So turns out Chris Christie is a Bruce Springsteen fan. Does he even listen to the lyrics?

[LynneSin]

Last night I was at the 2nd Bruce Springsteen concert in Philly. Turns out sitting 10 rows down from me was Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey. I was kinda suprised because my seats weren't really that spectacular. We were to the side of the stage but there he was schmoozing with everyone in the area.

I guess Christie is trying to get Springsteen to do a show in Atlantic City at the grand opening of a new casino. Christie is oh-so-proud of this accomplishment and thinks Bruce should show up and sing his praise.

Yet throughout the night Springsteen was singing song after song about how hard working people struggle in this country and how we should all work help one another. Right before Bruce sang one of the new songs off his album "Jack of all Trade", he talked about the state of this country and how people have been struggling to find jobs. He talked about the 99% and about how it's unamerican to not help those in greatest needs while giving the 1% a free pass. I suspect Bruce knew that Christie was in the audience but that was probably the closest he got to acknowledging it.

Throughout the night Christie tried to look like he was 'one of us' by twittering during the concert. It was nice to see that Christie recognizes all the songs by Springsteen but to me it's clear that Christie has no fucking clue what any of those songs mean.

Who knows if Springsteen will do that show in Atlantic City but let's face it, if he does it won't be because of Chris Christie, that's for sure.

[peace frog]

1. Chris Christie considers himself a man of the people

What kind of people is up for interpretation, but there it is. No conflict in his mind at all.

[zbdent]

11. C.C. considers himself to be many men of the people ...

[mac56]

2. Tim Pawlenty (former MN gov) claimed he was a big big fan also.

Had a weekly radio show while in office. On one show he voiced disappointment that Springsteen had "suddenly become SO POLITICAL."

[DocMac]

3. I doubt that Bruce is a fan of Chris Christie.

[tabbycat31]

9. Last year he wrote a LTE to the local paper against Christie

Unfortunately it's no longer on the paper's site.

Locals around here want him to run for Congress but I don't see that happening.

[DocMac]

12. I don't think he would run for office either.

I bet he would win, though. In a landslide and I bet no one would be crazy enough to run against him.

[tabbycat31]

16. redistricting made my district much worse

I got shifted from a very progressive congressman to one who wants to redefine rape. The redefine rape one (he's the chair of the pro life caucus, shoot me now) is a 32 year incumbent who trounces all over his opponents no matter who the Dems put up (his district did just pick up a bunch of Democratic towns though).

The only person with the money and name recognition to defeat him would be The Boss. And he lives in the district, unlike the incumbent, who lives in Virginia.

[DocMac]

22. Wow, 32 years is a long time.

By now, that congressman's name is embedded in the brains of those voters. I don't know why politicians take up issues like this guy with defining rape. You would think that he has everything to lose and nothing to gain for his efforts on that. Boggles the mind, sometimes.

[Javaman]

4. No, only the chorus. nt

[blm]

5. Christie the lawyer who lobbied for securities fraud to be exempted from NJ's fraud laws for Madoff

and his group, I highly doubt he has his heart connected to his brain, thus incapable of understanding Springsteen's music.

[Motown_Johnny]

6. Most everyone in Jersey is a Springsteen fan

and the few that aren't can't admit to it.

No politician in New Jersey will ever present himself/herself as not being a huge fan of "The Boss".


When I lived in Colorado I knew a group of guys from south Jersey and when I went to school in upstate New York I knew a number of people from north Jersey. Springsteen is just about the only thing they had in common.

[treestar]

7. All NJ governors likely claim this

Though being at the concert means a little more.

[HopeHoops]

8. "Somepin' somepin' sompin' USA, I was sumpin' sumpin' sumpin' USA (add lib Louie Louie from here)

[KG]

10. kinda like my ditto-head kin that digs Floyd and Roger Waters.

[CTyankee]

13. I imagine he thinks this makes him look "cool."

If I were Christie, I'd want to look "cool," too...take the edge off of his snarl and general mean behavior.

Doesn't fool me, but, hey, I live in CT...

[VWolf]

14. He's probably one of the dolts that think "Born in the USA" is a patriotic rah-rah song n/t

Born down in a dead man town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that's been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up

Born in the u.s.a., I was born in the u.s.a.
I was born in the u.s.a., born in the u.s.a.

Got in a little hometown jam
So they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man

Born in the U.S.A...

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man said son if it was up to me
Went down to see my v.a. man
He said son, don't you understand

I had a brother at Khe Sahn
Fighting off the Viet Cong
They're still there, he's all gone

He had a woman he loved in Saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I'm ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run aint got nowhere to go

Born in the u.s.a., I was born in the u.s.a.
Born in the u.s.a., I'm a long gone daddy in the u.s.a.
Born in the u.s.a., born in the u.s.a.
Born in the u.s.a., I'm a cool rocking daddy in the u.s.a.

[LynneSin]

15. Like Reagan?

I had to laugh when he would use that as a campaign song

[VWolf]

20. Yep. I had Raygun in mind too n/t

[Generic Other]

17. Christie tweets Springsteen from the streets of Philadelphia

"The Wrecking Ball is rolled out in Philly," Christie tweeted. "Fans booing the Giants!"

The governor, who has been to more than 127 Springsteen shows, still seemed the true fan as the show was about to start.

"Getting ready for the Bruce show in Philly. Crowd is very excited," he tweeted, continuing, "Lights still on - crowd getting anxious for 'We take care of our own.'"

Christie used the hashtag #meetmeinAC, possibly a nudge on his request for Springsteen to play in Atlantic City over Labor Day weekend.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120330_Gov__Christie_tweets_Bruce_from_the_streets_of_Philadelphia.html

From the sound of his TWeets the answer is no he does not get Springsteen's lyrics.

There's a poll at the link: If you're a fan of Bruce Springsteen, do his political leanings bother you?

[karynnj]

18. In 2004, Christie wrote a whiney column in the Daily Record (Morris County's paper)

Last edited Fri Mar 30, 2012, 03:26 PM - Edit history (1)

He was complaining that he always tried to go to Springsteen's concerts and had gone to over 100, but he thought it would be wrong to go to the one he did for Kerry - expressing his opinion that he could end up recognized on the jumbotron. (The fact was he was not well known enough for the cameraman to have any idea who he was - and he was not a cute kid or good looking or likely to be doing anything worth filming. )

He argued that it was "wrong" of Springsteen to do this as it hurts some of his fans. ( So, I guess that it is ok for companies to participate in the political process - but not a singer, whose songs show moral, political, and social values 180 degrees from Christie's. )
When he won, he was tone deaf enough to ask Springsteen to play at his inaugural ball - which was quickly refused.

[LynneSin]

19. Yes it hurts his fans so much that Springsteen has sold out 53 consecutive shows in Philly

I'm sure that number is higher in New Jersey venues.

You want to know much Springsteen's politics have hurt him - last night's sold out show, even the seats behind the stage were all sold out. Most concerts don't even bother selling those seats since no one wants to watch behind the concert. But they put them out for sale (and a low cost too) and many times Bruce was on the back of the stage singing to the folks sitting back there.

[karynnj]

23. It is beyond difficult getting seats in NJ - which is why we have seen him in NYC

The one time we saw him in NJ, we were busy and asked our then 16 year old if she could try to grab 2 seats for us the minute they were available. She types at least 5 times faster than me - and she set up 3 windows to request seats for the three shows - and we got seats. It is amazing that it seems no matter how many shows there are, they are still tough to get.

[LynneSin]

24. We saw him at the Meadowlands last tour but my friend went thru Stub Hub

Not keen on ticket brokers but it was her birthday when he was in NJ plus she had family coming in from Colorado.

So I went.

2nd time I saw him was in Philadelphia when he did the concert for Barack Obama and that was packed too.

[Chorophyll]

21. I don't think you can be the governer of NJ and NOT be a Springsteen fan.

Springsteen IS New Jersey.

But you know, I'm a feminist and a rock'n'roll fan. And feminism and rock'n'roll don't always fit together so well. I've given a lot of rock bands a "misogyny pass" because I've loved them so much. So Christie might really like Springsteen even while disagreeing with him. (Or he might be full of shit. It's just hard to say.) Springsteen didn't start out overtly political, and a lot of people loved him for his "regular guy" vibe. I'm sure a lot of those people have remained his fan, even if they don't like his politics.

On edit, having just read Karynnj's post: Christie's a putz. Blecch.