Toby Keith: Not running for Oklahoma governor

BY CHRIS CASTEEL - WASHINGTON BUREAU | Published: April 21, 2009 | Modified: April 21, 2009 at 1:38 pm

WASHINGTON — Country singer Toby Keith ruled out running for governor in Oklahoma, telling an audience at the National Press Club today that "being a politician would mean (having) to get along with too many people.''

Toby Keith during the Persian Gulf region to perform for the troops as part of a USO/MNC-I expeditionary/Armed Forces Entertainment tour. ©2008 USO / DAVE GATLEY
Toby Keith during the Persian Gulf region to perform for the troops as part of a USO/MNC-I expeditionary/Armed Forces Entertainment tour. ©2008 USO / DAVE GATLEY

"I'm not political, so I couldn't do that,'' Keith said when asked about running for Oklahoma governor in 2018 or sooner. "Number two is, I couldn't deal with all the lies.''

In a speech and question-and-answer session, the popular singer talked about playing for troops overseas and writing about their service to the country.

Keith is scheduled to leave tonight for a trip to Afghanistan, where he will do more than a dozen shows. He has already played more than 100 shows for U.S. troops in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Keith complained that the media is caught up in trying to sell "headlines" and often mischaracterized his work and his views.

He said that, because of what's been written about him, some people assume he's a "right-wing loco'' when, in fact, he's a life-long Democrat whose family tree doesn't include a single Republican.

"My leftie friends think I'm a Nazi, and my rightie friends think I'm a hippie,'' Keith said.



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