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.

[badlands57]

Sorry, but wrong yet again. Bruce has simply never done drugs. Friends and bandmates of his in the 60's and 70's have said they were in awe of his focus towards music, which he didn't want to lose by clouding his mind. In the 90's, he joked that maybe he should have tried some in his younger days. Blinded By the Light was not about drugs. He was heavily influenced by Dylan at the time and he tried to put as many rhymes and images he could in the song ala Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues."

In the intro to The River in No Nukes, he does say the song is for his brother-in-law and his sister. That doesn't mean it's completely biographical, and he doesn't use her real name (Ginny).

[brucerocks]

"Springsteen is proven to be an embarrassing fraud AND an elitist."

Just judging from what I have read here today, it looks like there are a whole lot of people here who are experts on being "elitist".

When some of you well informed individuals can offer up evidence that Bruce Springsteen has ever said anything negative about the people in the United States Armed Forces, let me know. But I would suggest not wasting your time, 'cause you aren't going to find it.

And if you had a clue, people would know that the song '41 Shots, American Skin' was NOT a diss at police, but rather about a tragic accident that divided people and affected both sides in the equation. Get your heads out of the sand.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

[Dems_R_Losers]

10 million people worldwide who have seen 111 shows in the last year do not agree with you. But of course, you are right anyway.....

Have you ever even listened to that album? Rolling Stone named it one of the 100 best rock albums of all time. But I guess they don't know much either.....

[jjbrouwer]

I think Kristinn should stick to Toby Keith shows from now on.

Right - or just stay at home. You wonder why people like this bother to go to concerts in the first place if they are just going to get outraged the first time the performer cracks a joke.

This guy seems like he would be feverishly taking angry notes during a recording of Leno. Hopefully someone will arrange a whip-round to buy him a sense of humour. Bruce is still laughing though - he's the one walking to the bank with Kristin's cash...

Meanwhile, did I miss something or did Kristin not mention the real news - that Bruce paid a great tribute to Johnny Cash during the concert?

[jjbrouwer]

Hey, I never signed up today and I think The Boss is one of the greatest American rockstars in the business. So there!

(You will notice I said "American"...)

[sully777]

"I come from down in the valley
where mister when you're young
They bring you up to do like your daddy done
Me and Mary we met in high school
when she was just seventeen
We'd ride out of that valley down to where the fields were green

We'd go down to the river
And into the river we'd dive
Oh down to the river we'd ride

Then I got Mary pregnant
and man that was all she wrote
And for my nineteenth birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat
We went down to the courthouse
and the judge put it all to rest
No wedding day smiles no walk down the aisle
No flowers no wedding dress"

Sorry, IMO it's pretty weird when there's a connection in many of his early songs with Mary (or Wendy and Sandy but he never tells you a song written about Wendy or Sandy is dedicated to his sister and brother-in-law). Listen, this has nothing to do with conservative or liberal opinion. It's a freudian connection, subconscious in nature perhaps.

As for no-drugs: I find it hard to believe. Even some famous "conservative" rockers that claimed no drugs later admitted they took drugs. I mean, Asbury Park was hippie heaven. The whole scene was sex, drugs, and rock. Are you telling me The Boss sang in shore clubs without even a contact high? I am totally amazed!

The topic was Bruce's politics and music. IMO Concerts are overall good, but I went to a bad one at Veteran's Stadium 1985. His life is better than the Osbornes but it isn't always as it is spun by his handlers. And he sounds like an idiot when he makes political stands.

BTW, worst concert I attended was Ozzy Osborne in 1986 with Queensreich opening at Long Island. But I must say, Ozzy didn't make me feel bad for the oppressed peoples around the world as he drunkenly mumbled his songs under an enormous menacing demon head...Ozzy's a drunken lech not a RUDE socialist! There's a difference. LOL

Oh, I'm having fun. I am taking this very lightly I hope you all are too. But that Mary thing is freudian, i'm telling you, it's freudian.

[jjbrouwer]

If you announced your intention to only listen to bands who voted Republican you might be left with a very small CD collection.

And I doubt you would be able to listen to any British bands at all - let's face it, everyone knows how much superior British music is to the middle of the road AOR that is played on US radio stations!

[PBRSTREETGANG]

10 million people worldwide who have seen 111 shows in the last year do not agree with you. But of course, you are right anyway.....

1.2 billion people think that Islam is the answer. Is that a reason to presume that they're right?

Have you ever even listened to that album?

Many times. It's a very good album. (Just don't make me listen to The River or anything after that.)

Rolling Stone named it one of the 100 best rock albums of all time.

I enjoy the album. I really only posted that picture to provoke a response.

But I guess they don't know much either.....

Actually, I don't place a lot of stock in the opinion of Rolling Stone Magazine. But, it's fine if you choose to.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Hey, I never signed up today and I think The Boss is one of the greatest American rockstars in the business. So there!

Yeah, I've seen you around here before. Bruce puts on a great live show, however his head is full of liberal mush. And don't make me listen to The River or anything after that. So there! :-)

[jjbrouwer]

Springsteen is a bit like a New York version of Rod Stewart. He's very good but if you OD on it too much it all starts to sound the same.

BTW, are you the same Streetgang who used to torment Twoodees at LP? If so, nice job.

[Dems_R_Losers]

Hey, that's cool. I never listened to a thing Bruce wrote until 1982 when I met my husband. I can understand those who don't care for his work after Darkness. I personally think the first two albums are horrible, but many of those songs performed live are fantastic, as are many from The River. You have to see him live, and more than once, to really appreciate him.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

He did a concert in NY that was blatantly against the police about a year ago.

What can I say? Shoot at some poor guy 41 times, and you'll have some concerts done against you.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Impeach the President?

With all due respect to the War on Terror, please don't tempt me. :-)

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Impeach the President?

With all due respect to the War on Terror, please don't tempt me. :-)

[F16Fighter]

"Just judging from what I have read here today, it looks like there are a whole lot of people here who are experts on being 'elitist'..."

And if you had a clue..."

You're at the wrong party, Sparky. The Michael Moore hump-a-thon is over at DU.

[auggy]

"Agree with you there. (I am a professional musician. I think he Stinks with a capital S.)"

He stinks to high heaven. He talks his music. No way can anyone call him a singer.

[tgslTakoma]

Many lefties hope that this would be a non-story; especially the lefties working in the media. But not everyone is ignoring it, and it has bothered more than a few people who work in front of a microphone...
(I also posted this story on the Newsmax thread)

On my drive home from work tonight (in DC) I was listening to Chris Core on WMAL-AM630 and he invited his listeners to call in and comment on Bruce's "Impeach" statement. Core's show starts at 6pm, but I didn't get into my car until 6:30 so I don't know how much he talked about Bruce's political commentary before that time.

Core said that he was a big Springsteen fan and had been at the show, and he said that he was surprised by Bruce's comment; but he seemed more concerned that no news outlets had picked up on it at all, other than a couple of websites. As he began the call-in part of the show, he asked his listeners (para), "Why isn't anyone covering this?"

Core opened up his phone lines for folks who had been at the show to discuss why Bruce had not gotten the heat that the Dixie Chicks had when they made their comments about Bush.

One woman who had been at the show with her husband related that they were surprised by Bruce's "Impeach" the president remark; enough so that her husband leaned over to ask an elderly ("in their 70s") couple in front of them, "Did he just say what I think he said?" The elderly man affirmed that Bruce had indeed called for Bush to be impeached.

The lady caller also told Chris Core that when they went out onto the concourse some time after the comment, they talked with an usher who said that a whole lot of people got up and walked out of the show when Bruce shared his political feelings with his audience.

The general consensus from the callers that got through during that segment of the show was that Bruce went over the line when he called for impeaching Bush.

Springsteen has every right to say whatever he wants at his shows; but he and others who share his opinion shouldn't be surprised when some of his fans choose to voice their disagreement with him via their wallets.

I was at his concert in Richmond earlier this year and he made an anti-war/anti-Bush comment that was much more subdued, but still in opposition to my political views. Had it not been for that comment at the Richmond concert, I might have bought myself and my daughter tickets to the Fed-Ex Field show.

But I live on a fairly tight family budget, and I just couldn't convince myself that I should turn over the better part of $200 to someone who is likely to spend it in support of causes that I oppose.

[man of Yosemite]

In the words of Laura Ingraham, "Just shut up and sing."