There is not one thing in this world that beats the big time excitement of taking an active part in a Presidential campaign. And on this beautiful day, the second of October in the year 2004, The Oak Ridge Boys find ourselves once again “on the trail” with our President, George W. Bush, as he seeks re-election!
Actually, this is our fifth campaign, which is really quite mind-boggling! It all began in 1988, when our friendship with George Herbert Walker Bush resulted in an invitation to sing at the GOP convention in New Orleans on the very night he was nominated as the Republican candidate for the Presidency of our United States.
He had been Vice President under Ronald Reagan for the past eight years and he was pumped and ready for his turn to lead. His acceptance speech was positive and uplifting.
On this magical night, when the balloons and confetti filled the Superdome, and the whole nation was watching, Bush and his young running mate, Senator Dan
Quayle, along with their families, were enjoying their moment in history — and there we were, the four Oak Ridge Boys and our wives, all waving and smiling and singing God Bless America right up there on the center stage of American History.
The man, who would go on to beat Michael Dukakis and become our nation’s 41st President, was singing bass in our ear! And his eldest son was also there sharing the moment with us. How could we have known that we were singing for two future Presidents on that magical night in New Orleans?
Now we didn't do much campaigning in 1988. Just enough to get our feet wet. We learned this much… our music and our persona could be of help to this great man, and we were honored to put our hearts on the line for what we believe in.
As I have written many times before, knowing George and Barbara Bush has made us better Americans and better people. They have taught us what service to America is all about. Their conservative ideology and their love of freedom and passion for liberty have inspired and strengthened our own feelings of patriotism. They teach by example. Work hard, be honest, honor God, be willing to sacrifice, put your family first, and love your children. This is the stuff that is the backbone of America.
In 1992, President Bush had a real battle on his hands. Even after the successful liberation of Kuwait from the grip of the Iraqi tyrant, Saddam Hussein, in the first Gulf War, and even after a record approval rating of ninety-one percent, President Bush lost the election to an upstart southern governor by the name of Bill Clinton!
I am proud to say that we stood beside the man right up until election eve! What a thrill for The Oak Ridge Boys. Day after day of motorcades, bus trips, and rides on Air Force One. The plane would land at some airport events, and we would be the first ones off. We would run down the steps, across the tarmac and right up on the stage yelling, “FOUR MORE YEARS, FOUR MORE YEARS.”
Then, while the President would meet and greet all the local dignitaries of that city, we would sing a few songs. After his stump speech, it was back on the plane and off to somewhere else. By the way, young George W. Bush was on THOSE trips, as well.
On the eve of the election, our last campaign stop was in Louisville, Kentucky. Before we left Air Force One for the last time, we gathered in the office of the President, in the front of the plane. In our hearts we all knew that Bush could lose this election.
The famous Clinton war room, coupled with a declining economy, and a third party candidate named Ross Perot, were stacking the deck against Bush. And it seemed to all that the end was in sight. At the request of President George H.
W. Bush, the Oaks sang Amazing Grace. Everyone on the plane wept. Staffers, Secret Service, family, and even a few members of the press corp. It was a moment that has been chronicled in, at least, three bestselling books.
After the rally we boarded our bus for Hendersonville, Tennessee. It was waiting for us on the tarmac. The Presidential limo stopped by the bus, and the voice of George Bush came out of a loudspeaker (no kidding): “Thanks, Fellows....... God Bless!”
As our tour bus slid on to Interstate 65 and headed south toward home, we all looked out of the window and watched Air Force One take off. For a while, it seemed to fly right next to us before gaining altitude and veering off into the southwestern sky towards Houston. The sun was just beginning to set. It was all so beautiful!
We lost the election, but the memory of the campaign of 1992 is burned into the very fiber of our soul — never to be forgotten!
Well aware of our willingness to hit the trail for the cause of America, Senator Bob Dole called on the Boys to help him campaign for President in 1996, against the incumbent, Bill Clinton. Here we would go again, searching our tour schedule for a hole or two where we could hit the trail to help a conservative Republican go for the White House.
History tells us, of course, that Clinton won his re-election bid over Bob Dole, but once again, The Oak Ridge Boys were there, and once again we experienced history... and once again we were honored to crisscross America with a good man who was a blessing to our hearts.
There were also some really funny moments on this campaign. On a two-day tour across Ohio, we rode right there on the tour bus with Bob Dole. Our job was much the same in about six cities. Jump off the bus. Sing a few songs. And fire up the crowd.
On our way to Dayton, the Senator went to the back of the bus to do an interview with Ted Koppel for that evening’s Nightline on ABC! The camera crew, Koppel, and Dole were deep into their work as the motorcade neared the town where the next event would take place.
The Dole / Kemp ‘96 bus had a huge speaker on top and, usually as we entered the rally grounds, Senator Dole would speak to the people from the front of the bus.
Well, the streets were lined with supporters and Dole was in the back. So.….. I grabbed the microphone, slinked down and began to talk like the candidate.
“This is Bob Dole....... BOB DOLE!! Thanks for coming. God Bless America! Bob
Dole loves OHIO”.... on and on!! On a street corner there was a rather large woman in a polka dotted dress holding a Clinton / Gore sign. I said, “Welcome anyway...... nice dress!!”
Everyone in the front of the bus was on the floor, including Secret Service and my three partners. It is one of the funniest things I have ever done. I wondered if the Senator could hear me from back there.
Well, after the day’s events, I found myself in a hotel room and watching NIGHTLINE! There was Bob Dole talking with Koppel in the back lounge of a moving bus. In the background, very faintly, one could hear your author, “DOLE...... BOB DOLE...... etc.”
It was hilarious!
Bob Dole decided to campaign right up to the last minute in an unprecedented ninety-six straight hours on the trail. It was a whirlwind tour that stretched from coast to coast. The Oak Ridge Boys were there for forty-eight hours of it. NO SLEEP AT ALL! Event after event. Starting in California and ending in Knoxville, Tennessee (for us). It was simply amazing. The crowds were great, too. Even at 4 AM in Phoenix.
Despite our weariness, we sang pretty well. On each stop we would sing two songs and then listen to Senator Dole and his running mate, Jack Kemp. I dare say that we knew every word of every stump speech by heart!
Senator Bob Dole would lose the election to Bill Clinton, but we learned a lot from this great American. His dedication, his humor, his love of country, as well as his amazing energy level, were a true inspiration.
In World War II, in Italy, near Anzio, a young Bob Dole was hit so hard in the back with an enemy 50-caliber bullet that you could see right through him. He paid a heck of a price. He is still crippled today, but the man has never let it hold him back from a life of service to America.
I dare say that we have never had a Senate leader as powerful as Dole, and we never will. His wife Elizabeth is also a marvelous woman, who now holds a U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina. Even his opponent, President Clinton, had nothing but love and respect for the Doles...... so do we!
Yes, we were part of the crazy election of 2000, as well. We rode with George
W. Bush on quite a few occasions. There were times when we would fly ahead in a private jet and sing for thirty minutes at a rally in say… Duluth, Minnesota and as the Bush / Cheney jet would be landing, we would be taking off for a rally in say... Madison, Wisconsin.
On trips like these we never even saw then-Governor Bush! There were other times, however, when we would all be in one place for an event in the usual manner. We even took our own bus tour across the Midwest for several days with a few operatives and performed AND SPOKE at the events with local senators and such on behalf of George W. Bush.
It was a bizarre and very polarized election in 2000, but our guy came out on top and, again, we were honored to have made a small contribution to the campaign. There were a lot of dirty tricks played in that election, and we were with George and Laura Bush on more than one occasion when the attacks and barbs from the other side really hurt.
These are fine people. They are patriots. Along with Vice President Cheney and his wonderful wife Lynn, they have all had a profound effect on our lives.
So here we are, in early October of 2004, once again riding with the President — our fifth Presidential campaign. As in 2000, we have been there for him just about every time the campaign has called us. So far there has not been a tour, as such. Just an isolated rally here and there that we could fit into our own tour schedule.
Today, in Manchester, New Hampshire, about 9000 supporters have gathered on a pivotal day, after the first debate with Democratic candidate and opponent
Senator John Kerry. The Oak Ridge Boys performed for about 30 minutes before the motorcade carrying President Bush, as well as Senator John McCain arrived.
In a unique and emotional moment the President’s mother, Barbara Bush was waiting to surprise him—and it was all because of us. We had sent her an e-mail telling her about our being in Manchester, and she decided to come and show a mother’s support for her son on the day after the nationally televised debate. Once again, the Oaks were there for a rather emotional moment in history.
The election is a month away, and I am sure that we will be on the trail several more times with President George W. Bush. This is a meaningful election, in which the people of America will decide who is best to lead our nation forward during troubled times — when our enemies would seek to destroy us — just because of our Liberties, our Freedoms, and our regard for Life itself. These evil and barbaric men of terror have no understanding of any of that, so they seek to destroy it!
We need a leader who will take them head-on in this fight for what is right. It is a noble cause.
The Oak Ridge Boys know that when you take a stand for what you believe in, many will turn on you. Well, let the chips fall. Sometimes putting your heart on the line and standing up for what you believe in is more important than anything. And, to a man, William Lee Golden, Duane Allen, Richard Sterban, and Joe
Bonsall (your author) believe that George W. Bush is the man for this hour in our nation’s history.
I guess we will see how it all turns out in November. I know this much. We love our country, and we pray that God will continue to bless us and protect us no matter who is the next President.
No matter what side of the fence you are on, we encourage you to vote. That is what our soldiers have fought and died for all of these years. YOUR FREEDOM TO VOTE. YOUR CHOICE! Keep in mind that many in the world do NOT have that RIGHT!
The Oak Ridge Boys have had a wonderful career so far, and we are very thankful. Our music has provided many opportunities for the BOYS to collide with
History. We have in fact performed in concert for six U.S. Presidents — Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, as well as George Bush,
#41 and #43.
We have even been honored on the floor of the U. S. Congress. We have many friends on both sides of the aisle, and we have been privileged, over and over again, to be in the presence of the men and women who lead our nation. We pray for them all, each and every day.
Keep in mind that, although we have been very much involved in politics all of these years, and we are four men who study the process closely, we never take our political views to the stage. Although our allegiances are well documented, and often very well publicized, we do not feel that people spend their hard earned money and give of their valuable time to come to a concert and hear a debate on foreign policy or partisan views and ideas. They come to hear The Oak Ridge Boys sing our songs, and that is what we do!
I am also quite certain that none of us will ever run for office. It could be cool though. President Duane Allen, Secretary of State William Lee Golden, Secretary of the Treasury Richard Sterban, and Secretary of hmmmmmmmm....... Defense? Not sure. Maybe Joseph S. Bonsall can just write about it all. There would be some hilarious Cabinet meetings, for certain, and we could really have a lot of fun on Air Force One.
Seriously though, it is not that we are just political junkies or policy wonks. As I said earlier, WE REALLY CARE about AMERICA. We LOVE this country with every fiber of our being, and each and every time that we have had an opportunity to serve in some capacity, we have tried to answer the call. Whether it be singing for our troops or for their Commander-in-Chief....... we are honored....... and always willing to saddle up and go!
As I come to the end of this little memoir, I find myself wondering if this will be our last Presidential campaign. What will we be doing four years from now? If the good Lord is willing and our bodies stay healthy, I would imagine that we will still be out there on tour, singing our songs and, therefore, still be able to contribute something positive to the process.
Who will run in 2008? There are many possibilities. One has to wonder if the Governor of Florida might take a shot next time around. Jeb Bush in 2008??? A sixth Presidential campaign for the Boys? Perhaps!
See you On The Trail!
Joseph S. Bonsall
Addendum: We were indeed back on the trail with President George W. Bush on
November 1, the day before the election. After the massive rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that also featured our friends, Brooks and Dunn as well as the Oaks, we once again stood in a small semicircle backstage with the President and chatted with him before he got into his limo and headed back to Air Force
One.
He would then proceed on to Iowa, New Mexico, and Dallas, Texas, while we bussed on back home to Hendersonville, Tennessee. With misty eyes the President told us that he believed this was a different day then that last day on Air Force One with his father in 1992. He thanked us for singing Amazing Grace that day and told us how much our friendship has meant to his dad, as well as himself over all of these years.
Surrounded by Secret Service and fully armed Swat guys, he told us that he WOULD win — and he did! We are thankful for the opportunity to have, once again, ridden with the President of the United States, and we are so thankful to America for re-electing this great man to lead us into the future.
In my commentary UNDERCURRENT, which I wrote one month ago, I mentioned that the revival of personal Faith in people’s lives would be the difference in this election.
Here is a quote from that piece: “I CAN tell you that since September 11th of 2001, the majority of people in this nation are seeking God in their own way. And that is why George W. Bush, a leader who is not afraid to admit that he is a humble man of faith, WILL win this election!”
I thank God that it all proved to be true. If we continue to lean upon and trust in Jesus Christ as a NATION, He will hear us. And HE will heal and guide our great country.
The Liberal idea of taking God out of our lives did NOT work. It only energized Middle America to VOTE their hearts, and their hearts spoke BUSH!
So the campaign TRAIL has ended......