Few things are more iconic than Hank Williams, Jr singing “Are you ready for some football” before every Monday Night Football game. Long after you’ve forgotten the score the jingle still resonates in your memory. ESPN took the bold step of suspending their use of the famous tune because of some comments by Williams, Jr.made about President Obama. It seems that Hank in not too fond of the policies of Obama and had the temerity to voice his disdain on Fox News. That’s probably a double whammy; saying something negative about Obama and doing it on Fox News. I can understand ESPN’s desire to avoid getting political as a sports channel, but I suspect that the issue may go a little deeper. Perhaps they don’t want to come under pressure from one of Obama’s federal agencies…
Under Pressure: The Detroit News has questioned why Ford Motor Company has pulled one of its popular ads where a customer is surprised by a press conference and asked why they chose a Ford. One of the customers listed one of his reasons as the fact that Ford did not take government bailout money like its two biggest American rivals, GM and Chrysler. I have always thought that was a positive aspect of Ford and one in which Henry Ford would have approved. It was reported that,
“The ad, pulled in response to White House questions (and, presumably, carping from rival GM), threatened to rekindle the negative (if accurate) association just when the president wants credit for their positive results (GM and Chrysler are moving forward, making money and selling vehicles) and to distance himself from any public downside of his decision. In other words, where presidential politics and automotive marketing collide — clean, green, politically correct vehicles not included — the president wins and the automaker loses because the benefit of the battle isn’t worth the cost of waging it.”
Under Pressure: What do Jeff Beck, George Benson, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, and Jimi Hendrix have in common? They all use(d) Gibson guitars. For those musicians who are still alive the odds of getting a new Gibson has just gotten a little more difficult as federal agents have raided Gibson guitars seizing a rare wood that Gibson has shown evidence that they acquired legally. Imagine yourself making a guitar when federal agents burst into your space with weapons drawn in a SWAT-like invasion. I am sure there is no connection between these actions by Obama’s agents and the fact that Gibson has been a long-time supporter of Republican candidates. Message sent!
Under Pressure: Boeing has had a pretty good run with their new Dreamliner, numerous orders for planes, and a brand spanking new factory in South Carolina; a factory that Obama’s NLRB will not let them open. The NLRB, acting as a proxy for labor unions, is not happy that Boeing decided to build their BILLION DOLLAR new plant in a right-to-work state, North Carolina. Boeing is not taking it and has fought back. Federal agents raided (you getting the pattern) a Boeing plant and made drug arrests. That can happen, but what I found interesting was the comments by federal officials that they were not “aware of any accidents or problems involving aircraft made by the suspects.” This is not the kind of comment an airplane manufacturer wants though gold for trial lawyers.
Under Pressure:Â The insurance companies faced the ire of the Obama Administration when they had the nerve to suggest that premiums would increase under Obamacare;
“Faced with the fact that the new health-care law was driving up insurance premiums, Health and Human Service Secretary Kathleen Sebelius warned that the administration would have “zero tolerance” for anyone who blamed them for those price hikes…’bad actors’ could be excluded from new government-run health-insurance exchanges that will begin operation in 2014 under the law.”
Under Pressure:Â The Obama Administration has brought back their snitch line, AttackWatch, where you can report your neighbors who may say something that Obama doesn’t like,
“Forming the first line of defense against a barrage of misinformation won’t be easy. Our success will depend on a team of researchers and writers to stay on the lookout for false claims about the President and his record, bring you the facts, and hold our opposition accountable.” [emphasis added]
