FR EXCLUSIVE: Springsteen Called For Impeachment of President Bush at DC Concert

Kristinn | September 13, 2003 | Krsitinn via Angelwood

[Angelwood]

Rock star Bruce Springsteen called for the impeachment of President George W. Bush at a nearly sold-out concert at FedEx Field just outside of Washington, DC tonight. During the introductions of his back-up band, The E Street Band, Springsteen said of saxophonist Clarence Clemons, "It's time to impeach the president and get a man in there to get us out of this mess." The audience cheered in response.

At a recent concert at Fenway Park in Boston, Springsteen touted liberal comedian Al Franken's new book and encouraged people to read it. In the Spring, Springsteen issued a statement defending the Dixie Chicks after they told a foreign audience that they were "ashamed that the President of the United States was from Texas."

At least Springsteen chose to make his statement about impeaching President Bush in the nation's capital. However, his timing just two days after the nation marked the second anniversary of the September 11 attacks is sure to make his remarks even more controversial than otherwise, especially because the nation's capital was a target.

Springsteen was silent during the eight years of Bill Clinton's presidency: A time when children were gassed and burned to death at Waco; our national security was betrayed to the communist Chinese government in exchange for millions of dollars for Clinton's campaign coffers; and when Clinton lied under oath and obstructed justice in a civil rights lawsuit filed by one of the "little people" that Springsteen champions.

Springsteen's current album and tour are based on the September 11 attacks and he has several songs about the bravery of those who gave their lives responding to those attacks. Springsteen's tour is scheduled to end at the beginning of October with three dates at New York City's Shea Stadium.

[visualops]

Springsteen's sisters' names are Virginia and Pamela, not Mary.
Springsteen's first 2 albums were definitely the product of his association with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and the E-Street Band. He has acknowledged many times they were the catalyst. However, I do think that Born To Run was a unique, worthy album and Springsteen's best, full of classic anthems and good old rock n roll. Since then he seems to have become absorbed with his own perceived importance and "artistry". Even so, he's had many songs since which deserve as much recognition as other sonwriters get- such as Streets of Philadelphia.
As a performer, I've always felt he was respectful and devoted to his fans. I saw him both at Madison Square Garden and in Hartford, CT on the Born To Run tour.
A friend was dating his lighting guy, and we were able to get backstage passes to the Hartford show. He was nice and polite and seemed completely sober to me. And, rather than the usual backstage antics of a rock show, it was quiet and orderly backstage. Later, I saw him sitting in his vehicle waiting to leave rather than partying. I've never heard that he was a druggie.
I don't agree with his politics, and I think it's a shame he's ignorant and/or misguided and misinformed on the issues. However he is entitled to them, and if he sees fit to use his stage as his pulpit, it's up to his audience to take it or leave it. Unlike the Dixie Chicks he's not spouting from a foreign stage, or later trying to gloss over or alter what he said.

[reg45]

"It's time to impeach the president and get a man in there to get us out of this mess."

I think Dick Cheney would be an excellent President.
Springsteen is "Such a maroon!".

[sauropod]

Good to see you posting again.

[Herodotus]

Who's Bruce Springsteen?

[sully777]

It wasn't Mary??? Wasn't the song The River dedicated to Mary his sister that got pregnant out of wedlock? Or is my memory failing me miserably?

[ROCKLOBSTER]

He does always look as if he's in real pain trying to belt out those songs, doesn't he?

Not to mention, he can't carry a tune in a bucket....he's tone deaf.

[Richard Axtell]

Brit Hume encapsulated this entire controversy/argument/whatever-yawana-call-it when he explained this morning on Fox, that the country is divided into 2 distinct groups of people: those who realize that we are now "at war" and must do all we can to win... and that we cannot afford to lose, and those who DO NOT believe that there is a terrorist war against the United States and the West, and that all this is just some sort of charade by the Neo Cons to take over the Middle East, and then the world.

How can this be? Listen to what the nine+one dwarves are actually shouting from their soapboxes, and witness that the 3rd best selling book on the international best seller’s list in the category of “non-fiction” is something written by a former German government minister, that says that the World Trade Center was blown up by a conspiracy of American Conservatives and the Israeli Mossad,… in order to somehow take over the world. I am not kidding, and I am alarmed Hume’s observation clarifies the entire situation, to the point of cutting through the obfuscation, smoke, and baloney we have heard from press and politicians on this issue. And there lies the danger; their lies threaten the very existence of our nation. And I DO NOT think I exaggerate regarding this.

Bruce Springsteen believes this kind of thing, even though he might think twice about going into it at any great length, if he at all realized how insane he would sound. And he thinks he is talking to an audience of like-minded people. This is the problem. We have a political party and a news media that are determined to undermine the current president, and they don’t care if the issue they use is national defense or not. Power is all that matters to them, and lying to their weak-minded followers is how they intend on consolidating that power. Combine that with the fact that Bush is not a vicious polemicist/propagandist, like his opponents, and resists countering fraudulent and inflammatory rhetoric out of a sense of personal morality and a desire to maintain “the new tone”, and we have a segment of the populace that has bought into treasonous fraud, and are too blind to realize it. Essentially, we are about to do political battle with a phalanx of true believing idiots. Heaven help us all if an idiot like Dean, or Clark, or (shudder) Hillary somehow gains power.

[Jonah Johansen]

Bruce Springsteen Songwriter=Great Performer=Masterful
Everyone, I have ever known, who has attended one of his concerts, was totally knocked out by it. He has written more hits for other people than most "superstars" have had hits of their own. I challenge anyone who cares a lick about Rock and Roll to rent a concert tape and tell me with a straight face, he has no talent.

Bruce Springsteen political views=naive, knee jerk left wing platitudes much of the time, typical anti-nuke, enviromental pacifist B.S. Al Franken gag me with a spoon. Un-like most liberals he does show real sympathy, understanding and caring for lower middle class working people.
He is a contradiction; I find it hard to vilify or condemn the man who wrote the single most moving
song about the personal side of the tragedy of 9/11.
The song is both heart breaking and uplifting, at the same time. It is actually more gospel than rock.

MY CITY OF RUINS


There's a blood red circle
On the cold dark ground
And the rain is falling down
The church door's thrown open
I can hear the organ's song
But the congregation's gone
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Now the sweet bells of mercy
Drift through the evening trees
Young men on the corner
Like scattered leaves
The boarded up windows
The empty streets
While my brother's down on his knees
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Come on rise up! Come on rise up!
Come on rise up! Come on rise up!
Come on rise up! Come on rise up!
Come on rise up! Come on rise up!

Now there's tears on the pillow
Darlin' where we slept
And you took my heart when you left
Without your sweet kiss
My soul is lost, my friend
Tell me how do I begin again?
My city's in ruins
My city's in ruins

Now with these hands
With these hands
With these hands
With these hands
I pray Lord
With these hands
With these hands
I pray for the strength, Lord
With these hands
With these hands
I pray for the faith, Lord
With these hands
With these hands
I pray for your love, Lord
With these hands
With these hands
I pray for the strength, Lord
With these hands
With these hands
I pray for your love, Lord
With these hands
With these hands
I pray for the faith, Lord
With these hands
With these hands
I pray for the strength, Lord

Come on, rise up!
Come on, rise up!

[cardinal4]

This sucks. So many entertainers have made such foolish statements that I cant listen to them anymore. I always thought "Greetings from Asbury Park" was a great album, followed closely by "Darkness at the Edge of Town."

*Sigh* At least the surviving members of the Dead have kept quiet. Id hate to have to stop listening to them..

[Robert_Paulson2]

I believe it's lynch's
I have heard and seen the other two...

the kids like the first one better... and state it's because of the music...

as for springsteen? I say: take his water.

[Paul Atreides]

The Lynch soundtrack had a more rock feel to it. If you ever get a chance, listen to the Children of Dune soundtrack. It is spectacular.

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

R&B singer. (Plus keys, bass, guitar.) But enough about me...

[sauropod]

Cool! I play guitar.

[sauropod]

Definition

[alrea]

Men and women of our Armed Forces are overseas still fighting those who committed the atrocities of September 11 in Afghanistan and the remnants of the terrorist-supporting regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq

the jersey boss has lost it. he's sucking so much journalistic deception. no wonder his songs stink now.

[alrea]

Springsteen was silent during the eight years of Bill Clinton's presidency: A time when children were gassed and burned to death at Waco; our national security was betrayed to the communist Chinese government in exchange for millions of dollars for Clinton's campaign coffers; and when Clinton lied under oath and obstructed justice in a civil rights lawsuit filed by one of the "little people" that Springsteen champions.

should be plastered on the wall outside every show.

[Rebelbase]

"BORN IN THE USA...YEAH YEAH...BORN IN THE USAAAAAAA..."

[stanz]

I never thought Bruce Springsteen had any talent. Could never understand his appeal or his veneration by fans in New Jersey. Now I not only dislike his froggy voice and annoying music- - -I hate everything he stands for.

[Katya]

I never understood why Springsteen and Dylan were such big draws....neither can sing and their music is both depressive and hyperbolic at best.

[Mr. Mojo]

Just who in the hell does he think he is?

He's a guy who hasn't put out a great album since Darkness of the Edge of Town, exactly a quarter century ago.