American Idol red state vs blue state?

A funny analysis. Is everything political and cultural these days?

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Now comes the real blockbuster election - one that will hinge just as much on complex demographic, technological and geographic factors as last year's epic presidential battle.

We are talking, of course, about "American Idol," the season finale of which will begin Tuesday night and end Wednesday night with the crowning of a new Idol.

Theories abound over who has the inside edge - the neo-glam, San Diego-bred Adam Lambert, 27, or the younger, more down-home Kris Allen, 23, of Conway, Ark.

Veteran political consultants say the 2008 presidential election is a useful prism through which to view this high-profile faceoff.

"The profiles of Adam and Kris suggest that this is really a red state versus blue state showdown," suggested Chris Lehane, a California-based political consultant who worked on the presidential campaigns of Al Gore and John Kerry.

The way Lehane sees it, Adam is the liberal in this race, the hipster from big blue California with a certain progressive flair, including painted fingernails and copious amounts of eyeliner.

Kris is more of a red-state country boy - a baby-faced, guitar-pickin', churchgoin' son of the land of Woo Pig Soiee, which voted solidly Republican in the last election.

"It will come down to whether Adam is able to build on the blue-state, progressive wave we have seen building since 2006, or whether this is a last gasp for the red state viewer/voter," explained Lehane by e-mail.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/americanidol/2009/05/19/2009-05-19_lambert_vs_allen_american_idol_finale.html#ixzz0FxW7RJSH&B