As you can tell from my user name, I'm a huge fan of Bruce Springsteen. I'm not just a fan of his music, but also his humanity. When Bruce does something for charity or helps out those in need, he doesn't issue a press release. I've heard many stories of Bruce helping behind the scenes, sometimes with people stumbling onto the fact that Bruce was behind the help they received.
I've heard about Bruce not only anonymously donating new desks to a local school, but actually showing up when few people were around and helping put them together. I've heard about Bruce helping out the widow of a slain police officer by paying for her child care. There were hundreds of low income people in New Jersey who received more than a million dollars in home repairs and never knew their secret benefactor until a newspaper researched it and published a story.
Of course, he's done numerous benefits for charity and always allow local food banks in the lobbies of his concerts to collect donations (word is that he makes a sizable donation himself in each city).
Bruce is now a very wealthy man (yes, probably even more than Mitt Romney), but he grew up in a family that struggled to get by financially and hasn't forgotten. His concern for economic justice has long been apparent in his music, maybe never more so than in his latest album, "Wrecking Ball."
But that's not why I'm here. Follow me below the terrorist fist squiggle for Bruce's statement on the election. I believe it can be posted in full since it was sent to the Democratic Party for release.
Dear Friends:
The election is coming up on all of us and we all have strong feelings about it. I’ve been getting asked a lot about where I stand, so for those who are interested, here goes.
This presidential election is different than the last one because President Obama has a four year record to run on. Last time around, he carried with him a tremendous amount of hope and expectations. Unfortunately, due to the economic chaos the previous administration left him with, and the extraordinary intensity of the opposition, it turned into a really rough ride. But through grit, determination, and focus, the President has been able to do a great many things that many of us deeply support.
Domestically, that record includes working to increase and expand employment for all, protecting our all important social safety net, passing guaranteed health care for most of our citizens, with important new protections for all of the insured, rescuing the auto industry and so many of the American jobs that go with it, protecting and enhancing the rights of women, and bringing us closer to full acceptance of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.
In foreign affairs, that record includes following through on the removal of troops from the misguided and deceptive war in Iraq, and vigorously pursuing our real foreign enemies, especially the killing of Osama Bin Laden.
Right now the opposition’s resort to voter suppression in so many states is not receiving as much attention as it deserves. I believe that all of us, of whatever views, should be opposing these anti-voter, anti-citizen efforts.
Right now, for the President to be effective in his next term he needs our increased support and he needs support in the Congress, where some sterling candidates, such as current Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, challenger Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts, and so many others, are fighting to make their constructive voices heard.
Right now, there is an ever increasing division of wealth in this country, with the benefits going more and more to the 1 percent. For me, President Obama is our best choice to begin to reverse this harmful development.
Right now, there is a fight going on to help make this a fairer and more equitable nation. For me, President Obama is our best choice to get us and keep us moving in the right direction.
Right now, we need a President who has a vision that includes all of our citizens, not just some, whether they are our devastated poor, our pressured middle class, and yes, the wealthy too; whether they are male or female, black, white, brown, or yellow, straight or gay, civilian or military.
Right now, there is a choice going on in America, and I’m happy that we live in a country where we all participate in that process. For me, President Obama is our best choice because he has a vision of the United States as a place where we are all in this together. We’re still living through very hard times but justice, equality and real freedom are not always a tide rushing in. They are more often a slow march, inch by inch, day after long day. I believe President Obama feels these days in his bones and has the strength to live them with us and to lead us to a country “…where no one crowds you and no one goes it alone.”
That’s why I plan to be in Ohio and Iowa supporting the re-election of President Obama to lead our country for the next four years.
Bruce Springsteen
Today, Bruce is campaigning with Bill Clinton in Parma, Ohio and by himself in Ames, Iowa.
I'm grateful to have Bruce on our side, both musically and politically.
Update 8:12 CT: Isn't it annoying when people update about making it on the Recommended List? Yeah, so I won't do that!
Update 12:48 PM CT:
Bruce's just completed setlist in Parma, Ohio:
1. No Surrender
2. The Promised Land
3. "Obama Rally Song"
4. Youngstown
5. We Take Care Of Our Own
6. This Land is Your Land
7. Thunder Road
He also talked a bit, including the importance of women's rights and the dangers to Roe v Wade.
Bonus video of "We Take Care of Our Own"