Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again ...

One of the themes that we have discussed in IPC 4020 this semester is the use of popular culture by politicians. As our textbook states, "popular culture can be used to send the messages candidates and elected officials desire" (364). Our textbook focuses on how politicians go on programs like Oprah as the means of using popular culture, but we also might look at how politicians make references to popular culture, like sports, films, and music, in their campaigns. As an example, as this news story shows, Texas governor Rick Perry has utilized a parody of the ABBA number 1 hit from the mid-1970s "Dancing Queen" in his primary race against Kay Bailey Hutchinson, who is leaving the Senate to run for governor of Texas. Perry's parody of the song critiques Hutchinson as the "Earmark Queen." On the one hand, this is meant by Perry's campaign to associate Hutchinson with what it's attempting to portray as wasteful or useless spending. It's using a prominent popular culture text to do that. However, we might also examine what it shows about Perry. Does this, for instance, portray him as having a sense of humor or being a little more down to earth by associating him with ABBA and with this parody?