November 1, 2012

Obama, Springsteen, and Bob Dylan converge on Madison next Monday.

Obama and Springsteen are arriving as a team. Obama, sans Springsteen, was just here last month, but apparently he thinks this city needs more prompting, this time with Springsteen added. Springsteen was here in '04 with the Democratic nominee, John Kerry. And the state did, in fact, go for Kerry.

Meanwhile, Bob Dylan will be in town on the same day, not in anyone's tow and with no politicians in tow, but along with Mark Knofpler.

375 comments:

1 – 200 of 375   Newer›   Newest»
chickelit said...

I saw the Dylan/Knopfler show last week at the Hollywood Bowl.

Nothing political was spoken.

Anonymous said...

Triple whammy!

Shouting Thomas said...

I'll be in Newburgh, and no talk of politics will be heard from me or any of the other Old Dawgz!

Nonapod said...

According to Democrat campaign officials clearly there are a lot of voters on the fence about Obama who must be asking "Who would The Boss vote for?".

I'm Full of Soup said...

Smacks of desperation no?

Anonymous said...

think maybe they are worried?

TWM said...

But, but, Wisconsin is not in play they said . . .

sakredkow said...

@chickelit did he do anything from the new cd?

Seeing Red said...

So how much did Bruce donate to Jersey for hurricane relief?

sakredkow said...

But, but, Wisconsin is not in play they said . . .

So maybe they think they can run up the score.

Anonymous said...

Don't you guys have early voting? If so, shouldn't they have gotten all the Madison leftists to the polls weeks ago?

If they are coming to town on Monday, they must be really underperforming vs 2008

Oso Negro said...

Dylan! Oh, my! Your pending vote for Romney may be jeopardized.

chickelit said...

Playing Madison again is bad optics for Obama, IMO. Madison is already in the bag for Obama--it's the rest of upstate Wisconsin that he needs to win. This is only going to look to them like Chicago coming up in the house again as during the recall. He'd be better off going to a logrolling contest in Hayward or something.

Shouting Thomas said...

I wonder how Springsteen keeps peace in his band.

You folks may not know this, but it is common for band members to actually have different opinions about politics. Political discussions have been the death of more than one band in which I've been a member.

Springsteen pays his band very well, so if a single member doesn't care for Springsteen's politics, he probably holds his nose and does his job.

But, there are some interesting questions here, aren't there? Does Springsteen require a pledge of allegiance to his politics in return for a job in his band? What would you say about a corporate employer who did that?

Matt Sablan said...

See? Obama gets exciting famous people.

el polacko said...

jeeze...and i thought that the san fran bay area was old-hippie central. looks like you guys might have us beat if this convergence sends a thrill up your leg.

Sorun said...

Seeing an Obama rally on the last day in which Obamabots can enjoy Obamamania would be historic. Although, like Meade, I'd probably stand out: "Snipers, sight in the non-delirious white male in sector 16!"

chickelit said...

phx said...
@chickelit did he do anything from the new cd?

nada :(


Tim said...

Obama is deep in the shit now.

Madison?

Seriously?

The day before the election?

Game over.

Defeated president walking.

Too funny.

He should be Richmond, Virginia; Columbus, Ohio; Orlando, Florida; Des Moines, Iowa; Denver, Colorado; Reno, Nevada.

But Madison?

Anyone who goes, please see if you can if his pants are stained.

He's done.

Patrick said...

I know that most of the Boss' appeal is to energize the crowd, but I keep hearing that he will help with the "blue collar base." Does he really appeal to that group anymore? Really, it's been about 20 years since anyone belonging to that group could afford to see one of his shows.

If I were in town, I would suffer through Obama to see Springsteen.

TWM said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Matt Sablan said...

"What would you say about a corporate employer who did that?"

-- I think performing art is slightly different than pushing papers. If I sign up to do a play that paints all Republicans as McCarthy-like bastards, I don't get to complain about it. I think the same probably goes for music? Maybe?

TWM said...

"So maybe they think they can run up the score"



"Oh yeah, that's the ticket." ~ John Lovitz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkYNBwCEeH4

n.n said...

Beware the Siren's song.

Patrick said...

I'd love to see Knopfler live. Never have, but I love his music.

Tim said...

This would only be funnier if he was campaigning in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco.

Next to the Giants winning the World Series, this is the best news this week.

Shouting Thomas said...

Matthew, I think you might want to consider this question more closely.

The pressure to hold leftist views is quite intense in the arts. The music world is a little different, because the country music scene is predominantly conservative. So, there are alternatives.

Not so in the video and film biz, where leftist views are the price of admission to the festivals and judged contests.

Don't know the answer to my own question. The answer I get from most musicians is that their business is "personal" and therefore they shouldn't be constrained by the same conditions they are so enthusiastic about imposing on the corporate world.

chickelit said...

Patrick said...
I'd love to see Knopfler live. Never have, but I love his music.

His band sounds vaguely Pogue-esque, which is to say Irish folk gone electric. But he still sounds like the voice of Dire Straits.

Malesch Morocco said...

Can't imagine he'd head to Hayward. He might run into a real American hero there, J.R. Salzman.

Paul said...

"You folks may not know this, but it is common for band members to actually have different opinions about politics. Political discussions have been the death of more than one band in which I've been a member."

Ain't that the truth. Generally you have to just keep your views to yourself. Lefties are fascists in the purist sense...they demand strict ideological conformity. When confronted with a different, often more cogent and rational, opinion they tend to get a bit emotional.

IOW they freak out.

It's always a treat to find that another musician is a right thinker. Kind of like finding a compatriot behind enemy lines where you both must maintain a false front.

Matt Sablan said...

I dunno, I'd see it as applying for a job at, say, a climate change advocacy group. If you expect to work at some places, you are assumed to hold some ideas/concepts in common with the group (this is more and more true with more out and out activist groups), though, this, I guess, means I accept that much of art/music is explicitly and obviously activism by another name.

Sammy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amartel said...

Mark Knopfler. The Money for Nothing guy...not that he's going to sing that song in Madison, with it's un-PC-banned-in-Canada word. Someone might not get that it's sarcastic. It's not even their best song. Dire Straits was a great band.

Patrick said...


His band sounds vaguely Pogue-esque, which is to say Irish folk gone electric. But he still sounds like the voice of Dire Straits.


I think I'd like that.

I never realized that I would never really learn to play guitar until I tried learning some riffs of his. Playing the notes is one thing, and I can do that. But playing them like he does, never. Taking those notes, and then developing a style - I think that is what separates guys like me who will always and only play sitting on my bed from those who get out there and make interesting music.

sakredkow said...

I have a Dylan bootleg called "I Never Talked to Bruce Springsteen".

Shouting Thomas said...

You've expanded my thoughts into another interesting area, Matthew.

It so happens that many political advocacy groups, like climate change groups, hire people to do the multimedia programming, animation, video and audio work that I do.

They like to hint in their job advertisements that they would like you to be enthusiastic about their cause, and maybe take less money as a result. The less money stuff always turns me off.

But, I view my job as a trade. If I were to take on the media campaign of a political advocacy group, it wouldn't matter to me whether or not I agreed with them. I do work for corporations that I regard as political nonsense, or as a political negative... like doing multimedia for diversity propaganda.

I might want a job as a B3 player in Springsteen's band. Should he be able to ask me about my politics as a requirement for the job?

Paul said...

"jeeze...and i thought that the san fran bay area was old-hippie central. looks like you guys might have us beat if this convergence sends a thrill up your leg."

Nah. The Bay Area rules. One of my gigs is to play in a New Orleans second line brass band and we just did a nekkid protest march walking behind the nekkid protesters from City Hall down Market to Union Square. None of them are the type you would ever want to shed their garments either, trust me. But the cops just look the other way because it's legal to walk down the street nekkid in SF. I don't think Madison can compete.

Amartel said...

Celebrity President: The Last Tour.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Bruce will sing My Home Town to celebrate Obama:

Now main streets whitewashed windows and vacant stores
Seems like there aint nobody wants to come down here no more
They're closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks
Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they aint coming back to
Your hometown, your hometown, your hometown, your hometown

Hagar said...

There is a silver lining to living in a state considered safe for Obama!

Patrick said...

But, there are some interesting questions here, aren't there? Does Springsteen require a pledge of allegiance to his politics in return for a job in his band? What would you say about a corporate employer who did that?

I've never heard anything about such a pledge for the E Street Band. Have you?

bgates said...

In the postwar era, only three Presidents entered office older than Springsteen is right now. By the time Nixon was as old as Springsteen is today, he'd been out of office for two years.

Shouting Thomas said...

And, yes, Paul, leftists in the music business are completely intolerant of political disagreement... and seem to be genuinely astonished when they discover it exists.

All decent people, they think, must agree with them!

Calypso Facto said...

Must be really worried about the geriatric vote.

Sammy said...

As if Springsteen stumping for Obama will move votes, Springsteen has campaigned for every democrat good or bad for the last 20 years.


And Dylan doing a show the same night might hurt , a few less middle age former hippes showing up to hear Springsteen and Obama class warfare top ten hits.

Anonymous said...

Or maybe Bruce will sing Born in the USA:

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man says "son if it was up to me"
Went down to see my V.A. man
He said "son don't you understand now"

Patrick said...


I might want a job as a B3 player in Springsteen's band. Should he be able to ask me about my politics as a requirement for the job?


Absolutely he should be able to. (Whether that is wise is of course a different question). Freedom to associate with those whom he chooses.

Drago said...

phx: "So maybe they think they can run up the score."

LOL

"...run up the score."

Too funny.

Nonapod said...

I will say that I've always been a huge fan of Mark Knopfler's clean strat tone. Knopfler, along with David Gilmore, and Eric Johnson have the best clean and slightly dirty tones.

SteveR said...

As I indicated in a thread last night, there are things besides polls that are better indicators. We can assume FLA and NC (thanks Stephanie) are gone. Otherwise they are behaving like they are behind, in places they should not have to.

Shouting Thomas said...

Patrick, you make a good point.

Would you extend that freedom of association to every business? I would.

Drago said...

Sammy: "As if Springsteen stumping for Obama will move votes, Springsteen has campaigned for every democrat good or bad for the last 20 years."

Do you know that Springsteen makes about 200 times what the average roadie makes?

The lefties tell us this is a very very very greedy, selfish and baaaaaaaaad circumstance situation and should be rectified immediately for social JUSTICE baby!

Yet there they are, screamin' for the Boss.

Drago said...

Why, it's almost like the left really doesn't have any principles at all.......

...tear forms in corner of eye...

Drago said...

In the postwar era, only three Presidents entered office older than Springsteen is right now. By the time Nixon was as old as Springsteen is today, he'd been out of office for two years

I'll bet the Boss never wore dress shoes on the beach!

chickelit said...

Bruce Springsteen is more like Pete Seeger politically.

Bob Dylan has more of a Woody Guthrie take on things, or at least initially.

[ducks]

garage mahal said...

Playing the notes is one thing, and I can do that. But playing them like he does, never.

Yep, Knofler is the shit.

Salamandyr said...

Mark Knopfler?

Road trip.

chickelit said...

I'm kinda surprised that Obama didn't team up with Madonna for show.

Paul said...

I played with Springsteen. Dylan too. I was a member of the Levon Helm band and we would be joined by celebrity guests all the time. Everyone knew and loved Levon.

I stood two feet to Springsteen's left on the stage of the Stone Pony looking straight into the crazed faces of his worshipful fans pressing hard up against the security. There was a brick wall behind us and I was pretty scared at one point when I thought the mob would overwhelm the big guys holding them back. It was very interesting to see that level of mob mania face to face. You couldn't pay me enough money to have to live like that.

Zach said...

That's an interesting question, Thomas. If I recall correctly, the E street band has had a very stable membership through the years, so Springsteen can't be that terrible a boss.

I'll put the question another way. If you're a member of the backing band, do you feel like you need to agree with the cause that the headliner is promoting? Or is it just another gig? Is it Springsteen who is promoting Obama, or the whole band?

Patrick said...

Would you extend that freedom of association to every business? I would.

That's the question, isn't it? I would not require business to hire without regard to political opinion. I admit that I lose a certain amount of libertarian cred when it comes to overtly refusing to hire on the basis of race. Not enough time to explain why (to the extent that I have a good explanation), but some involvement of the government on racial issues was necessary (even if a lot of it was counterproductive).

Amartel said...

Dang, Paul. Any good stories (aside from being freaked out by rabid fans)?

Saint Croix said...

What a bad boyfriend!

Think about it, Madison. When you need him, he tweets you. Sorry! No can do.

Months later, when he's desperate and needy, he shows up at your door with Springsteen tickets.

10 Ways To Get Over Him This Instant

chickelit said...

Springsteen aside for the moment (because who cares?), I think that Dylan and Obama have deliberately come to Madison on the same evening in order to force a choice out of Althouse the night before.

Maybe she'll pick neither.

furious_a said...

So maybe they think they can run up the score.

That worked out SO well for Sore-Loserman, dinnit?

Patrick said...

That's pretty cool Paul. I've always liked drummers who can sing while playing. Those songs, that voice...wow.

Anonymous said...

The Stone Pony survived Sandy without a scratch.

Paul said...

"Dang, Paul. Any good stories (aside from being freaked out by rabid fans)?"

A book's worth! But I don't know if this is the right forum. I started playing professionally at 15 and I'm in my 50s now so I have seen it all...

Amartel said...

Wow! Let us know when you publish.

Darrell said...

Is Obama's Farewell Tour going to hit fifty States? Or all of them?

Astro said...

Dylan and Knopfler or... wait, who were those other guys?

Shouting Thomas said...

Paul, I did opening acts with Kentucky Kate for The Band way back in 1983. I was always closer to Rick, and played with him with Sredni.

I enjoyed the big crowds. I feel more exposed in the environment of 300 to 500 people. The audience can really get at you in that setting. And some of them are really drunk!

donald said...

I got a couple of buddies who are in THE seminal country punk band.

Complete polar opposites politically.

They both love Dylan and despise Springsteen.

Cause of the kinda of guys they are.

Paul said...

"That's pretty cool Paul. I've always liked drummers who can sing while playing. Those songs, that voice...wow."

Levon was one of kind. His feel was unique, his pocket was so deep. He was a great raconteur and a true Southern gentlemen.

I can't recommend his autobiography "This Wheel's On Fire" enough.

Known Unknown said...

Not so in the video and film biz, where leftist views are the price of admission to the festivals and judged contests.

What's funny is that from leftist Hollywood comes mostly conservative-themed films.

Look at Juno for crying out loud.

Paul said...

I played with Rick, and Garth too. I used to live in Woodstock. I escaped in '94.

I Callahan said...

Madison, huh? They'll be preaching to the choir. Not sure how many votes this will change...

AF said...

"Obama, Springsteen, and Bob Dylan converge on Madison next Monday."

A tsunami of awesomeness.

MadisonMan said...

The first Kerry visit, IIRC, was at the Coliseum. Packed! When I biked back to town, it absolutely poured down rain and I was drenched. Washed all that Kerry worship right off me. That was the rally that I saw my neighbor weeping after having seen Kerry, and I'm thinking "WTF dude, he's just a gnarly policitian pandering for your vote".

The Kerry/Springsteen visit was an absolutely glorious and sunny fall day. The only bad part of it was that Doyle did the intros. The Boss -- after the rally -- actually went up into the apartment of someone I knew on W. Wash. How cool is that?

This Obama rally smacks of desperation to me. I'm sure my daughter will go, although she is not a Springsteen fan.

tiger said...

Your implication that Springsteen being here with Kerry in '04 led to the state going to Kerry is flimsy logic at best.

edutcher said...

Obviously, Meade takes Ann to see Dylan (so he can get lucky later).

chickelit said...

Playing Madison again is bad optics for Obama, IMO. Madison is already in the bag for Obama

Like going to Cleveland or Akron. If the base is fuzzy there, forget it.

Patrick said...


I can't recommend his autobiography "This Wheel's On Fire" enough.


I'll put it on the reading list.

bagoh20 said...

Just what you need to turn around a big complicated failing business: two troubadours and a lawyer.

Maybe we can get Romney & Ryan do an album and go on concert tour.

garage mahal said...

This Obama rally smacks of desperation to me

LOL. Of course it does.

Unknown said...

I know you saw a couple of Dylan shows this Summer, but I hope you have a chance to catch him in Madison. We saw him in Berkeley, Hollywood and Las Vegas.
We were ready to write him off after Berkeley, he was so focused on the grand piano, it was everything the band could do to keep up.
His show to a packed Hollywood Bowl the following week was much better. The next night, in Las Vegas, Dylan gave one of the best shows I have seen to a room that was half empty.
If you are not a Mark Knoplfler fan, it is likely you will be after his show.

Drago said...

AF said...
"Obama, Springsteen, and Bob Dylan converge on Madison next Monday."

"A tsunami of awesomeness"

Well, having obama there definitely reduces the Qsubc (Cool Quotient) significantly.

But still, you'd get to see Dylan and Bruce "the shiv" Springstein (the greatest Jewish entertainer from Joisey evah!)

donald said...

A big Band and a Levon fan, but aside from his musical background history it sucked. What a whiner!

Drago said...

garage: "LOL. Of course it does."

LOL LOL

Of course it does.

Wisconsin?

Wisconsin is not in play.

How do we know that?

Garage saw it on TPM, or Media Matters, or Pravda....or somewhere.

That's why.

Pay no attention to where the politicians are paying attention.

Nope.

Nothing to see there.

garage. The hopeless dupe.

MadisonMan said...

Well, garage, why do you think he's coming here? He's not coming here to help Tammy win. He's here to make sure people who are already going to vote for him aren't just squishy supporters who might stay home. But if Dane Co isn't rock solid -- and enthusiastic -- for Obama, he's in deep doo-doo. His visit here the day before tells me his campaign is worried about it.

donald said...

A big Band and a Levon fan, but aside from his musical background history it sucked. What a whiner!

Patrick said...

Loved Mark Knopfler's work with Emmy Lou Harris. As my wife says: Love songs for grown ups.

Patrick said...

Garage,

You still voting for Jill Stein?

Drago said...

MadisonMan, your attempts to utilize reason and logic while addressing garage are noble yet doomed to failure.

Nora said...

Dylan and Knopfler (yes, you misspelled) on one ticket! My husband will be SO jealous.

carrie said...

For the voters who don't need obamaphones, food stamps, etc.

bagoh20 said...

Well isn't this special? Those four dead Americans are still dead without any attempt to explain what happened to the American people. In fact, it continues to blow up today, with new clear evidence of an inside job, and a consulate begging for help, but hey, Springsteen and Dylan! I wonder how these artists feel about those heros being left to die, and playing for the guy who may well be responsible for it. This guy is dragging so many down with him, and they are clinging all the way to the bottom.
Disgrace is spreading like the Black Death.

carrie said...

When I think of rock stars stumping for politicians I always think of this quote from Alice Cooper: "If you're listening to a rock star in order to get your information on who to vote for, you're a bigger moron than they are. Why are we rock stars? Because we're morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night and very rarely do we sit around reading the Washington Journal."

garage mahal said...

Well, garage, why do you think he's coming here?

Presumably the same reason Romney and Ryan are in Wisconsin a lot, and in Virginia, Florida, OH, Iowa, NH, CO, and Nevada. To fire up their base and get them excited and to get local media attention. And he'll be doing the same thing on stops in Green Bay and Milwaukee. You think Obama is coming to Madison because he's worried about squishy voters here? Madison?

You could say Romney is desperate trying to make a play in PA, which is fools gold for Republicans, less than a week before the election. But so what! He's trying to win too. Why not? Sorry it's just a pet peeve.

bagoh20 said...

Will we all feel so proud if in January we watch a man be officiated into the highest office, right after learning he did the most despicable act imaginable, and nobody wanted to know about it until it was too late. We will swell with pride at our fecklessness, and having a fitting leader to match.

sakredkow said...

Madison, huh? They'll be preaching to the choir. Not sure how many votes this will change...

Think turnout.

Nora said...

Would not Madisonoans be offended by Obama summing them up this way?

sakredkow said...

Paul said: I played with Springsteen. Dylan too.

I heard that at one point the Boster put it into the contract of his road band members that they couldn't stare at him when he took the stage. Did...

Paul! Don't look at me when I'm asking you a question!

TosaGuy said...

MM said: "That was the rally that I saw my neighbor weeping after having seen Kerry, and I'm thinking "WTF dude, he's just a gnarly policitian pandering for your vote"."

And it is because of that attitude that we all respect you.

Paul said...

"I heard that at one point the Boster put it into the contract of his road band members that they couldn't stare at him when he took the stage. Did...

Paul! Don't look at me when I'm asking you a question! "

You misunderstand (no surprise there).

I wasn't staring at the man. I was looking dead on into the eyes of the mob who were staring at him.

Capice?

chickelit said...

phx said...
Madison, huh? They'll be preaching to the choir. Not sure how many votes this will change...

Think turnout.


Time to think Electoral College votes. Madison Man is correct--he's worried. Why is he playing to a crowd already in his camp while Romney is reaching out to new voters previously thought to be Obama's? As I tried to say earlier, if Obama were comfortable, he'd pick a more challenging location in the swing state of Wisconsin--like Waukesha County. Hey, Inga would cheer for him! But if you don't understand Wisconsin politics...

bagoh20 said...

"Rasmussen: Wisconsin tied, Romney up 1 in Iowa"

donald said...

Prince used to fire anybody who were on the staff that looked directly at him.

This led to awesomeness when he was firing the camera men repeatedly who were trying to film him for a VIDEO he was shooting.

sakredkow said...

Me? No, I don't understand Wisconsin politics.

SteveR said...

But garage you seem convinced that
Obama is comfortably ahead in states like Wisconsin. Romney going to Oklahoma on Monday would be indicative of a problem. Oh I understand, its close to Chicago.

garage mahal said...

Romney made three stops in FL today, and will make three stops in Virginia tomorrow.

This is a sign of _______________.

Anonymous said...

If he came to Waukesha County, I'd have drive people from Milwaukee over to be the cheering section. He needs his base to send him off, either to victory or as a farewell. Who knows?

It would be a huge waste for him to show up in Waukesha County.

sakredkow said...

Romney made three stops in FL today, and will make three stops in Virginia tomorrow.

This is a sign of _______________.


A weak bladder?

Strelnikov said...

So, are the hoping to move the % for Obama in Dane Co. up to 70 from 68? That ought to make the difference.

garage mahal said...

It would be a huge waste for him to show up in Waukesha County.

Clinton is going to be there tomorrow. I don't think it's a waste. Obama got over 85,000 votes there in 2008! Raw totals of Dem votes I think Waukesha is 3rd highest of any county in the state.

Curious George said...

Obama just wants to rub elbows with The Boss. He knows that next Wednesday he'll be dropping him like he has the clap.

Baron Zemo said...

What a great idea for the Boss to show up in Wisconsin.

It's not like there is anything going on in Jersey where they might need a benefit concert or something!

Getting the Jug Eared Jesus Re-elected has to take top priority.

Party on Garth!

Curious George said...

And Romney will carry Wisconsin.

Anonymous said...

Garage,
Probably mostly from the city of Waukehsa itself. The rest of the country is so deep red, I don't see anyone changing their minds.

Anonymous said...

Also Waukesha County is VERY populated.

Paul said...

"The rest of the country is so deep red, I don't see anyone changing their minds."

Not even the total awesomeness of the last four years?

Sorun said...

There's nothing I'd rather do the day after a Springsteen concert than go stand in line somewhere to vote.

Anonymous said...

These people vote Republican, heck they all voted for Bush twice, so does that answer your question?

Anonymous said...

That should be the rest of the COUNTY is deep red.

Strelnikov said...

Romney made three stops in FL today, and will make three stops in Virginia tomorrow.

This is a sign of _______________.

A candidate who knows what states are actually in play?

Paul said...

"These people vote Republican, heck they all voted for Bush twice, so does that answer your question? "

Zero makes George Bush look like George Washington.

bagoh20 said...

I can't believe nobody is coming to California. Don't they care who I vote for?

Why no, no they don't.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Obama got over 85,000 votes there in 2008!

This statistic doesn't mean much. It is more indicative of the size of the county.

For example, McCain received 71,829 votes in Dane county in 2008. I believe that was the third highest Republican total in the state.

Tim said...

bagoh20 said...

"Rasmussen: Wisconsin tied, Romney up 1 in Iowa"

Sort the following five words in the most rational order:

1) him

2) a

3) stick

4) in

5) fork

ricpic said...

Is the doddering "Boss" still thought of as cool by the yute? And it's the yute Barry is so desperately courting at this 11th hour.

Rabel said...

It is a little cosmic that both or Althouse's old boyfriends are coming to town on election eve.

Maybe the ex will drop in just to take it to eleven.

garage mahal said...

For example, McCain received 71,829 votes in Dane county in 2008

Exactly. That's not a small number of votes! Not saying Romney should park his campaign in Madison of course, but I don't think making a stop or two in Dane somewhere, or even Madison, would be a waste of time for Romney.

Clyde said...

Are there any sharks in Lake Mendota for Springsteen to jump?

Anonymous said...

I wonder what shenanigans will transpire in Waukesha County on election night? Wanna bet they will be the last county to report totals?

Dante said...

Hmm. Maybe that will change some middle of the road votes.

Clyde said...

Also, regarding band politics, this song by Johnny Cash is evergreen:

Johnny Cash - The One On the Right is On the Left

Dante said...

Hmm. Maybe that will change some middle of the road votes.

Anonymous said...

The Obama campaign informs me today:

The Post reports that with Mitt’s lies and $45 million cash-advantage, “a slew of polling suggests that the race for Ohio has tightened.” With 110 hours until the election, President Obama is tied 49-49 in Ohio, tied 48-48 in Virginia, and down 50-49 in Florida.

Before tomorrow’s final ad buy of this election, we must turn these numbers around by putting 5,679 more donations in the “Stop the Takeover” fund.


Obama's people are burning up my mailbox begging for bucks. Meanwhile, they are framing Romney's efforts to "expand the map" as weakness and desperation.

From what I've seen, Democrat claims about Republicans are usually projection -- they accuse R's of what they themselves are doing.

We'll know soon enough.

Clyde said...

Here's a great stop-action Lego version of the same song:

The One On the Right

Tim said...

Obama needs to go to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Seems the local newspaper, the Las Vegas Journal Review: Obama - Unworthy, has a problem with him being reelected.

Otherwise, Rock On Madison!

One last par-tay with your failed president.

Clyde said...

Yeah, Tim, in Joe Biden parlance, they gave him the full load today!

wildswan said...

Inga said...
I wonder what shenanigans will transpire in Waukesha County on election night? Wanna bet they will be the last county to report totals?

No, Milwaukee will be the last. See, Milwaukee has voting machines and they take longer than paper ballots to count - no, wait ... Anyhow Milwaukee used to take a long time to count and now Milwaukee and Waukesha take a long time. But funny thing, no lefty and no journalist ever mentions how long it takes for Milwaukee to count.

Tim said...

Clyde said...

"Yeah, Tim, in Joe Biden parlance, they gave him the full load today!"

They did:

"Charles Woods, father of former Navy SEAL and Henderson resident Tyrone Woods, 41, says his son died slumped over his machine gun after he and fellow ex-SEAL Glen Doherty - not the two locals who were the only bodyguards Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Obama administration would authorize - held off the enemy for seven hours.

Tim said...

Inga said...

"I wonder what shenanigans will transpire in Waukesha County on election night? Wanna bet they will be the last county to report totals?"

I bet it will be fewer shenanigans than we've read about regarding the ever-shifting, changing story of Benghazi, and I bet they report in less than seven hours:

"Based on documents released by the committee, on the day of the attack the Pentagon dispatched a drone with a video camera so everyone in Washington could see what was happening in real time. The drone documented no crowds protesting any video. But around 4 p.m. Washington received an email from the Benghazi mission saying it was under a military-style attack. The White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and the CIA were able to watch the live video feed. An email sent later that day reported "Ansar al-Sharia claims responsibility for Benghazi attack."

Not only did the White House do nothing, there are now reports that a counterterrorism team ready to launch a rescue mission was ordered to stand down."

Tim said...

Inga said...

"I wonder what shenanigans will transpire in Waukesha County on election night? Wanna bet they will be the last county to report totals?"

I'm confident that if there are any hang ups, there will be an official explanation, probably within seven hours of the event, unlike the Obama Administration and Benghazi:

"The official explanation for why Obama administration officials watched the attack unfold for seven hours, refusing repeated requests to send the air support and relief forces that sat less than two hours away in Italy? Silence."

chickelit said...

garage scoffs: Romney made three stops in FL today, and will make three stops in Virginia tomorrow.
This is a sign of _______________.


They are both signs of Romney fighting for states which went for Obama in 2008. He has a real chance to complete Sullivan's imaginary "New Confederacy."

Obama is campaigning in Wisconsin, a state he won in 2008 and should have easily kept.

See the difference, garage?
Here's a visual aid for you.

chickelit said...

bagoh20 said...
I can't believe nobody is coming to California. Don't they care who I vote for?

The cool thing is that nobody's polling us either.

Time for a surprise in the popular vote.


Anonymous said...

And now CBS is breaking more news of Obama's negligence on the Benghazi attack:

CBS News has learned that during the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Mission in Benghazi, the Obama Administration did not convene its top interagency counterterrorism resource: the Counterterrorism Security Group, (CSG).

"The CSG is the one group that's supposed to know what resources every agency has. They know of multiple options and have the ability to coordinate counterterrorism assets across all the agencies," a high-ranking government official told CBS News. "They were not allowed to do their job. They were not called upon."


Impeach Obama.

chickelit said...

"The official explanation for why Obama administration officials watched the attack unfold for seven hours, refusing repeated requests to send the air support and relief forces that sat less than two hours away in Italy? Silence."

To riff off Joyce:

Absent is the highest form of present.

Tim said...

Inga said...

"I wonder what shenanigans will transpire in Waukesha County on election night? Wanna bet they will be the last county to report totals?"

I bet if there are any shenanigans, the responsible people will be called in right away to take action.

Unlike that failed president of yours, who, according to: sources: Key task force not convened during Benghazi consulate attack

Steve Austin said...

Obama coming to Madison on Monday is all about trying to get another 5,000 votes from the University kids. Bush lost WI by 5,000 votes in 2000 and by only 12,000 votes in 2004. Prosser beat Kloppy by only 7,000 votes. O and Springsteen need to rile those kids up in case he needs them on Tuesday.

I think I’ve got the strategery figured out here. If you assume Romney wins CO, VA and FL (might be a big assumption) then Romney has 3 paths to the Presidency.

a) Path 1 - Win Ohio outright. Mitt is President even if he loses Wi, IA, NH, NV.

b) Path 2 - Win Wisconsin plus either IA or NH or NV. Here he can lose Ohio to Obama but still win overall. WI plus any ONE of those other states.

c) Path 3 - Lose Ohio. Lose Wisconsin. Win Iowa, NH and NV. This one is a bit harder since he needs all three of those small states to negate losing OH and WI.

Obama has to deny Romney ALL THREE of those paths. Hence why Obama is spending his final five days in WI, OH and NV.

garage mahal said...

They are both signs of Romney fighting for states which went for Obama in 2008.

There are 10 swing states that decide the election every four years. Both parties fight to win them. This is not a new development, unless your argument is that these 10 states should be blue states?

chickelit said...

Unlike that failed president of yours,..

Like it or not, he's our President too. That's why we have to replace him.

Anonymous said...

Steve Austin: That's pretty much the way I see it. I believe Romney's got FL, VA, and CO in the bag, and winning is pretty easy from there.

If Romney's campaign efforts in PA, MI, MN are all a bluff, then he's got the nerves of a riverboat gambler, because you wouldn't know it to watch.

Meanwhile, Obama is strictly on defense in states that were in his bag only four weeks ago, trying to wake up his rock'n'roll base.

Out here in the Bay Area, I see no Obama yard signs and only a few Obama bumper stickers -- mostly from 2008. I hear no buzz about Obama.

You wouldn't know there was a presidential election this year. There was more buzz for Mondale in 1984 than Obama in 2012.

Anonymous said...

So Romney said we need to stop demonizing and work across the isle, how does this sit with you conservatives? What about Benghazi? Why isn't Romney demanding answers?

Titus said...

I want to do Andrew Cuomo really bad.

He is fucking hot sexy.

That blue collar voice is delish.

He is definitely going to run for Prez.

He sounds so blue collar but yet is so blue blood.

I bet he has an incredible italian sausage too.

2016-Cuomo vrs Ryan, could be exciting.

Although, Ryan is not hot. Straighty women probably like him because they have fatty grossy husbands home. Gay's don't think he his hot, unless you are an old fat southern fag.

tits.

Patrick said...

Inga - is it worse that Romney isn't demanding answers or that obama isn't providing them?

If I had kid in the service, I'd be raising hell.

chickelit said...

Why isn't Romney demanding answers?

Prolly for the same reason Obama didn't personally demand answers about Bain. It's supposed to be the press' job. But since we have a fawning MSM, the new media has to do it.

purplepenquin said...

It's not like there is anything going on in Jersey where they might need a benefit concert or something!

"New Jersey natives Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi will join Sting and other top music stars on Friday for a special television benefit concert on NBC to aid victims of Sandy, the giant storm that killed scores and devastated large sections of the U.S. Northeast.

NBC said on Thursday that the commercial-free one-hour telecast, "Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together," will air on Friday night and will include appearances by Christina Aguilera, Billy Joel, Jimmy Fallon and NBC News anchor Brian Williams.
The telethon, also to be shown on NBC Universal networks Bravo, CNBC, E!, G4, MSNBC, Style, Syfy and USA and live streamed on NBC.com, will benefit the American Red Cross, with proceeds going toward victims of Hurricane Sandy.
"Today" show anchor Matt Lauer, who announced the concert on air on Thursday, will host. Donors can also text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 contribution."

http://news.yahoo.com/nbc-benefit-concert-friday-aid-sandy-victims-143251705.html

chickelit said...

@Inga: That's why I found what Jake Tapper tweeted last week mildly offensive when he said (paraphrasing) "you won't like it the Washington Press Corps changes its tune next January if Romney's elected. It was almost a tacit admission that they've been soft on Obama.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Deaths from east coast hurricane exceed those in a North African desert, but don't tell that to the clingers here.

Anonymous said...

Me raising hell isn't going to get the questions answered. I'm just a civilian with no political power. Romney has the country watching, and listening, he is a very powerful man. Why isn't HE demanding answers?

Quit haranguing me to scream for answers, I can't get any.

bagoh20 said...

" Why isn't Romney demanding answers?"

I don't think he plans on making the mistake of voting for Obama. It's those who are, that most need to know. They will be the ones making the huge embarrassing mistake, which they really are already making by not demanding to know now. In other words, they have no shame, and no sense of right and wrong. If you don't see it in this case, then you would support your leader no matter what he did. It's pathetic to think that we have American citizens acting like that.

chickelit said...

@Inga: It's offensive because we know that the MSM will kick into a higher gear if Romney is elected. That should have never decided to be nice and treat POTUS 44 any differently than any other POTUS. It was just wrong, wrong, wrong.

I believe the local press was even hostile to Lincoln in both terms.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
bagoh20 said...

"Deaths from east coast hurricane exceed those in a North African desert, but don't tell that to the clingers here."

I wonder if Charley Manson ever tried to use that one? It's really brilliant logic.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Jesus Christ, Ziplock Condom. Don't you have anything better to fulminate about? The worst weather anomaly to batter the East Coast of (what you want us to believe is) your own fucking country and you're flapping your yap about North African deserts.

Incredible. Let us know when you're ready to regain any interest in leadership for THIS country and the events that affect ITS OWN SHORES. Nimrod.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
bagoh20 said...

When you start talking about the weather you pretty much have nothing important to say.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

I wonder if Charley Manson...

You would. Your meandering non-thoughts are about as irrelevant as his.

Anonymous said...

So if Romney doesn't want me to vote for Obama , why isn't HE demanding answers? Doesn't he think we potential Obama voters should be dissuaded by hearing the details of Obama's misdeeds?

It seems to me that Romney doesn't care.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

When you start talking about the weather you pretty much have nothing important to say.

Tell that to your pudgy savior NJ governor 2016 hopeful, douchebag. Oh that's right - he's too busy hugging the only adult in the room. As is Bloomberg.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Where's that proposal to cut FEMA?

bagoh20 said...

Wow Inga and Ritmo, you think it's funny huh? A cute little political story, nothing real, maybe just a TV show. Disgraceful. Really disgusting.

I don't care what either of you think about anything after this. Put your fingers in your ears and go watch the weather channel. You aren't even worthy of the subject.

Automatic_Wing said...

So, the death of an American ambassador is of no interest because...it happened overseas?

Impressive reasoning, Ritmo. No wonder you're an Obama voter.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Bag's basically making the pro-natural disaster argument for Romney.

Sounds like a good strategy.

chickelit said...

It seems time that Romney doesn't care.

Romney seems focused on the economy and also the storm. POTUS is working the storm too but plans on getting down with celebrities next week in my old hometown (or next to it). That's what this thread is actually about--Springsteen.

BTW- I raised this earlier in a different thread--why is Bruce Springsteen such an asshole towards Chris Christie? Talk about partisan prickdom.

yashu said...

Why isn't Romney demanding answers?

This has to be one of the most disingenuous Dem/ lib memes in the entire campaign season. But hey, when the left has to resort to lame concern troll schtick like this to defend their candidate, I'll take that as a good omen.

As disingenuous as the question is (a question which doesn't even deserve an answer), I'll still answer. Romney knows very well that if he pushes on Benghazi, the MSM will have an excuse to make the story all about Romney. That's what they did right after Benghazi occurred, remember? The guy who faced the intense press conference and more than a week's MSM aggressive coverage after Benghazi was: Mitt Romney.

Meanwhile, the POTUS went off to party in Vegas. No MSM questions for him (ostensibly the actual buck-stops-here decision-maker in the Situation Room that day, didn't have to answer any questions at all).

The MSM excuse for not pressing Obama on Benghazi was: Romney had "politicized" it.

It's not up to Romney to do the MSM's job. Their dereliction of duty is on them. Better for Romney to hold back and let other voices take center stage.

Like Tyrone Woods's father.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

So, the death of an American ambassador is of no interest because...it happened overseas?

Reasoning involves something called "prioritizing" and "proportionality". Yes, dozens of deaths and loss of property and loss of power in the nation's largest city concerns me more than the death of 4 abroad.

But then, I'm not looking to rule the world, just competent leadership right here.

Not that you'd care about that.

Anonymous said...

If Romney thought there was something to the Benghazi story, he would be pounding Obama with it. Doesn't this make you conservatives wonder why Romney has been silent on something that could keep millions of people from voting for Obama?

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Where's the proposal to cut FEMA? How's that coming along?

chickelit said...

@Ritmo: your doppelgaenger Harrogate got all bent out shape over bagoh20 earlier---what is it with you two to pick on the same person?

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

How many more American cities to you guys wish to see destroyed? How many strips of desert abroad do you wish to garrison as a substitute?

MadisonMan said...


Impeach Obama.

Wouldn't it be easier and less disruptive simply not to re-elect him?

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

@Ritmo: your doppelgaenger Harrogate got all bent out shape over bagoh20 earlier---what is it with you two to pick on the same person?

Baggie sold his soul to Jiang Zemin and I won't let him forget it. Or you.

Patrick said...

No such thing Ritmo. You've been fooled.

Titus said...

I bet Andrew Cuomo fucks hard and has a huge cock.

He has a nice big nose and you know that means he has a nice big cut hog.

tits.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Why protect American cities when there are remote strips of foreign desert to rule over?

Anonymous said...

If Romney wins and he remains silent, I hope you conservatives here that are so outraged now, don't just drop all the outrage, in your joy that he won.

We shall see.

yashu said...

PS Plenty of Romney surrogates are asking the necessary questions.

Kudos to McCain, among others.

Patrick said...

It is cute that all of the lefties in WI who were so mad at the President for his failure to lead in the recall election can be repurchased with a couple of songs from Springsteen.

theribbonguy said...

The "Non Story" is now being reported on the CBS News site...

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57544026/sources-key-task-force-not-convened-during-benghazi-consulate-attack/

..Sharyl Attkisson is on the case...for now.

It's cracking through the LSM wall.

Automatic_Wing said...

Why protect American cities when there are remote strips of foreign desert to rule over?

Uh, you do realize that Obama sent those guys over to the foreign desert and then abandoned them when they needed help, right?

It's not like they were hanging out in Benghazi for shits and giggles....

chickelit said...

Kudos to McCain, among others.

Kudos also to Darrell Issa, the fly in the annointment. We will handily send him back to DC.

Anonymous said...

And Bagoh, no I don't think it's funny at all.

garage mahal said...

Uh, you do realize that Obama sent those guys over to the foreign desert and then abandoned them when they needed help, right?

Source? Haha. Just kidding dude.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Uh, you do realize that...

Uh, you realize that what happens to the east coast of the U.S. is more important to AMerica than what happens in the less significant North African country whose dictator we already deposed, thank you very much?

Of course you don't. You're still new to that whole "reason" thing.

Read Bloomberg. He might know a little bit more about sustaining economies that Windbag.

yashu said...

Inga, you can be sure that my outrage over what occurred in Benghazi & Washington DC on 9/11/12 (and more precisely, the fact that we still haven't gotten anything anywhere close to an adequate account of what occurred) will not be quelled on Nov. 7. No matter who wins the election.

chickelit said...

Read Bloomberg. He might know a little bit more about sustaining economies that Windbag.

You're right, Bloomberg is a Windbag.

Patrick said...

Inga, your demand that Romney demand more for the President is nothing but attempted guile. It shouldn't require much for the "most transparent administration in history" to tell us what he and his administration did before he flew off to party in Vegas.

If Romney thought there was something to Benghazi. He hasn't been given any more information than the rest of us. The President is too busy partying with Bruce, JayZ et al. to care about mere ambassadors and US Soldiers.

It doesn't surprise anyone who has been paying any attention, except maybe in scope.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Dozens of dead in America aren't as important as FOUR in LIBYA!

Remember the Embassy!

Keep on keepin' on with this lil' Alamo of yours.

«Oldest ‹Older   1 – 200 of 375   Newer› Newest»