Tag: Barack Obama

U2: “City of Blinding Lights” at Obama Presidential Center

In June 2026 at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, U2’s performance of “City of Blinding Lights” rebutted a recent comment at the White House.

On June 18, 2026, U2 performed “City of Blinding Lights” at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. The song has long been a favorite of President Obama, who used the song as his entrance theme when he announced his candidacy for the presidency in 2007, before his acceptace speech at the 2008 Democtratic Convention, and at other events. The performance at the center this week put a bow on the history of the song and its connection to the Obamas, including a subtle rebuttal of a recent hateful comment at a Trump White House event.

U2 released the song from How to Dismantale An Atomic Bomb as a single in 2005. But Bono and the band had been working on the song since 1997. Eventually, part of the inspiration for the song came when U2 was playing in the United States following the September 11 attacks in 2001. Perhaps because of the long writing process, though, one may take different things out of the song, such as the inspiration found by former President Obama.

I’ve seen you walk unafraid;
I’ve seen you in the clothes you made;
Can you see the beauty inside of me?
What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?

And I miss you when you’re not around;
I’m getting ready to leave the ground.

Oh, you look so beautiful tonight,
In the city of blinding lights.

Time, time, time, time, time;
Won’t leave me as I am;
But time won’t take the boy out of this man.

The U2 performance this week at the Obama Prsidential Center added a new layer to the song. As the song ended, Bono added lines acknowledging the presence of four former presidents as well as a faith in democracy. In closing, without mentioning the current president — or the recent event held at the White House where one of the president’s guests insulted the former first lady — Bono rebutted the hate with a lovely tribute to Michelle Obama, ending with the chorus of the Beatle’s “Michelle” (with Barack Obama mouthing the words too).

“In the company of Jackknife Lee, 46, 42 and 43. Civility. Hold tight to Democracy, community. Isn’t she lovely, 44 and the family. . . . Michelle My Belle.”

It was a stark reminder of what civility and love looks like.

Leave your two cents in the comments.

President Obama Appears on “Between Two Ferns”

Zack Obama
Actor Zach Galifiankis has been using his comedy of awkwardness to interview various guests on his fake cable access show, “Between Two Ferns,” on the Funny or Die comedy website. The “show,” which runs only a few minutes, has featured such superstars as Justin Bieber, Jennifer Aniston, and Sean Penn. This week, he scored what might be his most powerful guest, President Barack Obama (“Community Organizer”).

The show approached the president about appearing as a way to promote the Affordable Care Act. And the president went along with the idea, partaking in Galifiankis’s offbeat humor while encouraging folks to sign up at healthcare.gov. And the president gives back too. When Galifiankis asks, “What is it like to be the last black president?,” Pres. Obama responds, “What is it like for this to be the last time you ever talk to a president?” Check it out.

What is your favorite episode of “Between Two Ferns”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Steven Spielberg’s New Film with “Daniel Day-Lewis” as Obama

    White House Correspondents’ Dinner

    At the recent annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner M.C.’d by Conan O’Brien, one of the highlights was this short film where director Steven Spielberg announced that after Lincoln (2012), he decided the logical choice for his next movie is Obama, about our current President Barack Obama. In the video Spielberg explains why “Daniel Day-Lewis” was the natural choice for the lead. Pres. Obama shows a good sense of humor here, too, even poking fun at his ears. Check it out.

    What is your favorite part of “Obama”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    If a Song Could Be President

    After an exciting election yesterday, congratulations to everyone who participated, including everyone who voted, all of the candidates for state offices, Gov. Mitt Romney, and Pres. Barack Obama. As the president begins his second term in office and all the elected officials begin the difficult work of governing, may we hope that all of our representatives learn a thing or two from music. Unfortunately, a song cannot be president, but what if it could? In this performance, the Ohio band Over the Rhine imagines what the world might be like.

    We’d vote for a melody,
    Pass it around on an MP3;
    All our best foreign policy,
    Would be built on harmony.

    Over the Rhine’s performance of their song “If a Song Could Be President” above is at the WUTK Radio studio where they appeared before a May 28, 2008 show in Knoxville Tennessee. I would vote for any song that imagines a better world while giving roles to John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Patsy Cline.

    (Thanks to mh for reminding me of this song.)

    What is your favorite song about politics? Leave your two cents in the comments.

    Buy from Amazon

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    Vote Today: This Is Our Country

    ballot box vote Happy election day for our U.S. readers. While we all often rightfully dabble in cynicism about politics most days of the year, for today, may we all feel the joy of going with members of our communities to cast a ballot. Even as the commentators divide the states between Pres. Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney and even as they call some states “red states” and others “blue states,” may we remember that every state has a large number of people who vote for each candidate. The supporters of “that other candidate” are your neighbors, your teachers, your fire fighters, and the wonderful hurricane relief workers we have seen so much of here in the northeast the last week.

    So may we remember that others have a right to disagree with us and vote for someone else. It is not my country, or your country. This is our country. May we make it until the polls close to start complaining again and fulfilling our job to be a check on our representatives. And may I forget for the next few minutes that this catchy song by John Mellencamp was used in a truck commercial and just enjoy it.

    The dream is still alive,
    Some day it will come true;
    And this country it belongs
    To folks like me and you;
    So let the voice of freedom
    Sing out through this land;
    This is our country.

    From the east coast,
    To the west coast,
    Down the Dixie Highway,
    Back home,
    This is our country.

    Do you remember when you first voted? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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