In just a few hours John McCain and Barack Obama will meet for their third and final debate. Given the anxiety that exists tonight in America, this debate will likely focus on the economy and our current credit crisis. I won’t blame the media nor will I blame the candidates for spending their time on this issue. However, I believe voters and the candidates ignore, at great peril, the war in Iraq and a debate about the sickening mentality that led our country into this deadly conflict.
Let’s not forget about the war in Iraq.
To the troops who watch tonight’s debate in far away and unfamiliar places we say thank you for your service and we’ll get you home soon.
This morning, Bruce Springsteen endorsed Barack Obama for President of the United States. Here is the letter that he posted on his website.
Dear Friends and Fans:
LIke most of you, I’ve been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.
He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I’ve envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that’s interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where “…nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone.”
At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships. While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man’s life and vision, so well described in his excellent book, Dreams of My Father, often in order to distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our Constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment.
After the terrible damage done over the past eight years, a great American reclamation project needs to be undertaken. I believe that Senator Obama is the best candidate to lead that project and to lead us into the 21st Century with a renewed sense of moral purpose and of ourselves as Americans.
Over here on E Street, we’re proud to support Obama for President.
In 2004, Bruce passionately endorsed John Kerry and played some great shows for him in the final days of the fall campaign. Alas, there is no President Kerry, but given the fact that Obama has had some trouble “connecting” with working class voters (I don’t believe this, but it’s out there in the media narrative), this endorsement from the Boss should help solidify some of that blue-collar support.
Here’s video from that 2004 event in Madison, Wisconsin.
It wasn’t that long ago that famed singer-songwriter and proud Jersey boy, Bruce Springsteen, stood with John Kerry on a huge stage and played his music for a better tomorrow. While it didn’t work out so well in 2004, Bruce is back in the limelight with his outstanding Seeger Sessions record and his unapologetic political views. He doesn’t like Ann Coulter either. Witness the Boss’ interaction with CNN’s Soledad O’Brien:
Springsteen was asked by Soledad O’Brien if getting flak about his political views, such as backing John Kerry in 2004, made him wonder if musicians should try so hard to be taken seriously on topical issues.
“They should let Ann Coulter do it instead?” he mused, with a chuckle. Then he said, “You can turn on the idiots rambling on, on cable television, every night of the week — and they say musicians shouldn’t speak up? It’s insane, it’s funny,” he said, laughing.
He called politics “an organic part of what I’m doing. … It’s called common sense. I don’t even see it as politics at this point.”
Bruce: Anytime you want to come to DoubleSpeak headquarters and do a session, you are more than welcome.
Digg this! | No Comments »
