Editing Dave Mustaine (section)

====Criticism of Barack Obama and 2012 U.S. presidential election====
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In the 2010s, Mustaine grew increasingly vocal in his support of many Republican figures and positions, which is a change from his politics during the [[George H. W. Bush]] administration, when Mustaine acted as a reporter for [[MTV News]] during the [[1992 Democratic National Convention|Democratic National Convention in 1992]], and was seen as leaning to the political left, in light of the lyrics of "Foreclosure of a Dream".<ref>{{cite news |title=Megadeth's Dave Mustaine endorses Rick Santorum for President – big change for one-time GOP critic |last=Sacks |first=Ethan |newspaper=Daily News |date=February 15, 2012 |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/megadeth-dave-mustaine-endorses-rick-santorum-president-article-1.1023136#ixzz1mUW5rYMJ |location=New York |access-date=February 15, 2012 |archive-date=February 17, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217201609/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/megadeth-dave-mustaine-endorses-rick-santorum-president-article-1.1023136#ixzz1mUW5rYMJ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Mustaine has criticized several [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] politicians. During the 2004 presidential campaign, Mustaine commented that he believed that [[John Kerry]] would "ruin our country".<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=28343 |title=Dave Mustaine Says John Kerry Will 'Ruin Our Country' – Blabbermouth.net | website = roadrunnerrecords.com |date=October 25, 2004 |access-date=August 4, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081209023000/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=28343 |archive-date=December 9, 2008}}</ref> In addition, Mustaine has made several comments critical of president [[Barack Obama]], calling him "the most divisive president we've ever had" in 2011,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=165143 |title=DAVE MUSTAINE Says OBAMA Is 'The Most Divisive President We've Ever Had' |publisher=Roadrunnerrecords.com |date= October 25, 2011 |access-date=November 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027162842/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=165143 |archive-date=October 27, 2011 }}</ref> and commenting that he believed that Obama was [[Barack Obama citizenship conspiracy theories|born outside of the United States]] during a March 2012 interview on ''[[George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight]]''.<ref name="strombo">{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/megadeth-singer-gives-santorum-a-thumbs-up-1.1197614 |title=Megadeth singer gives Santorum a thumbs-up |publisher=[[CBC News]] |date=March 26, 2012 |access-date=March 27, 2012 |archive-date=March 27, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327170233/http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/03/26/megadeath-dave-mustaine.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In an August 2012 Singapore performance on the tour to support the band's then-new album ''Thirteen'', Mustaine expressed his views of President Obama and recent gun violence in the United States, making an accusation that Obama had staged the [[2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting|shootings at Aurora, Colorado]], and [[Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting|a Wisconsin Sikh temple]] in order to push a gun control agenda, while engaging the audience during onstage banter in between songs. Mustaine also criticized the [[ATF gunwalking scandal|'Fast and Furious' arms scandal]] and said that the country looked like it was turning into "Nazi America".<ref>{{cite news |title=Dave Mustaine, Megadeth Singer, Says Obama 'Staged' Aurora Shooting, Sikh Temple Shooting To Pass A Gun Ban |date=August 15, 2012 |work=The Huffington Post |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/dave-mustaine-megadeth-si_n_1784525.html |first=Matt |last=Ferner |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=July 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180728154754/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/15/dave-mustaine-megadeth-si_n_1784525.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Dave Mustaine: Obama Staged Aurora, Sikh Temple Shootings |first=Marc |last=Schneider |date=August 16, 2012 |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/480408/dave-mustaine-obama-staged-aurora-sikh-temple-shootings |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=January 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112181614/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/480408/dave-mustaine-obama-staged-aurora-sikh-temple-shootings |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Eakin |first=Marah |title=Dave Mustaine thinks Obama staged the shootings in Colorado and Wisconsin |url=https://www.avclub.com/dave-mustaine-thinks-obama-staged-the-shootings-in-colo-1798232868 |newspaper=The AV Club |date=August 15, 2012 |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=October 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131028162412/http://www.avclub.com/articles/dave-mustaine-thinks-obama-staged-the-shootings-in,83895/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Mustaine's comments drew criticism from wounded Aurora massacre survivor Carli Richards, who said Mustaine was being "absurd" and that his conspiracy theory shifted blame away from the shooter, noting that "[the president] didn't shoot me".<ref>{{cite news |title=Carli Richards, Aurora Shooting Survivor, Responds To Megadeth Singer's Obama 'Staged' Comment |date=August 17, 2012 |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/17/carli-richards-aurora-megadeth-dave-mustaine-obama_n_1799040.html |work=The Huffington Post |first=Timothy |last=Stenovec |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085140/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/17/carli-richards-aurora-megadeth-dave-mustaine-obama_n_1799040.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.tmz.com/2012/08/16/batman-megadeth-singer-barack-obama-victim-carli-richards-dave-mustain/#ixzz23uepOjqu |title='Batman' Massacre Victim to Megadeth Singer: Don't Blame Obama! |work=[[TMZ]].com |date=August 16, 2012 |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=July 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729050302/https://www.tmz.com/2012/08/16/batman-megadeth-singer-barack-obama-victim-carli-richards-dave-mustain/#ixzz23uepOjqu |url-status=live }}</ref> In response to the controversy over his comments, Mustaine told Alex Jones that his comments were done "in the heat of the moment". He also denied any intention to hurt anyone with his comments, but believed that the possibility of a conspiracy should still be looked into.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dave Mustaine addresses shooting comments controversy |date=August 17, 2012 |url=http://blog.sfgate.com/dailydish/2012/08/17/dave-mustaine-addresses-shooting-comments-controversy/ |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=August 18, 2012 |archive-date=November 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121124081717/http://blog.sfgate.com/dailydish/2012/08/17/dave-mustaine-addresses-shooting-comments-controversy/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In February 2012, Mustaine gave a statement supportive of the [[Rick Santorum presidential campaign, 2012|presidential campaign]] of conservative Republican and former United States Senator [[Rick Santorum]]. Mustaine commented on Santorum's "presidential qualities" and pointed to Santorum's [[Rick Santorum presidential campaign, 2012#New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida|temporary suspension of his campaign to be with his sick daughter]] as the act that gained his attention and respect. However, Mustaine denied that his statement was intended as an endorsement of Santorum.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/dave-mustaine-im-not-ready-to-endorse-rick-santorum-20120216 |title=Dave Mustaine: I'm Not Ready to Endorse Rick Santorum |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=February 16, 2012 |access-date=August 4, 2014 |archive-date=August 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808104524/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/dave-mustaine-im-not-ready-to-endorse-rick-santorum-20120216 |url-status=live }}</ref> He expressed his hope that Santorum would win the nomination but stated that, regardless of the results, he would be voting against a second term for President Obama. Mustaine also criticized other Republican presidential candidates: he was critical of a $100 million trust fund that Massachusetts governor [[Mitt Romney]] set up for his sons and criticized Texas Congressman [[Ron Paul]] for his unorthodox political views, saying Paul "make[s] total sense for a while, and then he'll say something so way out that it negates everything else". Mustaine also admitted that he once supported former Georgia Congressman and House Speaker [[Newt Gingrich]], but that he no longer thought he could vote for him.<ref name=RickSantorumComments>{{cite news |title= Megadeath frontman wants to see Rick Santorum in the White House, report says |url= https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/megadeath-frontman-wants-to-see-rick-santorum-in-the-white-house-report-says/ |work= FoxNews.com |author= News Core |access-date= February 25, 2012 |date= February 15, 2012 |archive-date= February 26, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120226051439/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/02/15/megadeath-frontman-wants-to-see-rick-santorum-in-white-house/ |url-status= live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first= Dave |last= Mustaine |interviewer= Joe Bosso |url= http://www.musicradar.com/news/live/interview-megadeths-dave-mustaine-talks-guitar-politics-and-todays-music-529703/3 |title= Interview: Megadeth's Dave Mustaine talks guitar, politics and today's music &#124; Guitar News |website= MusicRadar.com |date= February 14, 2012 |access-date= August 4, 2014 |archive-date= May 24, 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130524193442/http://www.musicradar.com/news/live/interview-megadeths-dave-mustaine-talks-guitar-politics-and-todays-music-529703/3 |url-status= live }}</ref>