Boston Globe: Bush, Kerry trade charges on Earth Day

Update: Bush, Kerry switch off in Drum Circle

Washington, DC—Sitting with up to thirty Georgetown university students in a large circle near the National Monument, George W. Bush and John Kerry took turns as drum circle leaders yesterday afternoon. The President and Presidential Candidate spent fifteen minutes each participating in an unscripted drumming exhibition, backed enthusiastically by students who played along, humming the word “om” during the two solo breaks which were quickly subsumed in the resonant if repetitive clatter of the circle. “It was the coolest thing,” said Georgetown student Tyler Mays, “We totally stopped playing frisbee and came over here once the President showed up… we were like, ‘dude it’s the President… what’s he doing here’...” Polls after the circle, showed the students split on the relative merits of Bush and Kerry’s drum playing, with roughly 48% in favor of Bush, 44% in favor of Kerry with 8% listed as undecided, swing drummers. In general, drummers found Bush’s robust, straight-ahead drumming to be more in the spirit of the circle while others found Kerry’s subtle rhythms to be ‘compelling if impossible to follow.’ “Clearly, Kerry wins on drumming technique,” said Sparrow Petersen, “his solo was complex and absorbing but only a few people could play with him...Bush was a little stiff but by the end he was just rockin out.”

- posted by JB @ 7:14 AM