In advance of his campaign appearances tomorrow in Iowa and Ohio, Bruce Springsteen released this statement tonight. (See
my recent piece on Bruce's political evolution since we met 40 years ago. And see links to some of my other relevant pieces
here. ) It also provides backing for Sherrod Brown and Elizabeth Warren. Here it is in full:
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
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