No, it’s not the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse, it’s just the 2004 presidential election.

This race has made everyone into a political activist overnight — including celebrities and musicians. Forget what your political science professors have to say about the issues — celebrities and musicians are who really matter here. Don’t beautiful, talented people know everything about everything anyway?

Take, for instance, all the politically sparked music tours popping up everywhere. Dave Matthews is headlining part of the “Vote For Change” tour that will make a stop in Ames. This tour is heading to most of what they call “battleground” states in an attempt to get the vote out, and get people our age — the coveted 18-to-24 age range — registered to vote.

What I would like to know is, why now? With so much happening politically in our country — all the time, every year — musicians and celebrities are making politics trendy this year, the year with a race so heated it might beat out the craziness that was the 2000 elections. This presidential race has introduced a new kind of “scenester” into the mix.

Got your Chuck Taylor shoes? Check. Trucker hat strategically cocked sideways? Check. Hella cool vintage-looking band T-shirt? Check. Quick, witty line on why Bush sucks? Damn straight.

Where was all this heat a few years back? Everyone knows why they like or dislike Michael Moore, but do they really take the time to investigate the issues he covered in “Fahrenheit 9/11” that made them gasp, jeer or cheer in the theater?

I can see it now. The red carpet at the Emmy Awards dotted with everyone who matters in the big screen world. You see a beautiful female lead who has just made it big with a box office smash. And maybe, a few weeks ago she stood on a stage with a bunch of other celebrities and chanted some anti-Bush slogan. But today, paparazzi are flooding her with questions. And after the fact, all we really know about her and what she thinks is what designer she was wearing that night.

After this year, will one of the key demographics — that’s right kids, it’s us — be voting still? Will it still be the “cool” thing to do? My guess is it will not. Oh sure, you’ll have those crazy political science majors taking their soap box with them wherever they go. But after the musicians and celebrities quit caring, so will a lot of “normal” people.

This race isn’t the end of it. Whoever gets elected in November will need all of us to keep them in check. So go see a piece of the “Vote For Change” tour, or Ani DiFranco’s “Vote Dammit” tour, or any of the hordes of other tours and promotions that are hitting underground stages.

Remember, the proverbial boat always needs rocking, if you are up to it.