Bush Springsteen gets rather badass on CNN

It's another of those right-wing memes that's been wholly absorbed into the mainstream media: artists shouldn't touch politics. Unlike the bodybuilder/actor set, or Texan exterminators, they simply aren't qualified.

CNN's Soledad O'Brien decided to spring this one on Springsteen during an interview, but surprise, surprise-- a mere singer/songwriter had an intelligent response that showed just how arbitrary and ridiculous this piece of journalistic conventional wisdom is. After all, I don't recall any outrage from the press when Britney Spears said we should have faith in and support Bush in all of his decisions....

O’BRIEN: In 2004 you came out very strongly in support of John Kerry and performed with him - your fellow guitarist, I think is how you introduced him to the crowd. And some people gave you a lot of flack for being a musician who took a political stand. I remember…

SPRINGSTEEN: Yeah, they should let Ann Coulter do it instead.

O’BRIEN: There is a whole school of thought, as you well know, that says that musicians – I mean you see it with the Dixie Chicks - you know, go play your music and stop.

SPRINGSTEEN: Well, if you turn it on, present company included, the idiots rambling on on cable television on any given night of the week, and you’re saying that musicians shouldn’t speak up? It’s insane. It’s funny.

O’BRIEN: As a musician though, I’d be curious to know if there is a concern that you start talking about politics, you came out at one point and said, I think in USA Today listen, the country would be better off if George Bush were replaced as President. Is there a worry where you start getting political and you could alienate your audience?

SPRINGSTEEN: Well that’s called common sense. I don’t even see that as politics at this point. So I mean that’s, you know, you can get me started, I’ll be glad to go. […] You don’t take a country like the United States into a major war on circumstantial evidence. You lose your job for that. That’s my opinion, and I have no problem voicing it. And some people like it and some people boo ya, you know?

Think Progress also has the video.