GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump likes to dance, as he demonstrated this week at an unusual rally appearance in Pennsylvania. After two audience members required emergency medical treatment, Trump morphed the rally into a sort of DJ session, ceasing to answer questions and, instead, “swaying” to the music for nearly 40 minutes, as the Washington Post reported.
(WAPO: Trump sways and bops to music for 39 minutes in unusual town hall: ‘Let’s not do any more questions‘.)
Trump’s setlist consisted of numerous tunes — the Ave Maria was reportedly played more than once. One among those chosen was a version of the late Leonard Cohen‘s iconic “Hallelujah” sung by Rufus Wainwright, a Kamala Harris supporter from the famous musical family. (Rufus’s father is Loudon Wainwright III, his mother Kate McGarrigle.)
I don’t recall seeing anything like this three weeks before an election.
Trump is unraveling in front of our eyes. He’s going to lose
pic.twitter.com/oQmmc8XVcO
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) October 15, 2024
After the rally received so much attention, Wainwright joined a long list of artists who have demanded that Trump’s campaign stop using their work.
[NOTE: Beyonce, Sinead O’Connor — whose music was played again at this rally, Jack White, Celine Dion, Tom Petty, ABBA, Foo Fighters, the Rolling Stones and many others have reportedly, at different times, requested that Trump stop using their work.]
And, the cease-and-desist letter is already out to the Trump campaign for playing Rufus Wainwright’s version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” last night. pic.twitter.com/0bUgUNsBmV
— Chris “Law Dork” Geidner (@chrisgeidner) October 15, 2024
Weighing in on a cease and desist letter sent in the rally aftermath by Cohen’s publishing company, Wainwright outlined the reasons for his objection, presuming to speak also for Cohen.
“Witnessing Trump and his supporters commune with this music last night was the height of blasphemy,” Wainwright wrote, having described Cohen’s song as “an anthem dedicated to peace, love and acceptance of the truth.”
Expressing the hope that Trump, were he to “really” listen to the lyrics, might be penitent “over what he’s caused,” Wainwright said he wasn’t counting on it. How did he feel about Trump using Cohen’s powerful lyrics to sooth the MAGA crowd? Wainwright says he “was mortified.”
Above is a version of “Hallelujah” that Wainwright would likely believe Cohen approves of — an SNL masterpiece by Kate McKinnon in the wake of the 2016 presidential election.