Sure, the guy who's built like a semi-pro football player is becoming this decade's most notable and bankable male country star. And, yes, the dude who sang about "Steve from Sioux Falls" in his song "Stays in Mexico" still makes music that tends to draw from the genre's outlaw days.

But since the Oklahoman's "Courtesy of the Red and White Blue" become a de facto rally cry for a nation grieving over Sept. 11, 2001, Keith has been painted as a new-school patriotic posterboy.

Don't believe the hype. Sure, he's patriotic. But not at the expense of his freedoms - which includes free speech.

A couple months ago, the 44-year-old Keith called Link and dished on his public image, the inspiration for "Stays in Mexico" and his exploits with rappers.

Question: The song is over a year old, but people here are still wondering: who was the inspiration for Steve, the insurance salesman from Sioux Falls in "Stays in Mexico"?

Answer: For the sake of the rhyme I had to come up with a real basic name and I didn't want him to be from L.A. or New York or Kansas City. I used up all my Oklahoma towns over the years.

My assistant is from Sioux Falls, and I used it, and it worked for the rhyme. Once I had South Dakota in there, that rolls with Arizona, I had Sioux Falls and that worked with the phone rhyme.

Q: Who's your assistant?

A: Mitch Deneui from Hurley, S.D.

Q: You've been very vocal about your support for the President and the war in Iraq. If some reports are true and this war was planned before Sept. 11, would it change your opinions and stance about the war?

A: Yeah, absolutely. I've never supported this war. I've supported the troops and the information that was given to get us to go in. The thing that gets me is that people shouldn't care about what a celebrity thinks about the war. They should research it themselves. There's a big difference between the story of what's going on over there and what the media is portraying.

I supported the operation into Afghanistan. You always support your troops because they're not the ones making the decision.

I go riding with them for days and get in their convoys and helicopters and sleep in their houses and ... I get to ask a million questions. So, I'm an authority on the subject.

Q: Interesting because, for the most part, the media has painted you a red, white and blue Republican. Yet you've described yourself as a Democrat and said that you make more money touring in the blue states. Are you the most misunderstood man in country music?

A: Well, at least in country music. But it doesn't matter. I look good in those colors. I say what I say, and you're going to create enemies and friends. I always tell people don't ask me, ask a soldier.

Q: But most people don't have the access to soldiers that you do.

A: There's a soldier in your hometown. I guarantee you there are lots of people in South Dakota who have fought in the Iraq War. But they're not the people the media is going to talk to because they're not going to get the answers they want.

Q: Fair enough. Do you get sick of these war-related questions.

A: No, you know what you ask for if you state your opinion in the celebrity eye.

I take pride in knowing I'm more than somebody with an opinion. I can handle any question that they throw at me, whether it's Dan Rather and '60 Minutes,' Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, whoever. The only reason to not support the troops is if you have an alternate solution to the problem.

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