CNN's Costello claims "Springsteen-loving" white men now vote GOP, but doesn't note the Boss's own politics
SUMMARY: In a CNN segment on a new book purporting to tell, in Wolf Blitzer's words,
"exactly why white men are leaving the Democratic Party," correspondent Carol
Costello asked, "[W]hat's a [Bruce] Springsteen-loving white man to do? Recent
history says, 'Vote Republican.' " In fact -- as Costello herself noted at the
conclusion of the segment -- Democrats "picked up 6 percent more white men" in
the 2006 midterm election. Further, Springsteen himself campaigned for Democrat
John Kerry for president in 2004 and recently said of the Bush administration:
"I think that we've seen things happen over the past six years that I don't
think anybody ever thought they'd see in the United
States."
On the October 11 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, host Wolf Blitzer introduced a segment on Politico senior political writer David Paul Kuhn's book The Neglected Voter: White Men and the Democratic Dilemma (Palgrave MacMillan, October 2007) by saying to correspondent Carol Costello, "The book tells us exactly why white men are leaving the Democratic Party. What's going on?" Costello replied: "Well, I don't know what either political party is calling the white male this time around, but the Democrats appear to be losing them." Later, Costello stated that white men are "no longer voting the Democratic way," and asked, "[W]hat's a [Bruce] Springsteen-loving white man to do? Recent history says, 'Vote Republican.' " However -- as Costello herself noted at the conclusion of the segment -- Democrats "picked up 6 percent more white men" in the 2006 midterm election: In 2004, 38 percent of white men voted for Democratic candidates for the House of Representatives, while 44 percent voted for Democratic House candidates in 2006. Costello commented that "one election does not a trend make." And Springsteen himself campaigned for 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, a fact not mentioned in Costello's report.
Blitzer had teased the segment by asking, "And have white men abandoned the Democratic Party? Or is it the other way around?"
Costello reported, "Conservatives fought back, painting the Democratic Party as so into diversity, it can't see the color white" and apparently to illustrate the point, played a video clip of right-wing pundit Ann Coulter highlighting Sen. Barack Obama's middle name -- Hussein. Coulter was shown saying: "I think Democrats have hit upon the perfect candidate, Barack Obama, or as I call him, B. Hussein Obama. B. Hussein Obama is half white, half black ... so there's somebody for every Democrat to vote for."
Blitzer also uncritically reported that Kuhn's book "claims Democrats are neglecting [white men], and it could cost their party the election." In fact, despite losing the white male vote by a 44-53 margin in 2006, Democrats have a larger majority in the House -- 233-202 -- than Republicans ever had after gaining a majority in the House in 1994. Republicans last held a majority of more than 30 seats in the House during the 80th Congress, which was elected in 1946.
In addition to her repeated assertion that white men love Springsteen and are "no longer voting Democratic," Costello opened and closed the taped segment by playing clips of Springsteen singing "Born in the USA." However, Costello did not note that Springsteen supported Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign. In fact, Springsteen performed at several rallies as part of the MoveOn PAC's "Vote for Change Tour," as well as for the Kerry campaign itself. An October 28, 2004, Salon.com article reported that during a Madison, Wisconsin, rally for Kerry:
Springsteen ticked off a long list of the things that matter: economic justice, a living wage, a "sane and responsible foreign policy," civil rights, and "the protection and safeguarding of our precious democracy here at home." He said: "I believe that John Kerry honors these ideals. He has lived our history over the past 60 years, and he has formed an adult view of America and its people. "
Further, during an interview on the October 7 edition of CBS' 60 Minutes, Springsteen told correspondent Scott Pelley, in reference to certain actions by the Bush administration: "I think that we've seen things happen over the past six years that I don't think anybody ever thought they'd see in the United States." From the interview:
PELLEY: What's on your mind? What are you writing about?
SPRINGSTEEN: I would say that what I do is I -- is I try to chart the distance between American ideals and American reality. That's how my music is laid out. It's like we're - we've reached a point where we're so intent on protecting ourselves that we're willing to destroy the best parts of ourselves to do so.
PELLEY: What do you mean?
SPRINGSTEEN: Well, I think that we've seen things happen over the past six years that I don't think anybody ever thought they'd see in the United States. When people think of the American identity, they don't think of torture, they don't think of illegal wiretapping, they don't think of voter suppression, they don't think of no habeas corpus, no right to a lawyer to -- you know? Those are things that -- those are -- those are things that are anti-American.
PELLEY: You know, I think this record is going to be seen as anti-war. And you know there are people watching this interview who are going to say to themselves, "Bruce Springsteen is no patriot."
SPRINGSTEEN: Well, that's the -- that's just the language of the day, you know? The modus operandi for anybody who doesn't like somebody, you know, criticizing where we've been or where we're going, you know. It's unpatriotic at any given moment to sit back and let things pass that are -- that are damaging to some place that you love so dearly and that has given me so much and that I believe in -- I still feel and see as a beacon of hope and possibility.
Costello isn't the first media figure to misleadingly link Springsteen -- and, in particular, the song "Born in the USA" -- with Republican politics. Despite the fact that Springsteen referred during a 1980 concert to Ronald Reagan's election the day before as "pretty frightening," in 1984, Reagan and conservative columnist George Will, among others, attempted to suggest that the musician supported Reagan and his politics. Springsteen rebuked Reagan during a performance a few days later.
From the October 11 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:
BLITZER: And have white men abandoned the Democratic Party, or is it the other way around? Stay with us, you're in The Situation Room.
[...]
BLITZER: A new book says white men are abandoning the Democratic Party. It claims Democrats are neglecting them, and that could cost their party the election. Let's go to Carol Costello, she's here in The Situation Room. The book sort of lays out exactly why these men are leaving the Democratic Party. What's going on?
COSTELLO: Well, the Democratic Party is pretty much ignoring white men. You know, the book is called The Neglected Voter, you know, the one we used to call the "NASCAR dad." Well, I don't know what either political party is calling the white male voter this time around, but the Democrats appear to be losing them.
[begin video clip]
[clip of Springsteen singing "Born in the USA"]
COSTELLO: They may be born in the USA and love "The Boss," but they're no longer voting the Democratic way. They are blue-collar, white male voters, who, according to a new book, are the only chance Democrats have to win in '08. But getting them to vote for Clinton, Edwards, or Obama won't be easy.
KUHN: The Democratic Party came to stand up for everybody but them, every group but them. And in fact, stand against them.
COSTELLO: Kuhn, who wrote The Neglected Voter, says Democrats are guilty of portraying white men as the only privileged group in the United States who deserve no help.
KUHN: They, ironically, came to feel the scapegoat of liberalism, that they came to feel stereotyped as the bigoted Archie Bunker from All in the Family.
COSTELLO: And that stereotype does play out in the Democratic world of politics. The Democrat that Republicans love to hate, Michael Moore, wrote a book called Stupid White Men, touted as outing "that big special-interest group that's laying waste to the world as we know it: stupid white men." Conservatives fought back, painting the Democratic Party as so into diversity, it can't see the color white.
COULTER: I think Democrats have hit upon the perfect candidate with Barack Obama, or as I call him, B. Hussein Obama. B. Hussein Obama is half-white, half-black ... so there's somebody for every Democrat to vote for.
COSTELLO: And it's all played into this: According to exit polls at every presidential election from 1980 on, no Democratic candidate could even get 40 percent of the white male vote. And, Kuhn says, as a result, America has seen just one Democratic president in 27 years.
While some analysts say Kuhn is onto something, others say, "Not so fast. Maybe Democrats aren't going after white male voters because times have changed."
KEATING HOLLAND (CNN polling director): There's a lot of Democratic analysts who would argue as a counter-argument that the growing group in this country are not whites, not white men but, instead, minorities -- Hispanics, blacks and Asians.
COSTELLO: If that's true, what's a Springsteen-loving white man to do? Recent history says, "Vote Republican."
[end video clip]
COSTELLO: But there is a small sign Democrats may be making inroads with white male voters: they picked up 6 percent more white men in 2006, but Wolf, as you know, one election does not a trend make.
BLITZER: Interesting stuff. Thanks very much, Carol Costello.
In fact, Springsteen [link to www.usatoday.com] title="http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2004-08-04-vote-tour_x.htm">performed at several rallies as part of the MoveOn PAC's "Vote for Change Tour," as well as for the Kerry campaign [link to www.cnn.com] title="http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/28/kerry.thursday/index.html">itself. An October 28, 2004, Salon.com [link to dir.salon.com] title="http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2004/10/28/kerry_springsteen/">article reported that during a Madison, Wisconsin, rally for Kerry:
Springstein was a great supporter of Kerry, why does CNN not mention that?
It wasn't too long ago that Republicans bristled at any reference to the "angry white male" vote. Are they ready to embrace the truth?
I agree that Costello is making a very weak point, probably an invalid one. But I also think MMFA's point is weak if they think Springsteens politics are relevent to his fans politics. The comment was directed specifically to the fans.
You're probably right, Bruce.
And the Dixie Chicks? Still filled arenas with conservative white men.
One thing I appreciate about the Homelandiican public: they really can separate the artist from the art.
I agree. Costello provided no evidence at all to back up her claim that the Democrats are losing white male voters. Strangely enough, the single statistic she quoted was from the 2006 election where white males increased by 6%.
I agree about your Springsteen comment. The story was about his fans who don't necessarily follow or even share the Boss' politics all that closely. I will say that Born in the USA was a perfectly ironic song to demonstrate the gulf between Springsteen's politics and his fans' politics. Springsteen's fans have often misinterpreted entirely what that particular song actually means.
This was terrible reporting all the way around.
Well I'm White & still a Springsteen fan & I do vote Republican...but hey that's just me.
I think most people can appreciate an artist or athlete for their performance, regardless of their politics. For example, I like Bruce Willis movies, but, as far as I know, he's a Republican...and I love John Wayne movies.
I think what happened to the Dixie Chicks was an unfortunate anomaly...probably brought on by post-9/11 hysteria.
Nerzog,
I have no interest in any artist's political ideology anymore than they have in mine. If I like them, I like them.....if I don't, I don't.
I don't pay to go see them in some live venue to hear their political views, one way or another. Perhaps they feel compelled to turn people on to their way of thinking, but I am not interested.
I agree. I cant for the life of me understand why an artists political views should be of any more interest to me than my mechanic's
That is a healthy attitude, Jeter. I feel the same way about many conservative leaning entertainers. It is about their talent and I don't really care what their politics are.
"according to a new book" written by one of those mindreading genius's who can tell what millions are thinking without ever leaving the comfort of their office, "are the only chance Democrats have to win in '08". The Democrats best chance to win in 08 is to keep hammering on the negative results of the 6 years the opposition had to show what marvelous leaders they are, when they had control of all 3 branches of goverment, thier own TV station, hundreds of paid propagandist in national and international media and a private army.
So, we are to stand by and let the Democrats tell us how awful the Republicans are, instead of telling us how they will lead and govern.
Wonderful. Sure makes me want to vote for them.
SAVE DEMOCRACY, VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT!!
So, we are to stand by and let the Democrats tell us how awful the Republicans are, instead of telling us how they will lead and govern.
Wonderful. Sure makes me want to vote for them. - tommy / Friday October 12, 2007 11:50:52 AM EST
Ah Tommy you asked the question!! No complaining, you started this!
I will vote for a Democrat because:
1. They will restore the checks and balances in our democracy by simple respect the rule of law. We have had a criminal enterprise in the White House since Jan 2001!
2. They will along with a Democratic Congress & Senate repeal the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and the myriad of Executive Orders consolidating powers in the hands of the White House without legislative mandate.
3. Will Repeal the amendments of FISA, and open a number of Independent Prosecutors for the investigation of the amazing abuses of power over the past 7 years.
4. Will deploy the PAGO legislative discipline; resend the tax cuts to restore the Capital Gains tax levels to the levels that provided a surplus in the Clinton Years.
5. End the idea of “Corporate Person Hood” and rein in the corporate onerous that is distorting our democracy, and consuming our society.
6. Restore the initiatives started with Carter’s Administration, an Apollo Project for the Environment and our Energy needs.
7. Restore American Credibility; restore the confidence in America that was revered the day after 9/11 from the occupying criminal super power that would rather provoke than negotiate.
8. Restore the strength of the military that is not just a profit center for corporate elite that has no end to their appetite for taxpayer’s dollars and service men & women’s blood.
9. Restore government from the ravages of privatization, Republican corruption, and willful incompetence of the past 7 years.
10. Restore the Fairness Doctrine to bring honest reporting, cultured content, and the kind of public benefit that the rest of the modern industrial democracies enjoy.
Of course I could greatly revise this list as the act of voting today’s Republican Party into power is to elect those whom don’t believe in government to govern.
Happy Thoughts;
Dan Grady
"...they had control of all 3 branches of goverment, thier own TV station, hundreds of paid propagandist in national and international media and a private army"
Capturing it in a single sentence that way, is so good I'm going to steal it.
And like all successful intellectual property thieves, I'll have to change it superficially just enough, to wiggle out of any copyright infringement action.
Thus:
Republicans for six years, had control of all 3 branches of our Federal Government, and thier own television network (Fox), and hundreds of national and international paid "media activists"...
...and maybe worst of all, they had privatized not the U.S. Armed Forces, but merely it's Command at the Department of Defense, by way of the reach and influence that defense contractors have, at the DOD.
And after 6 wicked years of this absolute power (which corrupts absolutely), the American People have begun to reclaim the authority they so unwisely gave to Republicans (and in the case of the 2000 election, that authority was not given, but cleverly stolen); first, by revoking the Republican's control of the Congress, in a stunning reversal of political power as a result of the elections of November 7 2006...
And next by denying Republicans the administration of our Federal Government in the 2008 elections; and ultimately the third knot around our necks shall be loosened, if our next president and the 111th Congress will just attend to the matter, of a Judiciary corrupted and packed, with political hacks and business agents in black robes...
...corrupted and packed by 6 years of a wicked and absolute political power.
That's how I feel about it too, even though you said it first, and more concisely.
And oh yeah, if what either you wrote first, or what I wrote second, could be made into the lyrics of a song...
I bet The Boss would sing it, and sing it with feeling, as though it were his words from his heart too...
And the American People would send such thoughts sung by The Boss to #1 Nationally with a BULLET!
...and The Boss would make a fortune, because he'd have copyrighted the lyrics to the song I'm sure.
Because there's a lot of intellectual property thieves out there, to be sure.
I am the angry white male voter, and I am sick to death of politicians of any stripe that pander to trans nationals, at the expense of their boss, us, the citizens of the USA.
Pithaugn: What do you mean when you say "pander to trans nationals at the expense of the USA?' I am not sure what point you are making.
IMO, Going to war in large part for the oil companies' bottomline while raising the market cost of oil dramatically. .... Giving exhorbitant contracts to the like of politically connedted Halliburton and Blackwater ... Not addressing the outsourcing of jobs to India and China (and the free trade measures passed in the 90's.).
How can anyone suggest that a "Springsteen loving white male" would necessarily vote Republican? I understand Jeter saying that that describes him, and I am not suggesting that all Springsteen fans would or should follow his politics. But to someone not familiar with his music, "Springsteen loving white male" obviously suggests that Sprinsteen himself must be a conservative. This is just a ridiculous statement, as it seeks to tie Springsteen to conservatism, which is completely untrue. So why use his name at all to make this point? Now if she said "Ted Nugent loving white male" she may have had a valid point. (of course then she would be talking about conservatives who know nothing about music, but that is another point completely).
I think this may be playing to the myth of "Middle America" recently embraced by some Conservatives, and perpetuated by propagandists like Rush Limbaugh. Somehow, blue collar workers in red states are supposed to be more "American" than those latte-sipping sissies in blue states. In the past, these blue collar folks tended to be Democrats, but as Nixon's Southern strategy bears its fruit, and more union jobs move overseas, these people are trending more Republican.
She's probably one of those people who completely misunderstood "Born in the USA" too.
You're just saying that because tramps like her wouldn't wrap her legs 'round your velvet rims and strap her hands 'cross your engines... :-)
(obligatory smiley face to indicate facetiousness)
Got dang lazy use of 'Born in the USA,' followed by her fake anchor voice..."they may be born in the USA, but... Again, the song is about the cynicism regarding the veterans of Vietnam!
White men, well, there are all types. There are those who took advantage of their educations and have discerning perspectives. There are those who chose to use their smarts to make money...okay cool...but they're not looking at the big picture if they support Repubs, that's for sure.
And the Police song "Every Breath You Take " and REM's "The One I Love" and the Beatles "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" and on and on and on.
SAVE DEMOCRACY, VOTE FOR A DEMOCRAT!!
A beautifull piece of propaganda that will see the truth in the '08 when the Republicans will fall to the minority of inneptitude that they so dearly deserve.
I'll bet you Tommy, or Wesley that in 2008 there will be a super majority of Democrats in Congress and the Senate, along with a Democratic President in 2009.
The majority of White, Black, Brown, and any other color or race, sexual preference, or religion would like to see America's Democracy and civil liberties, honor, and standing restored which will come with a vast majority of WHITE MEN.
The Red Tide that has left the stench of death on this nation from the '00, and '04 elections of Bush/Cheney along with it's guttless Rubberstamp/Goosestepping Congress and Senate is about to leave the harbor for a long time to come.
Happy Thoughts;
Dan Grady
As a very longtime follower and fan of Bruce Springsteen I feel comfortable presenting his opinion on this (paraphrasing his words here)
Politics is a personal thing. My fans ad I will not always see eye to eye - but music goes beyond politics... I am a big fan of John Wayne though I don't agree with his politics.
I'a a conservative - Bruce is a Lib. He's still the BOSS - go Bruce - see ya in New York, and in New Jersey - and in Texas .........
(Ever get the feeling when Blitzer says "Interesting stuff" he's really thinking - Can't they come up with something better than this crap?)
I'm reminded of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" actually
WC4Me: I understand that any conservative has every right to be a Springsteen fan, and I would not suggest otherwise. What I do not get is how this lame segment was put on the news. Why refer to Springsteen at all when the "point" of the piece was that white men are voting more Republican? It would be like making a reference to George Cloony or Barbara Streisand when talking about people who vote Republican, or John Wayne when people are talking about voting Democratic. Since Springsteen has no tie to Republicans whatsoever, and since he actively supports some Democrats, why would CNN present the story this way? It's bizzare.
Right on Mark - Springsteen's name was simply the hook to grab the attention of the pop culture news watcher.
Hold on. Let me just put The Ghost Of Tom Joad on the CD player...
I watched a Ben Stiller show from the early 1990s that parodied Springsteen. The Boss was a has-been 15 years ago. No one really cares about his lies concerning Bush.
I must have missed that concert.
Which lies, specifically, are you referring to? Can you iterate a couple of themverbatim, you know, just to prove your point? Or are you just spounting partisan nonsense to defend your "team"?
Your silence betrays your allegiance to the latter.
Thanks for being so honest.
FROM THE SICKBED OF WK:
I promised my wife that I'd stay off until I'm better, but I'm curious.
In 1992, how many has beens had albums on the Village Voice Album of the year chart?
How many has beens released two albums that year, with one on the Billboard 200 list for 23 weeks and the second on the list for 27 weeks?
Not that they were his best, but do some homework before you make a baseless claim.
Or maybe Frank Zappa was right, some people are just "Dumb All Over".
Hi Worrierking- hope you're feeling better every minute.
And Frank Zappa was right about almost everything. ;0)
Thanks, HBL.
I'm feeling stronger everyday.
I just couldn't let the "has been" comment pass.
I have to stick up for the other lefties, like Springsteen, who live here in Monmouth County NJ.
Or when he said its getting really stupid out there
Bush is a liar, and a catastrophe that walks like a man. Why would anyone have to lie about him? His own life discredits him. Spongebob would have been a much better president
Ha, ha, ha. A really good one. Great parody of an ill-informed post by and ignorant person. Loved it.
The comment on Springsteen being a has-been is such a right-wing tactic. Lie about whoever disagrees with Republican politics. During the 2004 election, some right wing ididot on TV said the same type of nonsense: "Who cares what Springsteen says, noone even listens to him anymore." What a load of crap. Watch what he makes on this latest tour and album. I just bought tickets for $100 apiece in the nose bleed sections because that was all that was left for his Chicago concert. He is far from a "has-been." Being popular does not necessarily make Bruce right in his politics (hear that O'Reilly fans! and by the way way Bruce is right a lot) but to call him a "has been" is just a right wing lie, and another attempt to smear and denigrate just because they disagree with someone.
Boy, I guess I better not go to a Springsteen concert, lest some pundit reads something into that. Or go to Sally's for dinner. Camera's i9n every street corner ? Camera's inside voting booths ?
Bruce is the man, always been the man, always will be the man. He's a proud liberal like me, though I don't mind listening to artists who's views different from mine. I don't give a crap about what a person's point of view is... As long as the music is good, I could care less.
I agree with this MM article.
Carol Costello shouldn't be trying to associate being a fan of Bruce Springsteen with being a fan of the Republican Party.
It's absurd and she has no facts to base that on.
FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH ... and it may well indicate a tectonic shift of voter sentiment in middle America and the "redneck" vote ...
The Republicans have LOST MERLE HAGGARD.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1670184,00.html
The article talks about the ultimate failure of the "politics of FEAR", a longing for a return to a party that actually cares about real people, and disenchantment with "BornAgains" who seem to have forgotten everything JESUS was about.
For years, the "Southern Strategy" of "God, guts, and guns" ... exploiting wedge issues like abortion, gay marriage, and flag burning ... tied in with the twin Democrat sins of favoring racial equality (Civil Rights) and opposing the VietNam War. The Republicans believed they had laid claim to the South forever. Southerners could be depended upon to vote against their own self interests, if they were led to believe that Democrats were demons who would take away their guns and would not fight a war.
It seems enough time has passed that the South is forgetting why they got so wound up about those issues ... in truth, the passing of time has shown all these issues NOT to be so clear-cut as Republicans painted them.
It hasn't helped that Republicans, given TOTAL power to enact any laws they wanted, have failed to make any real changes in the issues they run on, simultaneously going about enriching owners while abandoning workers. The South has learned the hard lesson that Republicans are not very good for America as a whole, and do nothing to help the South in particular.
In short, GW Bush has, at long last, managed to "walk on the fighting side" of Merle ... and he won't be taking it any more.
". . . or as I call him, B. Hussein Obama" --Ann Coulter (or as we call her, A. Biiiiii-itch Coulter)
I agree that this is a tail wagging the dog story. I don't think the vast majority of people give two bleeps about the politics of some musician they enjoy.
I agree with Jeter on this one and I will include people in sports too. I'm a NASCAR fan and it's assumed that I am a conservative because most of the fans of racing come from the south and are conservative. I really don't like it when people make blanket generaizations about people based on what they prefer to watch or listen to. I could care less about the politics of the drivers associated with NASCAR or those who are artists, I just care about their ability on the track or with an instrument (including a voice).
BTW WK glad you are feeling better and recovering at a good pace. I meant to mention this the other day but forgot to. We look forward to you being back full time.
Thanks MD, I appreciate all of the kind words and thoughts from you and everyone else.
I hope to be back soon.
I wondered why Costello replaced Zain Verjay , a hot and smart reporter , but was not a pretty blonde , but of Indian descent , I believe . In my opinion , they wanted what they got, a white blonde , willing to playball and have a right wing perspective .