"Almost a quarter of a century ago, in the second year of George W. Bush's miserable presidency, a campaign was launched to draft Bruce Springsteen as a candidate for one of New Jersey's US Senate seats. Polls showed that Springsteen would be a viable contender, and volunteers were ready to circulate the petitions, put his name on the ballot and send the Boss to Washington."
"But the musician thwarted the drive, announcing, "If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve." That ended the 2002 bid to draw the Boss into electoral politics. But Springsteen did not relegate himself to the political sidelines. He's since been one of the highest-profile advocates for Democratic presidential candidates, from John Kerry to Barack Obama to Kamala Harris."
"Donald Trump's second presidential term has made Springsteen more outspoken than ever-and given his interventions a new urgency. He has often emerged as a more clear-eyed and impactful critic of the president's dangerous abuses of power than the Democratic Party leaders who are supposed to be running an opposition party. Now the rocker is hitting the road for the Land of Hopes and Dreams American Tour, which is likely to be the most politically charged show of his 50-plus-year career."
Bruce Springsteen was the target of a 2002 draft effort for a New Jersey US Senate seat but declined with the pledge, "If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve." He became a high-profile advocate for Democratic presidential candidates, from John Kerry to Barack Obama to Kamala Harris. His songs address major issues including the failed response to Hurricane Katrina and the economic pain after deindustrialization. Donald Trump's second presidential term has intensified his outspokenness, positioning him as a clear-eyed critic of presidential abuses of power and prompting a politically charged American tour that opens in Minneapolis.
Read at The Nation
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