Springsteen Ends Tour at Harley Celebration (Mostly Silent Audience at Rendition, Wiretaps Mention)

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Springsteen ends world tour at Harley celebration

By CARRIE ANTLFINGER, Associated Press Writer
Sun Aug 31, 9:36 AM ET
MILWAUKEE - Bruce Springsteen ended his world tour over the weekend, toned down but revved up. Springsteen played more than 30 songs over 3 1/2 hours Saturday night on Milwaukee's lakefront for Harley-Davidson's 105th anniversary celebration. He made few comments between songs. Only for a few moments before "Livin' in the Future" did the rocker — who often brings his liberal-leaning political comments to the stage — stray into politics.

Springsteen performed to a crowd not unlike the one that gave Republican presidential candidate John McCain a warm welcome Aug. 4 at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. Many roared their motorcycles during McCain's speech.

Springsteen said "Livin' in the Future" was about what was happening now: cheese, Harley-Davidson motorcycles (tailoring it to his Wisconsin crowd), transfats, "500 channels of nothing on" and the Bill of Rights.

But he also mentioned wire tapping and rendition — the secret transport of terror suspects from one country to another. "Things that basically at the heart are un-American," he said. The crowd gave spattered groans but mostly stayed silent.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080831/ap_en_mu/harley_springsteen

---

[SpiralHawk]

1. Bikers having trouble with reality?

Who'd a thunk it?

[Kali]

5. lotta harley owning biker wannabe repukes out there these days

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. "Spattered Groans"

Translation: The AP writer groaned.

[stlsaxman]

30. "'Audio Terms' for $300, Alex". "Spattered Groan"

"What does a Jackson Pollack painting sound like?"

ding ding ding

this must be why the AP is being dropped by so many newspapers.

[54anickel]

3. Whoa, that is just so f'ing sad! Now I wish he wouldn't have even come here. Sort of

"un-American" of him to tone it down for HD. Had to feel like a pretty anti-climatic end to a world tour for the Boss....wonder if he feels "cheapened"? I know I feel that way when I look around this once great, progressive state. :-(

[blossomstar]

4. They didn't know what the hell he was talking about....

people are not informed; if they were, they'd be in the streets with their guns.

[frogmarch]

6. Not a surprising reaction from

a group whose members - some of the males, anyway - wear t shirts that say on the back, "If you can read this, the bitch fell off."

(I was surprised McCain didn't come back from Sturgis wearing one of those.)

[hay rick]

7. McCain's shirt

said "If you can read this the c*nt fell off"

[Dr.Phool]

10. I've seen the same thing for women.

On the front it says, "If you can read this, I threw the asshole off".

[CANDO]

8. They are not exactly into "heavy thinking".

They just love titty shows and revving engines. Oh, and beer drinking!

[Monk06]

9. Harley riders are the right wing working class. Lumpin Proles and Angel wannabe's

They live in the past and ride pathetically
obsolete machinery. Pot bellied pseudo rebels,
closet racists and wife beaters.

:rant: :rant: :rant:

[Dr.Phool]

11. John Kerry is all of that!?

He still rides a Harley on occasion. As do I.

Fuck off with your generalizations.

[Monk06]

12. Face it Harley riders are punks. By the way do you eat food with that mouth?

[Dr.Phool]

13. Yes I do.

And I don't like your generalizations. I've ridden a Harley for over 30 years, was active in the anti-Vietnam war movement, have been a labor negotiator, managed Democratic congressional campaigns, and much more. Politically, I'm further left than most people on this board.

And particularly I resent being called a wife beater.

I'll say it again. Fuck you and your generalizations.

[Monk06]

14. Let me clear this up for ya. Kerry bought a Harley for it's macho image same

as he bought his Serrotta for image value.

Harley Riders and Roadies are posers



And you still poop with your mouth.

[mac56]

15. Then let me add to the discussion.

Several of the best, most dedicated liberals I know are Harley riders.

Your generalizations suck.

[Monk06]

16. A real man rides a Norton Commando. Phttttt

[meowomon]

17. You're both assholes

[Monk06]

18. Well I ride a 1993 Cannondale Delta V so I am definitely not an asshole.

[karynnj]

25. Gee, I bet that was the same reason he risked his life in

Vietnam to save Rassmann and later to save his entire crew. Maybe also why he played 4 varsity or Junior varsity sports in high school and college. Or why he is an accomplished pilot. As to his Serrotta, do you think you will be able to ride 111 miles in a charity bike race at age 64, much less do it at the speed Kerry did?

In reality, he is less obsessed with a macho image than most - he also started a literary club and a debate club at St Paul's. He is always impeccably dressed, speaks French fluently and plays classical guitar.

Take your stereotypes and GO AWAY. The problem is in your mind, not John Kerry's.

[sudopod]

32. Why do you care so much

about a brand name? It isn't like he said something about your family. :p

[zabet]

27. Nic, big, fat, broad brush you got there, buddy.

This harley rider does not live in the past, does not ride pathetically. I am not pot bellied, not a racist (mixed myself), and not a wife beater (you will have to ask hubby if I beat him).

[kwolf68]

28. Not cool

"Rolling Thunder" is the right-wing Harley group. There are plenty of Harley riders who aren't part of that. Those Harley riders are REALLY FREE in that its just them and their bike. I don't ride, but can understand why people like it and it's cool.

[BrainRants]

19. I was there...

Springsteen's opening band was Alejandro Escovedo from Texas, who ripped Bush pretty good by saying they were embarrassed to hear one of their songs was on Dim Son's IPOD and that they didn't want him back in Texas. "Our Latino friends and us are going to build a wall to keep Bush out" he said to a THUNDEROUS applause, INCLUDING some folks sitting around sporting T-shirts from some VERY red states. Springsteen's comments came at a "lull" in his show (if there is such a thing) during a more mellow set. I'm not even sure how I reacted...do you cheer for rendition? Huh?

Finally, the generalizations are complete BS. The entire event was family friendly (until the sun went down) and I saw more peace signs than I've ever seen at any political rally. It was a VERY well behaved group of fun loving boomers out to enjoy celebrating our passion for one of the few things that's still a symbol of American pride. And Milwaukee was a fantastic host, what a beautiful, friendly city!

Can't wait 'til the 110th!

[SpiralHawk]

21. Thanks for the reality report, BR

eom

[cobalt1999]

24. I was there too.

We had a few cheers on Bruce's comments from our section (left side and near the stage).

Bikers are all over the map politically, so anyone making generalizations is just demonstrating their lack of thinking.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

29. It'd be great if you could write a letter to send out to the editors of

some of the papers that print this pravda-style news account.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Homer12]

22. Median Income of a Harley Owner

is 80,000 A year.

Guess who they vote for?

[cobalt1999]

26. I'm a Harley owner, I vote for Democrats

So do lots of bikers.

[Gold Metal Flake]

23. That's an AP story.

So, naturally, I wonder what the real truth is.

[demgrrrll]

31. I don't believe a word of it. You cannot trust AP to tell the truth.