Would Garth Brooks Ever Run for President? His Answer Is Perfect

Garth Brooks is a leader in country music, but don't expect to see his name on the presidential ballot anytime soon. In a recent interview with Billboard, the country superstar shares why he can't envision a future in the Oval Office: He sees himself reflected across the political spectrum and party lines.

"Trust me, no one would know which way to go with me because I am so both. I really am 'Let's love one another, but don't forget we’re the defender of freedom all around the world, so let's beef up,'" Brooks explains.

Brooks supports this statement by pointing to a pair of songs in his expansive catalog that exist at opposite ends of the spectrum: "American Honky Tonk Bar Association," his blue-collar ode that topped the country charts in 1993, and "We Shall Be Free," a compassionate anthem that features such lyrics as, "When we're free to love anyone we choose / When this world's big enough for all different views ... We shall be free."

"People don't think you can do both. And that's right down my alley," he insists. "That's why you can have "We Shall Be Free" and "American Honky Tonk Bar Association" at the same concert. Let’s love one another and let’s pull our own weight."

The superstar goes on to express that while he harbors a deep sense of patriotism, he doesn't allow it to cloud the universal appeal of music, comparing it to how he treats his faith in the public eye.

"I'll do my patriotism pretty much the way I'll do my belief in God. People say, 'Are you ever gonna make a gospel record?' and I say, 'I don't feel worthy of getting to do one.' So my songs like that are "Unanswered Prayers' and "The River." Same way with patriotism," he says.

"I'm not going to shove it down your throat," Brooks adds, "but I don't think you have to be around me long to realize that I feel lucky to to live where I live."