U2 sing out against Republican's plans to bolster fighting fund

[T_i_B]

What on earth is Santorum thinking?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1592040,00.html

They are the stadium giants of rock, one of the biggest draws in the business, who built a reputation on protest anthems and support for the global battle against poverty and Aids.

He is a powerful US Republican who, like every powerful US Republican with an election in the offing, needs to do a little fundraising. But Rick Santorum's plans to drum up cash on the sidelines of U2 gigs have not impressed the band.

"U2 concerts are categorically not fundraisers for any politician - they are rock concerts for U2 fans," said Jamie Drummond, executive director of DATA, an Africa advocacy group co-founded by U2 singer Bono.

Mr Santorum's get-together reportedly involves a $1,000 (£570) event during this weekend's Philadelphia show. Other events are planned for other shows on the tour, which runs until the end of December. And he is not alone. Hillary Clinton has also offered a small number of invitees the chance to join her in a suite in Washington at next week's gig. A cool $2,500 will secure the contributor a chance to rub shoulders with the Democratic elite while watching Bono and the Edge grind out the old favourites.

[SoFlaJet]

1. smarmy bastards

both-just because Hillary wants to do it and she's a democrat does not make it right.I'm really starting to move away from politicians who are essentially two sides of the same coin.Corporate shills-and I had been a big HC fan-she needs to show me more...soon...

[Voltaire99]

2. Bono has already accustomed himself to the stink of Helms, O'Neill...

...and other Bush administration insiders in his quixotic and embarrassing quest to make the right wing establishment a tiny bit less destructive.

Perhaps it's a bit late for him to try to draw a line between U2 concerts and the band's neocon and neoliberal friends.

When Santorum and Clinton are groupies, it's a little hard to play the rebel. ;-)

[FVZA_Colonel]

5. Didn't he say that he'd "kiss the ass of the Devil" if it meant getting

help for the people who are affected by AIDS, hunger and poverty?

[T_i_B]

3. Bono incensed as Hillary plays politics at U2 gig

Bandwagon anyone?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/16/wbono16.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/10/16/ixportal.html

The Irish rock star, Bono, has been angered by Senator Hillary Clinton's use of a U2 concert this week to raise funds for her political campaign coffers - even though he is a good friend of her husband, Bill.

"U2 concerts are categorically not fund-raisers for any politician. They are rock concerts for U2 fans," said his close associate, Jamie Drummond, who runs Data, the Third World advocacy group set up by Bono with Sir Bob Geldof.

"If any political fund-raising events take place at a U2 concert, it is without the involvement or knowledge of Data, U2 or Bono."

Mrs Clinton, the frontrunner to be the Democrat candidate for the White House in 2008, is charging 18 guests $2,500 (£1,400) a head to join her in a luxury box for the sold out show in Washington on Wednesday. Despite U2's public criticism, she is pressing on with the fund-raiser, which will bring in $45,000 for an outlay of about $7,000 on the box, and her staff are unapologetic. "We do a meet-and-greet with the senator and then go in and listen to the music," said her spokesman, Ann Lewis.

[many a good man]

4. Advice for Bono

In between songs somewhere about half way thru the concert, Bono should stop the music and directly address the occupants of Santorum's box. He should be deeply respectful while addressing the Senator and his guests, but he should use the opportunity to talk some sense into these people. Then they should just go back to the music as if nothing ever happened.

[thebigidea]

6. must admit, i'm amused at how this is reported.

the left wing paper puts Santorum in the headline, the right wing paper puts Clinton in the headline. Surely they could've mentioned both in the headline!

Still, gotta love the Gnraudinean.

[T_i_B]

7. Well, at least I got both versions of the story in

so the left/right spin can be spotted.