The Killers and Mitt Romney: Drummer Suggests Mormon Republican's Interest is an Attempt to Be 'Hip'

Posted on Nov 1st 2012 1:00PM by Sarah Kurchak
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The Killers | AFP

When presidential candidate Mitt Romney told Parade magazine that he was a fan of The Killers this past summer, after earlier including two Killers tunes in his press released Spotify playlist, the largely apolitical (and partly Mormon) band took it in stride.

Neither outwardly criticizing or endorsing Romney, the four members of the working class rock 'n' roll outfit have instead supported the politician's musical freedom of choice.

Bassist Mark Stoermer told Rolling Stone that "anyone's allowed to like us. If it's just about music, I guess it's not a negative thing."

Singer Brandon Flowers adopted a similar line when talking to Reuters about his feelings on fellow Mormon Romney, saying, "It doesn't bother us that one particular candidate likes us or if another doesn't. For the most part, from [UK prime minister] David Cameron to Obama to Romney, everybody likes us."

Flowers did have a private lunchtime meeting with the candidate in Las Vegas last year, admitting to the UK newspaper The Independent that their shared Mormon faith, along with the band's young fans, is likely the reason for Romney's interest. "I think that's something that definitely made it a little bit easier to reach out to me." He also added: "I don't think you shouldn't vote for him because of his religion."

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When asked if Romney's attention was problematic for the band, who have publicly admitted that their members don't share the same political views, drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. tells Spinner that simply isn't the case.

"No. People can listen to our band," Vannucci says. "There are going to be famous people and there are going to be not so famous people. I've met [Romney] a few times and he's a good dude. He's allowed to say whatever he wants to."

Vannucci does wonder about Romney's motives for expressing his love for the band, though.

"I'm sure Mitt is... Maybe he's saying it to say to the younger generation that he's hip or something like that," Vannucci suggests.

But he insists that The Killers won't be capitalizing on the attention to throw their own agendas into the political ring.

"Some people like to use their band as a platform for other things. We just like to keep it on the music side of things," he says.

And as for his own hopes for the 2012 election, Vannucci prefers to keep things just as neutral.

"May the best man win."

Watch The Killers' "All These Things That I Have Done" (AOL Sessions) Video

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