All together now

Fri, 05 Sep 2003 15:44:00 +0000

For the most part, the Democratic presidential candidates who gathered here Thursday night ignored each other. Instead, all eight present (bad weather apparently grounded Rev. Al Sharpton) were united in shrill condemnation of George W. Bush, and spent most of the evening trying to top each other in their expressions of anger toward the president.

Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt led the pack by repeatedly, and with revivalist fervor, referring to Bush, his actions and policies as a "miserable failure." Still, Gephardt, like others who previously supported war in Iraq, struggled to defend his past positions while sustaining his fury toward the president. In response to questioning about U.S. military presence in Iraq, for example, Gephardt stated the U.S. couldn't just "cut and run," while at the same time stating, "It is inconceivable to me that we would end up in this situation." Indeed, all the candidates -- even those who supported going to war -- now appear to have trouble conceiving that Bush didn't have a fully formed plan for reconstruction of Iraq, despite the fact that he never stated one. Connecticut Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, though calling for more U.S. troops and reiterating his belief that the "world is safer" now, added that he "didn't support war against Saddam Hussein so that we could control Iraq. I supported it to get rid of Saddam so that the Iraqi people could control Iraq." Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina also restated his support of the war effort, but added that the White House needed to tell the public what it was going to cost and how long it was going to take.

Behind “Behind the Music”

Tue, 21 Mar 2000 17:00:00 +0000

Dear Rock Star:

Thank you for your interest in VH1's "Behind the Music" series. As you can imagine, since we single-handedly revived Lynyrd Skynyrd's career, put Def Leppard's records back in stores and celebrated our 100th episode with Tina Turner, innumerable artists have shamelessly volunteered to tell all for our TV cameras. In an effort to determine whether your career is suitable for our program, we have prepared the following screening quiz. Good luck, and thank you again for your interest in VH1.

1. How old were you when you started playing music?

a) 2-13.

b) After 13, on account of a childhood disease.

c) After 13, on account of a coma.

d) After 13, on account of an overbearing father.

2. Did either of your parents, particularly your overbearing father, object to your desire to become a musician?

a) No.

b) No, in fact, he quit his job to manage my burgeoning career.

c) Yes.

d) Yes, and made me call him "General."

3. Did one or both of your parents die:

Salon.com > Julia Goldberg

All together now

Behind “Behind the Music”