Humor & Culture Blog | October 19, 2012 | 1 comment

Clinton and Springsteen bring their buddy act to Ohio

By Jo Piazza / current.com / @jopiazza

President Barack Obama brought out the campaign's two biggest rock stars — Bill Clinton and Bruce Springsteen — to play hardball in Ohio on Thursday night.

It's never easy for Clinton to be the warm-up act, but like a scene from an adorable buddy comedy of middle-aged men, the 42nd president introduced the Boss to the crowd at Cuyahoga Community College as "one of the coolest dudes" he has ever met.

"This is the first time in my life I ever got to be the warm-up act for Bruce Springsteen," Clinton said. "I am qualified for it because I was 'born in the USA.'"

"It's like I'm going on after Elvis here," Springsteen quipped before beginning a five-song set, fittingly, with "No Surrender."

"If he'd only brought that saxophone, you woulda seen a real jam up here right now." 

Clinton did not bring his sax, but he did bring his sass, mocking GOP nominee Mitt Romney's evasion of important issues in the second presidential debate.

"He wants to convince the moderate voters that he's a new man, without explicitly disavowing a single, solitary commitment he made in the two years he said he was the 'severe conservative' Mitt Romney," Clinton said. "You have to say no to all this hide and seek stuff."  

Springsteen added his own endorsement of Obama and attack on Romney. "I remember President Obama's election night was an evening when you could feel the locked doors of the past finally being blown open to new possibilities. I came here today because I am thankful for universal healthcare. … I am thankful for a more regulated Wall Street. I am thankful GM is still making cars. What else would I write about?" the musician said onstage. "I am here today because I am concerned about women’s rights. I don’t have to tell you the dangers of Roe v. Wade under our opponent’s policies."

"The Young Turks" had Ben Mankiewicz (better known as No. 1 Springsteen Fan) reporting from the ground in Ohio.

"Bill Clinton gave the same kind of speech that he gave at the convention. After hearing Bill Clinton make the case of Mitt Romney or Barack Obama, you just think who in their right minds is voting for Mitt Romney," Mankiewicz said.

Yet plenty of Ohioans are voting for Mitt Romney, and plenty more are undecided in the state that will likely decide the election.

And so in a rock star move of his own, Mankiewicz did his civic duty by illegally trying to persuade a couple to vote for Barack Obama through red velvet cupcake bribery. Check it out below.

Be sure to tune in to "The Young Turks" every weeknight at 7E/4P for more hard-hitting commentary and much-needed political hilarity.

 

 

(Photo from Getty Images)

 

 

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    Politics,   Music,   Humor & Culture Blog
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1 comment // Clinton and Springsteen bring their buddy act to Ohio

  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  
    • "Springsteen added his own endorsements of Obama and attack on Romney. "I remember President Obama’s election night was an evening when you could feel the locked doors of the past finally being blown open to new possibilities. I came here today because I am thankful for universal healthcare…I am thankful for a more regulated Wall Street. I am thankful GM is still making cars."

      Who wrote that for him? Does he realize we don't have universal healthcare? No Wall Street big shots have done time in jail and we are still seeing abuses and GM is making billions in profts off our tax dollars making carbon spewing cars while they cut employee's salaries? Sounds like something Ted Nugent would say about Romney along with some added threats. And I heard he played the Meadowlands in NJ recently and paid an extra 35,000 dollars as a fine for playing overtime three nights in a row. How many unemployed and those who paid big bucks to go to those concerts wish they had 100,000 just lying around that they could throw away like that. Looks like this election season we are in hypocritical Celebrity overkill mode.

    • 7 months ago
jopiazza

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