain't runnin' no chicken in the pot campaign:
Everybody's gonna drink champagne!
And in every city I'm gonna install a rhythm committee.
(Pass out them cigars there, boy!)
And on my birthday everybody in the USA is gonna get new shoes,
We're goin' dancin', nobody will get the blues.
No longer will I be on a phonograph record:
I'm gonna be on Congressional Record!
If you want the man of the hour,
Then vote for Eisenhower.
And, ladies and gentlemen:
Don't sit there and sob,
'Cause Truman don't want the job.
But if you want a candidate that's real cool,
Don't vote for the elephant or the mule?
Vote for me! Vote for Jordan for President!
Folks, if you send me to the White House,
we all will serve - time!
Vote for Jordan for president!
I'll put everybody on Relief!
Vote for Jordan for President!
If you wanna hustle with Russell, go ahead!
Vote for Jordan for President!
Folks, if you stick with me, I’ll put everybody in the race!
Vote for Jordan for President! Write in for me, folks!"
I've seen people get elected on worse platforms....
Regrettably, 'Jordan for President' is not on youtube, but I can offer up an audio extract of his campaign.
And, courtesy of Guido van Rijn's 'The Truman and Eisenhower Blues' (Contiunuum, 2004), the lyrics and a campaign photograph:
spoken: All right, folks of this strivin' community:
If I'm elected your President,
Every Sunday evening at two-thirty,
I'll entertain all your kiddies on the White House lawn.
spoken: All right, folks: if you send me to Washington as your leader,
I'll personally see to it that every living American gets his portion, (after I get mine.)
spoken: All right, folks: we all are worrying about the coming election,
But you know, folks, we gotta make the proper selection.
And I wanna get all you people straight about all the candidates:
Now, if you want a man with a good offer,
Then cast your ballot for Kefauver.
And you can rest and be assured,
You'll get no graft from Taft.
But if you want administration that will groove you,
That will move you, and keep you sent:
Vote for Jordan for President!
That's me, folks, on the swing ticket
Now, if you want to get the military bit straight,
We all know that MacArthur would be great
And if you want a hipster, that'll take no sassin', Then vote for Stassen.
But if you want to walk on the sunny side of the street,
With a candidate with a beat,
Vote for Jordan for President!
That's right folks!
You know, folks, I ain't runnin' no chicken in the pot campaign:
Everybody's gonna drink champagne!
And in every city I'm gonna install a rhythm committee.
(Pass out them cigars there, boy!)
And on my birthday everybody in the USA is gonna get new shoes,
We're goin' dancin', nobody will get the blues.
No longer will I be on a phonograph record:
I'm gonna be on Congressional Record!
If you want the man of the hour,
Then vote for Eisenhower.
And, ladies and gentlemen:
Don't sit there and sob,
'Cause Truman don't want the job.
But if you want a candidate that's real cool,
Don't vote for the elephant or the mule?
Vote for me! Vote for Jordan for President!
Folks, if you send me to the White House,
we all will serve - time!
Vote for Jordan for president!
I'll put everybody on Relief!
Vote for Jordan for President!
If you wanna hustle with Russell, go ahead!
Vote for Jordan for President!
Folks, if you stick with me, I’ll put everybody in the race!
Vote for Jordan for President! Write in for me, folks!"
I've seen people get elected on worse platforms....
Labels: Light relief, United States
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on Wednesday, June 04, 2008 at 6:49 am.
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