Three Cheers for Kid Rock
In another life, Kid Rock may be headed to the United Nations.
His career trajectory having already been set, it is worth noting how he got where he is as a modern day rock icon.
His Wikipedia bio says that Robert James Ritchie began his music career as a rapper. Making all manner of stops in the music and entertainment world along his road into the future, he has morphed into a successful rock star/businessman as well as, per that bio, an ordained minister.
He has also founded The Kid Rock Foundation and raised money for “multiple causes” that include “Kid Rock care packages to U.S. military personnel stationed overseas.”
Which is to say, Kid Rock has long since moved from being just a rock star to being a decidedly patriotic observer and participant in the world of current events, with many friends and acquaintances. And yes, he is a Republican.
In that latter role, the other day Kid Rock arranged a dinner get together between his friend President Trump and his friend the liberal TV comedian and showman Bill Maher. Three cheers for Kid Rock.
The dinner was, apparently, and according to all accounts, a great success.
Here’s but one headline, this one from USA Today: “Bill Maher posts about dinner with Trump as Kid Rock says ‘It could not have been better.’”
The story reports that, in an appearance on Fox & Friends, Kid Rock said that the dinner get together “could not have been better. Everyone was so surprised.”
He added:
The president was so gracious. He took us up to the private residence and we saw the Gettysburg Address and the Lincoln bedroom, and I was like, “You’ve never been here, Bill?” … We talked about things we had in common. Wokeness, securing the border. The president was asking him what he thought about policy going on with Iran and Israel and things.
In other words, there was an open, friendly discussion between the Republican president and the liberal TV host.
Which, in truth, having been privileged to spend my share of time with both, is exactly what I would have expected.
For his part, Maher said this:
I’m not playing this game that you mean girls play where like, “You know what? You can’t sit at my lunch table because I’m just not talking to you.” Not talking to you? You lost the election. Who … do you think you have to talk to? It’s one thing if you win it; it’s another thing if you lose it.
…We’ve got to get more of this going. This has to become the center. This has to become a real center. Right now, it’s a few lonely islands that need to become a bigger … sandbar.
One of the problems in the 21st-century world of instant media is that it is all too easy to make a caricature of a public figure. The public caricatures of both the president and Bill Maher may satisfy some, but in reality, those caricatures are not only a disservice to each man but, considering their respective roles on the national stage, a disservice to the country.
Maher added of his then-impending visit:
I am wearing a suit and tie. It’s a sign of respect. It’s the White House! … You also have to respect the guy did win. It’s more than half the country. I keep saying it, I’m not going to hate. You can not like Trump; you can hate him, but you can’t hate everybody who voted for him. I said it in my last special: I don’t hate half the country, and I don’t want to hate half the country.
Bingo.
Time moves on.
This moment of civility and open-minded discussion between President Trump and Bill Maher, brokered by the very good American Kid Rock, is a good thing. In an age where division is all too common, it is a very good thing.
For which all involved deserve a shout-out and applause.
And three cheers for Kid Rock.
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