Ypsilanti is just one stop on Bruce Springsteen’s pro-Obama voter registration tour. I have no idea what he may have planned for us tomorrow in Ypsi, but I suspect it’ll be something like what he said yesterday in Philadelphia – of course, minus the stuff about us being the birthplace of Democracy, and all that. Here’s a a great quote from that speech:
“Our sacred house of dreams has been abused, looted, left in terrible state of disrepair. It needs care; it needs saving, needs defending against those who would sell it down the river.”
And some video:
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Springsteen in Ypsi – he won’t claim this is the birth place of American democracy, but he will do what he can to inspire a new dedication to what he calls the ideals of the founding fathers: equality for all citizens, opportunity and security for all.
I drove by the EMU baseball stadium today and saw the roadies errecting a stage in the outfield. There’s plenty of room for a huge crowd. I think it’s likely that nobody will be turned away. If you wanna go, and if you don’t have tickets, i’d say go anyway, you’ll probably get in. His crowds are always mellow, and this should be a lot of fun, if you like that kind of crowd and Bruce’s music at all…..I do, a lot. In Philly he played 7 songs, 6 of his, and Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Was Made for You and Me”. A patriot. I’m hoping he’ll do “Born in the USA” on solo guitar, but whatever he plays is fine with me.
And what a speech he gave in Philly! Written out in the same notebook he writes songs in, it seemed from the full video (44 minutes).
For further inspiration:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/04/union-president-defends-o_n_131954.html
I got an email from the Obama campaign this morning …. Says no ticket needed, just come. Mark H. do you really think this is the case? I’d hate to take time off from work and show up only to be turned away.
Jill, i didn’t see your post til now, hope you went to the rally. Yes, people who arrived without tickets were able to get tickets there, easily, and let in. Good crowd. Sue Martin, the EMU president, made warm, high spirited welcoming remarks (EMU a college of opportunity that helps people achieve there dreams — and that’s true), and the EMU Gospel Choir did the Star Spangled Banner.
The main attraction, Bruce’s set, was terrific and the sound system quite good. A little cold, but the sun did come out for his last song “This Land is Your Land” and the sun burst thru quite brightly when Bruce got to the lyric that goes something like ‘I was walking and the sun was shinning….’ Woody no doubt was happy up in the heavens to know his old song was being played this day, at a rally for Barack Obama.
And hey, there was this guy who looked exactly like Mark Maynard seeking unregistered people to register vote. Not sure if this was the real Mark M. or an imposter who’s actually working to undermine all things good and just, but this one did look and talk just like Mark M.
Yeah, according to the “Free Press”
I went! I got in! I wonder what the count was …. it didn’t seem like there were a whole lot of people there, but then I’m not a very good judge of that. Springsteen was great! His comment about not being able to spell Ypsilanti was cute.
Wish he would have just shut up and sang.
Hope as we might, some people just won’t shut up.
Yeah, what did he think that was a political rally or something? I’m easily distracted. It’s easier for me to ignore the points he makes when he’s playing a guitar at the same time. I’m getting tired of having to white-out the lyrics on the sleves of all the Springsteen CDs I buy.