In the Final Days: Eminem and Osama Bin Laden
I still don’t think anything in these last few days (besides the huge Get Out The Vote effort) is going to have a big effect on the outcome of the election. However, there are two people who clearly timed releases of their statements to coincide with the final days of the election: Eminem and Osama Bin Laden. Osama Bin Laden’s newest taped statement speaks directly to the American people, although it’s aim isn’t exactly clear. Eminem’s newest music video “Mosh” (also here) is pretty amazing, and although it’s hard to gauge how many people would be swayed by what Eminem says, its message is clear: Go Vote Against Bush.
The video for Mosh follows Eminem rapping to an audience of troops, a Private getting re-assigned to Iraq, Osama Bin Laden video on the news being exposed as a Cheney/Rumsfeld production a la Wag the Dog, and Eminem leading a hooded mob to sign up to vote. A really detailed breakdown of the video can be found here. I think the video is more powerful as a work of art than as a political statement, and it’s a very strong political statement. Needless to say, I think I’ve watched that video a dozen times. Everyone should see it.
The thing that strikes me about the Bin Laden tape is that when I read the text of his address, he doesn’t sound one bit crazy. He says something interesting about his motives, which is that he attacked America because of American-Israeli alliances and attacks on Lebanon, and he doesn’t mention a Jihad against Americans. That makes him sound more like he is explaining the political and military reasons for a military action, not like he’s explaining the religious reasons for a continuing reign of terror. Basically, Osama Bin Laden is a smart guy, and his address is probably directed to Americans to elicit sympathy from them, not to sway the election one way or the other. It was a good try, but the American public has already made up their minds about him.
Eminem’s timing: good, but maybe a little late. Bin Laden’s timing: for sympathy, much too late.
