Interesting theory, fanman.
In my opinion, however, this song is a social and political protest levelled directly at the Bush administration.
"All your sad and lost apostles... choking on the bones you tossed to them" would then refer to Cheney, Gonzales and all the other Bush allies.
"History will set me free... and you don't even rate a footnote, now" could mean that history would judge Bush harshly, as bad and ultimately insignificant leader.
Quotes like "you disappear midsentence in a judgement crisis" and "you work it out. let's hear that argument again. camera 3. go. now" seem to question Bush's judgement and ability to actually present a convincing case for his point of view (without resorting to violnce).
Generally, "Accelerate" seems to me to be a very politically charged album. Songs like Houston ("If the storm doesn't kill me, the government will"), Mr Richards ("Mr Richards, you're forgiven for a narrow lack of vision") and Until the day is done ("the verdict is dire, the country's in ruins") are full of Stipe's brilliantly bitter social critisism. But then again, that's just my point of view ;).
Interesting theory, fanman. In my opinion, however, this song is a social and political protest levelled directly at the Bush administration. "All your sad and lost apostles... choking on the bones you tossed to them" would then refer to Cheney, Gonzales and all the other Bush allies. "History will set me free... and you don't even rate a footnote, now" could mean that history would judge Bush harshly, as bad and ultimately insignificant leader. Quotes like "you disappear midsentence in a judgement crisis" and "you work it out. let's hear that argument again. camera 3. go. now" seem to question Bush's judgement and ability to actually present a convincing case for his point of view (without resorting to violnce). Generally, "Accelerate" seems to me to be a very politically charged album. Songs like Houston ("If the storm doesn't kill me, the government will"), Mr Richards ("Mr Richards, you're forgiven for a narrow lack of vision") and Until the day is done ("the verdict is dire, the country's in ruins") are full of Stipe's brilliantly bitter social critisism. But then again, that's just my point of view ;).