Springsteen Talks About Anti-Bush Concert Tour

Aug. 4, 2004 -- Bruce Springsteen, who is joining other musicians in a series of concerts aimed at raising money to defeat President Bush in the November election, spoke to Nightline's Ted Koppel about politics, music, and when the two intersect. Following are excerpts from the interview, conducted at the singer's home in New Jersey.

For the full interview, watch Nightline tonight at 11:35 p.m. ET.

TED KOPPEL: Bruce, let me put it very bluntly ... Who the hell is Bruce Springsteen to tell anybody how to vote?

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: This is my favorite question.

KOPPEL: I thought it would be.

SPRINGSTEEN: First of all, I don't even tell anybody anything. You know, you ask people to think about things together, you know.

Second of all, it's an interesting question that seems to only be asked of musicians and artists, for some reason, you know. If you're a lobbyist in Washington, you're a business guy. Well, shut up and do business. Stay out of public policy, you know. Nobody complains about that. These big corporations, right, you influence the government your way, right? Labor unions influence the government their way. Farmers influence the government their way, right?

Artists write, and sing, and think, and this is how we get to put our two cents in, and we do it right in front of people, not in secret meetings behind closed doors. We let people know what we think….

I don't know if people go to musicians for their politics. I doubt that they do, you know, but you can rally people to think on serious issues together, and that's what we're trying to do.

KOPPEL: This is clearly not the way you felt most of your professional life. Most of your professional life you have very carefully — you've spoken out about a lot of issues …. But you've never gone partisan on us, at least not that, not that I was aware of.