Since we're gearing up for the final sprint towards the 2010 Mid-Terms, I thought I would start running some documentaries on past mid-term elections, starting with 1950. It seems then, as now, mud-slinging was an acknowledged art form and one eagerly employed by most candidates. The names have changed, the universal enemy (back then it was Communism) has changed, but the innuendos, sleights and counter-charges are all still there.

This documentary, part of CBS Radio's Report To The Nation series airing on November 9, 1950, is narrated by Edward R. Murrow who gives his usual astute assessment:

Edward R. Murrow: “Those who failed to vote, and deplore the outcome may recall George Jean Nathan’s statement that bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.”

Sixty years later that sentiment still applies.

Hard to imagine, since what we call Top-40 radio these days is pretty devoid of personalities. But the airwaves in the 1950's and early 1960's were jammed with those endlessly chatty folks with gimmicks and alter-egos whose sole purpose was to be bigger, better and weirder than the other guy. Peter "Mad Daddy" Myers was one of an entire genre of radio personalities who seemed to fit in perfectly with the dawn of rock n' roll and Top-40 radio. Mad Daddy's shtick was a sort of "cool-ghoul", a rhyming quasi-Surrealist with a dollop of Dracula to go with the sound effects. And throughout the 1950's, his inimitable style was unbeatable.

Sadly though, Top-40 Radio was gradually weening off the gimmick based Disc-Jockey by the mid 1960's and guys like Mad Daddy were pretty much relics by the end of that decade. Although, Pete Myers wouldn't make it to the end of the 60's as suicide had different plans in 1968.

This aircheck, the last fifteen minutes of his show for WINS from August 31, 1963 perfectly illustrates his trademark style and why Top-40 radio in the early days had such wide appeal and probably seems so strange now in comparison.

1954 became something of a pivotal year with regards to our presence in Asia. The Korean conflict had come to an end, but the one in Vietnam was about to heat up. Only earlier in the year the French suffered a paralyzing defeat at Dien bien Phu, bringing about their withdrawal from the former colony and our increased presence in the form of aid (military and economic) to the South Vietnamese government. China was again saber rattling with the island of Formosa. It was an uneasy time.

So on September 23, 1954, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles addressed the United Nations General Assembly.

John Foster Dulles: “The people of the United States believe wholeheartedly in the purposes and the principles set out by the charter of the United Nations. And that document marks a milestone in an understanding of the nature of peace. It recognizes that peace is not merely a passive concept. But peace is a call to action. It is not enough to dislike war and to denounce it, war has been hated throughout the ages, yet war has been recurrent throughout the ages. One reason is that men have never put into winning the peace efforts comparable to those which they put into winning a war.”

Lofty words, yet given the amount of "meddling" we were involved in at the time, it would seem a somewhat hollow gesture. Granted, there was a Cold War raging. The Independence movement was going full-tilt in Africa and the Soviet Union were doing their level best to influence those newly discovered rights of self-determination with both financial and military aid and it was something of a popularity contest. But we weren't making the world any safer by our support of regimes and dictatorships with endless lists of human rights violations. In our somewhat bungling quest to wage world peace, we were doing much to sow the seeds of discontent simply because we were always helping out the wrong guy. Were we, in 1954 just lousy judges of character? Or did we really think dictatorships, such as those in Cuba and Nicaragua, would see the error of their ways and magically embrace democracy with the Batista's and Somoza's stepping down "for the good of the people"?

We're still trying to figure that one out.

Over to Sweden today for a live concert via Sveriges Radio with Polish Pianist Stanislaw Drzewiecki in a program of music by Arkvik and Chopin. I'm not familiar at all with Ylva Arkvik but certainly am with Chopin, and he does a wonderful job (IMHO). But don't take my word for it.

As always, this 90 minute concert is broken up between two players. The top player features the Arkvik and Part One of the Chopin. The bottom player finishes the Chopin along with encores.

And here's the rundown in case you feel like brushing up on your Swedish:

Den polske pianisten Stanisław Drzewiecki föddes i Moskva 1987 och började ta pianolektioner vid 4 års ålder. Idag spelar han över hela världen och väcker beundran för att han med sin nyansrikedom och känslighet skapar poesi vid flygeln.

Denna pianorecital inleds med ett uruppförande av Ylva Q Arkviks verk ”Capriccio quasi fantasia” i vilket hon förhållit sig till Chopins musik. Sedan följer ett program som uteslutande består av Chopins musik för solopiano.

Program:

1. Ylva Q Arkvik: Capriccio quasi fantasia, uruppförande

2. Frédéric Chopin:
a) Polonäs nr 5 fiss-moll.
b) Fem mazurkor op. 7.
c) Tre valser op. 34.
d) Fantasi-impromptu ciss-moll.
e) Scherzo nr 1 h-moll.
f) Polonäs nr 6 Ass-dur.

Extranummer:
Nocturne ciss-moll
Polonaise A-dur
Preludium e-moll

Announcements are in Swedish and the pianist is in Polish . . . .so what's my point?

If anybody was curious as to the origins of Extremist Radio, you don't really have to go any further than the weekly broadcasts of Father Coughlin, whose rants filled the airwaves throughout the 1930s until finally even the Catholic Church had enough and banished him from his radio sermons.

I've posted Coughlin earlier on Newstalgia, early on when I could only provide a ten minute clip. But here, from this broadcast of August 27th 1939, you get the hear him in his entirety, including his warm-up speaker Father Curran who, judging from his particularly acid tone and beaming antisemitic rants, was something of a hatchet man for his illustrious boss.

But without naming names, Coughlin did his level best to elude:

Father Coughlin: “The concentration of power has led to a three-fold struggle for domination, concludes His Holiness in this excerpt. Of course there is a struggle for dictatorship in the economic sphere itself. And then the fierce battle to acquire control of the state so that it’s resources and authority may be abused in the economic struggle. And last, the clash between states themselves, Unquote. And so my friends, I speak to you of the evils of Capitalism. But I would impress upon your minds that these evils, as serious as they are, should be traced back to their parent evil – to the evils of trying to get along without God. Of trying to succeed without following the pathway of Christ. Of trying to keep Christ’s principles from the banking house, from the factory, from the school. Of trying to keep Christ’s teachings outside the Labor Unions, the home, the hearts of the people and the government.”

So if you ever thought the hate was more subtle in the past - you would be terribly wrong.

It's just timeless.

Aside from receiving accolades by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003 for his introduction of Recall legislation in California during his term as Governor in 1911, not a whole lot is remembered about Hiram Johnson, whose career in the Senate extended some 30 years and whose position went from Progressive to Bullmoose to Liberal Republican to New Dealer to Isolationist over that period of time. His political career went from 1910 until his death on August 6, 1945. While Governor of California he was also responsible for introducing the Alien Land Law of 1913 which prohibited "aliens ineligible for citizenship" the right to own land or property in California, aimed primarily at immigrant farmers (it was overturned in 1952 so don't go racing to the books, touting this one). Johnson was also the only Senator voting against the League of Nations and the United Nations. At least he was consistent in that area.

With war looming for U.S. involvement in 1941 Johnson, as a staunch isolationist, embraced the America First Committee and delivered many impassioned addresses on behalf of the group, including this one, delivered in May of 1941.

Sen. Hiram Johnson: “In his speech on Tuesday night the President, in my opinion, first himself declared war, and told the terms on which he would wage it. Secondly, he agreed he would convoy, or otherwise take to Britain the goods ammunition and guns intended for them. Again, he revived what he himself eliminated; the Doctrine of the Freedom of the Seas. And lastly, he went blithely on his way with his Four Freedoms, and is going to enthrone them upon the whole world. How he’s going to do it is a deep dark mystery. But he speaks as if it were easy of accomplishment. And gives never a thought to the agony and the anguish and the blood letting that’ll have to accomplish it.”

Ironically, this came from a man who crossed party lines to support FDR in both the 1932 and 1936 elections. He agreed with Roosevelt in domestic matters (as a vigorous New Deal supporter), but it didn't extend to Foreign Policy. He also broke with FDR during the Supreme Court episode.

But it is interesting to note how politics in history have become distorted in retrospect. That it was possible to be a Liberal Republican, cross party lines on occasion, vote with your conscience and not be hung in effigy as the result.

Times have changed.

There hasn't been a whole lot mentioned about Gerald Ford lately, or Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neil for that matter. I don't think either of them have been forgotten, but Ford doesn't stand out in history books as much more than the first non-elected President or vice-President during a time when America was reeling from Watergate and the Nixon era. 1975 was still shaky ground for a lot of people and we were in the midst of a recession. And O'Neil is probably best remembered as the one almost perpetually in a state of battle with Reagan.

But in 1975 the talk was about the 1976 elections and what were the chances of Ford's re-election (or official election if you want to get technical). As was evidenced by this Face The Nation episode from July 29, 1975, O'Neil didn't see the possibilities.

Marya McLaughlin (CBS News): “Mister Ford, um . . I take it that you don’t think he’s the niftiest President we’ve ever had.”

Tip O’Neil: “I don’t think that President Ford has a chance of being re-elected, even though the polls at this time show about fifty percent.”

MacLaughlin: “Why do you say that?”

O’Neil: “Well uh . . maybe it’s a hackneyed phrase but, let me say this, his philosophy and his thinking is such that he would bring you back to the Dark Ages. He’d bring you back to the days of the high button shoes, the lamp lighter, the celluloid collar. The days of McKinley. That was just twenty five years in Congress being against . .he’s an affable, friendly fellow. His philosophy is about as far to the right as you can get. He came to the Congress with no plan as far as the economy is concerned. He came to the House with no plan as far as housing is concerned. I just can’t imagine Gerry Ford being re-elected as President of the United States because the economy . . . the campaign will be on the economy and the economy will not be good. Any turn in the economy that has happened up to date is because of the actions of the Democratic Party and sticking the tax bill down his throat.”

At least part of his predictions were right. The part about Ted Kennedy . . .well.

Starting off the Month of June with a bang in 1980.

First, it was the economy - with reports that the Recession had come back with a vengence on top of double-digit inflation. Still, no tax cuts in the foreseeable future.

The GOP Presidential race was now down to one with George Bush dropping out and leaving the field open for Ronald Reagan. This ahead of Super Tuesday.

Fears of racial unrest surfaced when news of the assassination attempt on Urban League President Vernon Jordan, shot in the back by a sniper's bullet came to light. The fears were allayed when it was learned Jordan survived the attack and was doing well, but a stepped up investigation and search for the sniper was underway.

Some in South Korea were blaming the U.S. for being behind the recent violent crackdown on dissidents there. The U.S. vehemently denied any role or influence on the moves, even though the U.S. Ambassador and Military Adviser were not held in high esteem with the people of South Korea.

The hostage situation continued in Iran with a shift in political power signified by the opening of Parliament and a majority of members aligned with the Khomeni regime. The fate of the hostages was now in Parliament's hands.

And despite faded hopes for finding some 50 missing people in the wake of the eruption of the Mt. St. Helens volcano, 75 year old Ray Jennings and his four dogs surfaced relatively unscathed.

And that's how this month got started, June 1st 1980 as reported on The World This Week from CBS Radio News.

It's always so gratifying when a band you really love and enjoy start getting the success they deserve. Several months ago I ran In The Black, a track off Intimate Stranger's first album. I was completely knocked out by this multi-national band (the guitarist and drummer - and now keyboards, are Chilean and the singer is East European and their production is based out of London) and how fresh they sounded when I first ran across them on MySpace a few years ago.

In the interim they've been recording, gigging a lot (even playing SXSW this year as well as touring the U.S.) and getting great word mouth going and some very positive press in the process.

It's always nice to see the good people win and Intimate Stranger is just that. A lot of very strong material, well produced with a killer singer (Tessie).

So tonight it's actually two things: first is their new single, Nighttime, from Under, their new album (the player up top), and the second is a taste of them live during a gig at Maxine's in April of this year (the player down there) playing one of their early tracks In The Black. I'm hoping to get a copy of one of their live gigs to post on the Backstage Weekend so you get to hear what they sound like live and won't think twice about catching them if they hit your town.

As always, support them if you can. Their website is jammed with goodies and words. So check them out and hear what else they have going on.

Things are looking up - and that's a good thing!

I have always been a fan of Le Orme (translated: The Footprints) ever since I first heard them in the early 70's. They came about at a time when bands in Europe were transitioning from Psychedelia to Progressive and were taking the nod from groups like Van der Graaf Generator and early Genesis for their inspiration.

They are probably one of the longest running groups from the period, having gone through a personnel change last year with co-founder Aldo retiring after over 40 years with them. They have been together, in various incarnations since 1966.

Tonight's track is from the 1979 album Florian and it signifies a change of direction for the band, as it was the last one with the classic lineup (the classic period for Le Orme, as collectors refer to, was the period 1970-1978) before original member, keyboard player Tony Pagliuga left the band to pursue a solo career.

Pietro il Pescatore is one of their more hauntingly lyrical offerings and, even though it's a different direction than their earlier, more complex material, it's still a memorable track from a sadly neglected album.