---
title: Dark Side of the Town Hall
date: 2008-11-15 19:08:00.00 -8
tags: posts 
---
For the [second Presidential Debate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_debate_2008) of the 2008 Obama / McCain presidential race, I tried an old psychedelic expirament: [synchronization](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Side_of_the_Rainbow) with Pink Floyd's _Dark Side of the Moon_. It worked better than I expected, and I microblogged the entire experience.

![Dark Side of the Town Hall](./dark-side-of-the-town-hall.gif)

[Try it yourself](http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/07/video.transcript/index.html).
Queue up Dark Side of the Moon and begin playing as Tom Brokaw says "Good Evening".

Yes, this is silly.

I noticed synchronicity a few times:

> I'm watching tonight's debate on mute with Dark Side of the Moon playing. I
call it Dark Side of the Town Hall. _6:41 PM Oct 7th_


> Started _Dark Side_ right when Tom Brokaw said "Good Evening" - the pulse
background is kinda creepy, laughing, screaming _8:03 PM Oct 7th_


> Awesome: They shook hands just as _Breathe_ kicked in. IT WORKS! _8:04 PM
Oct 7th_


> Obama answers his first question to the first stanza of _Breathe_ ♫ "Don't
be afraid to care / look around, choose your own life" ♫ _8:05 PM Oct 7th_


> McCain answers his first question to creepy synth pattern of ♫ _On The Run_
♫ _8:08 PM Oct 7th_


> "Not You Tom" didn't synch, then he pauses, then the plane wreck sound
effect at the end of ♫ _On The Run_ ♫, then McCain's answer. _8:09 PM Oct 7th_


> Obama "other folks" eh? Oh all of them that come across your desk? ♫ _Time_
♫ is revving up - clauses end in that droning low E _8:11 PM Oct 7th_


> McCain on Obama's cronies as the Gilmours' solos in ♫ _Time_ ♫ "Buy up
these bad loans" _wailing blues_ _8:13 PM Oct 7th_

> Obama rebuttal during solo refrain, nicely synced, contine through last
verse of _Time_ and end right as the song ends _8:16 PM Oct 7th_

> McCain rebuttal backed by Clare Torry. Oohhh "The American workers are the
best in the world" _8:18 PM Oct 7th_

> Obama makes promises of investment (with what $?) to Ms. Finch during mellow
lull in ♬ _The Great Gig in the Sky_ ♬ _8:21 PM Oct 7th_

> ♬ _Money_ ♬ and McCain's rebuttal sync perfectly. "Let's look at our records
instead of rhetoric" "Money…root of all evil today" _8:22 PM Oct 7th_

> As the sax solo winds gives way to guitar solo in ♬ _Money_ ♬ McCain
describes order of priorities. He's really good at this. Gilmour I mean. …
_8:25 PM Oct 7th_

> Obama compares himself to JFK as ♬ _Money_ ♬ winds down. Really? /that/ JFK?
Really? "Giving none away" ♬ "Giving none away" ♬ _8:28 PM Oct 7th_

> McCain describes eliminating government departments by specifically solving
defense spending problems to ♬ _Us and Them_ ♬ Clinton-omics? _8:30 PM Oct
7th_

> ♬ "Haven't you heard it's a battle of words / the poster bearer cried Listen
son, said the man with the gun / There's room for you inside" ♬ _8:32 PM Oct
7th_

> McCain on nailing Jello to the wall as ♬ _Any Colour You Like_ ♬ begins
(I'll take Lime with vodka, in a dixie cup) then describes his tax plan …
_8:37 PM Oct 7th_

> Obama describes his tax plan to ♬ _Brain Damage_ ♬, then McCain plays up his
maverick record to the same. _8:41 PM Oct 7th_

> ♬ _Eclipse_ ♬ ends as McCain comments on environment. Nuclear power, or
something like that. _8:45 PM Oct 7th_

> Debate continues, _The Dark Side of the Town Hall_ does not. ♬ "There is no
dark side of the town hall really. Matter of fact its all dark." ♬