Busking with Tim Kaine

July 28, 2016 12:09 PM

I am a busker in Eastern Massachusetts and I have several song by the Replacements in my repertoire. I know this is a long shot, but I would like to busk with Vice Presidential nominee Tim Kaine. What's the best way to try and make this happen?

I have emailed and called Hillary for America, both through the website and through the press@hillaryforpresident emails. I have also tweeted at Tim Kane. Are there other ways I could get in touch with their press offices?

NOTE: I am well aware that this is a long shot and that the odds are better that it WON'T happen. Please don't tell me this, because I know. I want to give this my best shot before I give up and move on.

posted by pxe2000 to Society & Culture (11 answers total)

Serious answer: Make a big, colorful sign that says "I WANT TO BUSK WITH TIM KAINE." Hang it next to you whenever you perform. Put footage up on YouTube, and hope it goes viral.
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:21 PM on July 28, 2016 [7 favorites]

I work with a guy who got a photo op with Hillary through creative tweeting. I think the trick is to be goofy enough to stand out, and very, very persistent.
posted by roger ackroyd at 12:40 PM on July 28, 2016

Generally speaking when there is this level of security and high profile involved, this stuff only happens if THEY contact YOU. (Marc Maron talks at length on his WTF podcast about what was involved in having President Obama on the show. Long story short: you do not have the President/VP on your show. This person decides to be on your show.)

As such yes, your best bet is to try and get the attention of Kaine's people through sheer virality and hope they are interested. Contacting his people repeatedly is much more likely to end you up on some kind of watch list.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 12:41 PM on July 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Blast, I appreciate your insight, but I did mention--twice--in my question that the odds of my actually doing this are pretty slim. I wanted to know the best way to go about this, not that the odds aren't with me. I am very aware that it probably won't happen, which is why I said that in the question. 🙄
posted by pxe2000 at 12:52 PM on July 28, 2016 [2 favorites]

I would try to contact someone who knows either Clinton or Kaine. This woman owns the local Chappaqua, NY magazine and has apparently traveled with Clinton as a friend and is part of the "Chappaqua for Hillary contingent. I would contact her and see if she would put you in touch with the appropriate person. I do not know this woman other than having seen her tweets but I suspect she knows people in the campaign and as a publisher might like the publicity or story.
posted by AugustWest at 12:55 PM on July 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

Great suggestions above, another thing you might try is to look up their campaign schedule as to places they're already travelling to, and see when the campaign might already be in your area. They likely won't campaign much in Massachusetts because it's a blue state, but this map suggests that New Hampshire and Pennsylvania might be the best bets. You could try contacting the local Democratic party folks in cities/towns they are already going to be in and see if you could make a connection that way.
posted by rainbowbrite at 1:17 PM on July 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: In addition to being incredibly busy right now, I would think Kaine, like any amateur musician, would be hesitant to play in public without having had the chance to practice with someone. A You Tube video is a good idea - not just saying you want to play with Kaine but telling him precisely which song, and then playing a verse or two so he could practice with it.

Then show up at one of his speaking engagements in NH or PA ready to go, and have lots of tweets beforehand @ his campaign so someone from the campaign knows. and rainbowbrite's idea is good too, contact the local organizers. The key is to make it very easy for him.
posted by mulcahy at 1:25 PM on July 28, 2016 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Great suggestions, everyone. I now have to find a Presidential Replacements song.

This is a total long shot and I want to show them that I'm interested without being weird. If this doesn't happen I can at least say I tried.
posted by pxe2000 at 1:33 PM on July 28, 2016

It's been said by more insightful people than me that Tim Kaine almost certainly knows the lyrics to Gary's Got A Boner.
posted by billjings at 3:22 PM on July 28, 2016 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Billjings, I'm pretty sure suggesting that one would get me put on a watch list for sure.

(I'm thinking "If You Dare", "Left of the Dial", or "Talent Show".)
posted by pxe2000 at 3:47 PM on July 28, 2016

One thing that just occurred to me: it would be a good idea to transpose whatever song you pick to the key of C, which (I think?) is the most common type of harmonica; its probably a safe bet that's he'd have one (or if a staffer had to run to a local music store to buy one, it would almost certainly be in C.)
posted by usonian at 1:11 PM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]