Mellencamp at Brave New Films

Indiana Wants Hillary (and so does Citizen Kate)

2008-10-21T15:31:06Z

Citizen Kate catches up with Old Hollywood Celebrities at a Hillary Clinton event in Indianapolis, Indiana: "So I made it to my first big Hillary event in Indiana. It was a rock concert with John Mellencamp. Actually, he only played one song. I discovered firsthand what local reporters go through at political events. I didn't get to interview Hillary. But I did see stars like Sean Astin, Rob Reiner and Miss Indiana. I even chatted with Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson. I was super close to Bill Clinton! But not close enough to touch him. When I tried to reach the Clintons after Hillary's big speech, the volunteers stopped me. Apparently, reporters with cameras aren't allowed to get too close. Just another day of being a citizen journalist." More at theuptake.org and citizenkate.tv

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Indiana Wants Hillary (and so does Citizen Kate)

2008-10-28T03:30:53Z

More at theuptake.org and citizenkate.tv

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Charlie Rose Greenroom - John Mellencamp

2008-10-19T15:30:16Z

Charlie Rose - John Mellencamp

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John "Cougar" Edwards Rally

2008-10-18T15:29:25Z

more at www.theuptake.org

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John Mellencamp - To Washington

2009-01-08T00:53:01Z

John Mellencamp signs To Washington at a rally for John Edwards in Des Moines, Iowa on January 2, 2008.

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John Mellencamp - Small Town

2009-01-08T00:53:01Z

John Mellencamp sings Small Town at a rally for John Edwards in Des Moines, Iowa on January 2, 2008.

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John Mellencamp - This Is Our Country

2009-01-08T00:53:01Z

John Mellencamp sings This Is Our Country at a rally for John Edwards in Des Moines, Iowa on January 2, 2008.

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John Mellencamp - Pink Houses

2009-01-08T00:53:02Z

John Mellencamp sings Pink Houses at a John Edwards for President rally in Des Moines, Iowa on January 2, 2008. Mellencamp has endorsed Edwards.

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John "Cougar" Edwards Rally

2008-10-17T09:29:43Z

John Edwards or John Mellencamp? Ground Hound Chuck Olsen visited the John "Cougar" Edwards rally and found both. For more, visit theuptake.org

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John Edwards: "Our Country" Rally-Part 1

2008-10-17T15:30:33Z

John Edwards makes his final bid to Iowan caucus goers at a rally with John Mellencamp, Jan 2, 2008, Des Moines, Iowa

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John Mellencamp Rallies for John Edwards: Des Moines, Iowa

2008-10-17T15:30:32Z

Mellencamp campaigns for Edwards, Des Moines, Iowa, January 2, 2008

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John Mellencamp - Cherry Bomb

2008-10-17T21:31:10Z

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The Truth Hurts

2008-10-23T21:29:52Z

After seeing Mellencamp’s recent video regarding racism and the events surrounding the unfair charges brought against the 6 teens in Jena, LA – the Mayor has fired back calling the song and images portrayed in the video derogatory and inflammatory. He also had this to say:

"I do not want to diminish the impression that the hanging of the nooses has had on good people," McMillin wrote. "I do recognized that what happened is insulting and hurtful."

But, he said, "To put the incident in Jena in the same league as those who were murdered in the 1960s cheapens their sacrifice and insults their memory."

That makes me laugh because this is the same guy that "praised the white supremacist groups for staging “counterdemonstrations” in Jena following the September 20^th demonstration.

Why is that funny? Because the March on Jena wasn’t a pro-Black demonstration, it was a protest for civil rights, which obviously missed on the Mayor and the Klan or the “brotherhood” or whatever they’re calling themselves these days. So it’s equally funny when the Mayor defends the town of Jena as not being racist, but I’ll humor him for a bit.

Unfortunately – but thankfully Jena has become the birth place this generation’s civil rights movement. The war, events like Jena, the Bush administration and a slew of other issues have roused the sleepy Generation X and Y from their MTV haze and they're taking action. It is recognized that not everyone in Jena; not everyone in the south; not everyone in America is a bigot – but a large part of the population is. Jena draws a spotlight to a larger problem that needs to be addressed. THe justice system is not balanced. We have a long way to go when it comes to race relations. Socially, civil rights is still in it's infancy. That’s the purpose of the song, that’s the purpose of the video. Facing that is uncomfortable for some, but sometimes a dose of the truth is what everybody needs.

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Jena - John Mellencamp's Music Video

2008-12-23T13:10:17Z

John Mellencamp decided to write a song and produce a music video about the "Jena 6" while he was working on a new album. This is the statement he released.

I am not a journalist, I am a songwriter and in the spirit and tradition of the minstrel, I am telling a story in this song. The story is not, strictly speaking, about the town of Jena or this specific incident but of racism in America. The song was not written as an indictment of the people of Jena but, rather, as a condemnation of racism, a problem which I've reflected in many songs, a problem that still plagues our country today. The current trial in Jena is just another reflection of prejudice in our nation. If the song strikes an emotional chord with people and if they examine it and interpret as they will, something will have been accomplished. The aim here is not to antagonize but, rather, to catalyze thought.

Jena, Louisiana. Six black teenagers are accused of beating a white student. The incident followed white students hanging nooses from a tree on school grounds. Initially five of the "Jena Six" teens were charged with attempted 2nd degree murder, to be tried as adults by an all-white jury.

Sen. Mike Gravel on 'Real Time'

2008-10-24T21:29:58Z

On the August 31st 2007 episode of 'Real Time with Bill Maher' Senator Gravel panels along side Barbara Bodine and John Mellencamp. Discussion includes the War in Iraq, and the other 2008 Presidential Candidates.

This also marks our 50th video on Youtube! This is a threshold, and expect a lot more in the future.

http://www.gravel2008.us/

(Footage Owned by Home Box Office)

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