Boss-O-Bama

Well, I generally avoid two posts a day, especially lately because the material to write about is sooo bad.

If your like me then you will understand how I usually start my day when I get to the office.

Its a subconscious checklist of websites that I visit. 1st, I check my work email and make sure I didn't forget anything. 2nd, I check my personal email, 3rd, I check my fantasy baseball teams (which are ridiculously good this year), and 4th I go through about 5 websites to see whats going on. Everybody has a different set of websites, hopefully your list includes, say, http://17people.blogspot.com/.

One of the websites I check almost everyday is http://www.brucespringsteen.net/. As previously written here I am a huge Boss fan and am always looking for updates on the tours and tickets. I missed it this morning and as a result didn't see that like me the 'Small Town' comments by Barack Obama caused the man who has written about small towns in his music for over 30 years today endorsed, Barack Obama.

The letter or endorsement reads as follows.

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.

Bruce Springsteen

As usual the Boss eloquently and succinctly makes a solid argument in favor of what he believes.

In a much more precise manner he made my point in my post earlier today that the critics of his words are using 'exaggeration'.

Now I love the Boss and find a lot of knowledge and inspiration in his words. I follow him on many issues and as I have stated before I voted for Barack Obama in the Illinois Primary. I am less inclined to give my full throated backing to Obama yet though.

I do find it interesting though the timing of the endorsement coming on the heels of the stupidity of the attacks on his 'bitter' comments about small towns. This holds true that either when he is attacked or gives a great speech major endorsements flock to him.

Look at the history.

1. After his Iowa victory speech Senator Claire McCaskill's daughter tells her mom, 'you have to support this guy' and McCaskill does. Becoming the 1st female Senator to endorse against the 1st viable woman candidate.


2. After Bill Clinton's Jesse Jackson comparisons and belittling of Obama in South Carolina, Ted Kennedy and a good chunk of the Kennedy clan throw their weight and endorsements behind Obama.


3. After Obama's eloquent and poignant speech on race, Bill Richardson, a long time Clinton loyalist decides to endorse Obama.


4. After exploiting and exaggerating remarks made at the San Fran fundraiser, Bruce Springsteen, a voice for 30+ years of small towns, endorses Obama.

I am happy that the Boss will be back in the political arena this year and if it is Obama as the nominee I think he will be a big help as he was for John Kerry in 2004 with a much better candidate.

Keep in mind, that Springsteen played to a huge crowd in Wisconsin a few days before the last election where he played "No Surrender" and Kerry won the state by less that 8,000 votes. It may have helped.