Raitt, Browne rock for Edwards

Posted: Monday, November 19, 2007 6:53 PM by Mark Murray

From NBC/NJ's Tricia Miller
DAVENPORT, IA -- Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Browne, both members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and founding members of Musicians United for Safe Energy, opened Edwards' first event of the day here at Davenport North High School this afternoon.

The two artists have a long history of political activism. In the 1970s, they were among the founders of MUSE, which opposes nuclear power. And in 2004, they headlined the Vote for Change Tour with Keb' Mo', urging concertgoers to oppose President Bush's re-election.

Here in Davenport, Raitt and Browne played a four-song set, starting the event nearly an hour late. The set included "World in Motion," "Angel from Montgomery," "I Am a Patriot," and "Thing Called Love."

The lyrics to "I Am a Patriot" got a cheer from the audience of community members and students when Browne sang, " And I ain't no communist, And I ain't no capitalist, And I ain't no socialist, and I ain't no imperialist, and I ain't no Democrat, and I ain't no Republican, I only know one party, and it is freedom."

Kicking off "Thing Called Love," Raitt told the crowd Edwards is telling Americans what they want to hear about change. "What we're going to have with John Edwards, I believe on so many levels, from health care to education to civil rights to poverty to getting out of Iraq, not going to Iran, on every level the man is speaking what I think America wants to hear," she said. "And I'm ready for that thing called Edwards love. That's what I'm ready for."

In the avail following his speech, Edwards showed no love to Hillary Clinton, beginning that he agreed that it was time for a change in Washington. "I saw that Sen. Clinton's giving a slightly different speech, and we do actually agree that this election is about change and not about the status quo," he said. "But I think if you defend the system in Washington, you're for the status quo. If you want to continue the occupation in Iraq, you're for the status quo. And if you're not willing to stand up to Bush and Cheney on Iran, that's the status quo."

Raitt and Browne were also scheduled to open for Edwards in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids later today, and in Grinnell and Des Moines tomorrow.

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Comments

I support Clinton, but would have gone to see Browne and Raitt, two of my favorites in a minute. I can see myself collecting a lot of free stuff, free meals and free events if I lived in Iowa or New Hampshire, from ALL the candidates. Sweet!

vanreuter, NY NY (Sent Monday, November 19, 2007 6:59 PM)

Went to see the great performance by Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt. I am supporting Edwards because of his progressive ecomomic policies, strong environmental stance, and commitment to get us out of Iraq. I strongly believe he will be the candidate who will give the best chance for downticket democratic senatorial and congressional candidates to give the party a working majority to pass the legislation we need.

popucrat (Sent Monday, November 19, 2007 8:59 PM)

I am glad that the anti-nuclear crowd is becoming active as both Obama and Clinton are supporting energy bills that give financial incentives, tax breaks and loans, for the creation of new nuclear plants. No new plants have been built in the U.S in 30 years. It's just one of the positions where John Edwards is correct, but it is a major issue.

Lura, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 12:11 AM)

A VOTE FOR JOHN EDWARDS IS A VOTE FOR YOURSELF BECAUSE HE DILIGENTLY WORKS TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN.
HILLARY CLINTON ADMITS WORKING "WITHIN THE SYSTEM" AND HAS BEEN SUPPORTING BUSH'S WAR BASED ON LIES WITHOUT APOLOGY NO DOUBT EXPECTING THAT MOST OF US DON'T KNOW THE SCORE. WE DON'T NEED OLD SITUATIONS BUT NEED A FRESH START WITH JOHN EDWARDS AND HIS FAMILY.

Elaine N. Ramey Kissimmee.Florida (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 12:18 AM)

I am glad to hear that there are more and more people listening to the meat of what John Edwards is saying, and that he IS say the things that speak to the change that WE, THE PEOPLE want made in D.C., which DOES NOT INCLUDE more of the same old, same old as is espoused by both Clinton and Obama....

Sid Keith, Eagle, Idaho (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 5:35 AM)

Senator Edwards bashes too much for me to ever vote for him. I like a person who can run on his own merits and what he can do for the country, not telling me what the other person can't do. It's like having a child who's always snitching on the other child to get ahead. It's no difference. Grow up Senator Edwards. What are you going to do when Obama gets ahead, snitch on him too. What you can do for this country!

Ronnie E. West (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 6:45 AM)

Yeah Van the party of contempt. envy and greed. Damn the greater good, protect the party privileged

Dave, Tn (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 7:06 AM)

Don't discount the old hippie vote. We're mad as hell and won't take Clinton's machine politics-as-usual or Bush's imperial craziness anymore.

Class Warrior, D.C. (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 7:19 AM)

Mr. Edwards has the gift of making sense. I would like to point out that his criticisms of Mrs. Clinton speak to her actions vs. her words in the political field. His words are not personal, they are not insulting, they do not speak to her character, her personality, her appearance or her personal life. Drawing distinctions between candidates and disagreeing on public positions is fair game in political discussions, speeches and debates. I am not for John Edwards because he is a man, because he is white, or because he is a Democrat. I am for John Edwards because he makes sense, because he has a short-term AND a long-term solution for everything he proposes, and because his solutions really do address what is wrong with America and can be put right. He, his wife and his team have done a lot of thinking in the last 4 years. They have some long overdue solutions to problems that I think could work. Are they perfect? Probably not. Will they all pass Congress? Probably not. But can they be a start? Certainly. And bottom line: Are they more thought out, more workable, more sensible than the solutions proposed by other candidates? Yes.

Janice Houck (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 7:36 AM)

Yet another reason to love Bonnie (I am also an Edwards supporter)!

Ellen in SC

Ellen None of Your Business (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 7:46 AM)

If Hillary wins the Democratic nomination I will vote for her in the general election because I can no longer tolerate the Neanderthal Republicans, but I do believe that she is a captive of special interests. I pray that Edwards wins the nomination though, because he is the only canidate that speaks what we all know to be true ie., the system needs RADICAL reform. I believe him when he says that he will fight for the average middle class American. I doubt Hillary will do much good, and she is so hated by the Repuglians that she may end up being unelectable. God bless America and the whole World.

John Adams (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 8:36 AM)

John should attack Barack he is the one who is kicking his ass now but like Ralph Nader in 2000 he will show his ego runs his campaign not what is best for america but whats best for John. The polls show Obama going up Edwards going down.But keep attacking hilliary it makes all the dems look bad.

kenn (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 8:40 AM)

Van, Unless you consider bumper stickers, campaign literature, campaign buttons, or yard signs "free stuff" there isn't "free stuff" given out at events. Most events don't have free food either, except when they are in a private residence. Last night I went to Marc Moen & Bobby Jett's penthouse suite in Iowa City to see Sen. Biden speak and there was sushi and bottled water provided. It was an over flow crowd in excess of 200 people, despite Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt giving a free concert in Cedar Rapids, just 23 miles away at the same time. If Sen. Biden hadn't been in town I would have driven north to CR.

Molly, Iowa City (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 8:58 AM)

I like Edwards on the issues. He'll have my vote in '08 should he be the Dems choice. Does he have a chance? I wish he'd stop blinking so much, its annoying. (Yea Jackson Browne!...)

PJ (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 9:34 AM)

Maybe that should have been Hillary Clinton's official campaign song: The Pretender....

"I'll be a happy idiot...
And struggle for the legal tender".....

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 9:35 AM)

You people need to do more research, he didn't carry his on state in the last presidential election. That should tell you how well liked he is in his home state.

Autry, Burgaw, NC (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 9:46 AM)

They were wrong on nuclear power and they're wrong on John Edwards. If we had more nuclear power plants we would be using less coal and natural gas today. Nukes today are not the same as they were in the 70's. As for John Edwards - He would be the biggest mistake since Jimmy Carter.

A. Taxpayer (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 9:48 AM)

Here is what it comes down to for me.. I still am undecided.
Hillary: Clearly, a competent leader who is capable of being president. Also, capable of withstanding the republican smut machine, which will be out in force no matter who the democratic nominee is. However, she is establishment. This is good and bad. On one hand, "working within the system" is the slow, steady way that things change in washington, she might be the most effective at doing that. On the other hand, it's bothersome because i worry nothing will fundamentally change.
Obama- LUV the guy. He inspires me, I agree with his positions most of the time. But he is inexperienced, at that is a BIG CON at this point in history. And as much as I like him, I am afraid of how he would weather the republican smear machine. He's clearly smart (college professor smart) and no doubt he's got the brains, I am not sold that he's ready for the actual realities of the job.
Edwards- Is the only one really committed to standing up for the little guy. Trouble is, policy wise, his ideas amount to radical change. That we NEED (many I agree with,as would most americans), but will it really happen that way? Is that how the system "works"? Can one man change the "system"? And will the republicans paint him as a populist, a socialist, and scare the hell out of the stupid voting public? Possibly. However, he's a southerner, and he's got the best command of the issues, in my opinion. Maybe he could stand up to the GOP?
Like I say, I still don't know. They all have pros and cons, it's a tough decision.

Amazed, Atlanta (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 9:59 AM)

PJ maybe he only blinks when he is stretching the truth an uncontrollable reaction.

Rufus Gibbons, DC (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 10:20 AM)

Amazed, Atlanta

I am another undecided voter and your post sums things up very nicely for me too. There are other candidates (Biden impresses me somewhat) but I don't know if he, Dodd or others really have a chance. The deciding factor for me is who can best united our country and create an atmosphere in which we all work together for the common good, and can re-establish cooperative relationships with our allies. All the divisive back and forth makes good theater and fires up the voters'
emotions, but I am looking for more than that.

Dot, Illinois (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 10:47 AM)

I like all the Democratic candidates. But I see a chance for Oklahoma to vote Democratic for the first time in a long time with Edwards. Obama and Clinton will need to fight like hell just to hold together what Kerry won. Edwards could expand the playing field for Democrats. That's not my opinion, it's confirmed in polling and in my informal observations. If Oklahoma is in play, the Republicans are cooked. Clinton and Obama are good candidates and good people, they just lack the ability to put red states in play and spread the Republican resources. Edwards also has the best and most detailed health care plan. Reading their plans, his towers over Obama's and Clinton's. That does not seem remotely contestable to me.

Dr. Mike, Norman, Oklahoma (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 11:17 AM)

I really get frustrated with the percentages that are shown for the presidential candidates. For one thing I know for a fact that they have not asked anyone in my town who they support for the presidential candidate. The American people need to take a step back and really look into the presidential candidates. Its time that the American people's voices be heard. We as Americans need to take care of Americans. We definitely don't need another Bush in the White House. We need an honest President and not one who side steps questions.Hopefully the next president will be honest and not trying to figure how full he/she can fill their pockets no matter what it costs the Americans. If you want my honest opinion I believe that Hillary Clinton is just that... another Bush. I feel she is dishonest and sneaky. She reminds me of all of the "old presidents". Set in their ways, and really don't care how people feel. I get a really bad feeling about her. Obama on the other hand, I feel that he truly cares about the people. I know the next president is going to have a hard time cleaning up the mess that Bush left behind and hopefully they will figure out what a criminal he really is and hold him accountable for all the crimes he committed while in office. The rest of the World needs to know that we are a great country and not what Bush made us out to be in the last 7 years. He should be ashamed of himself. Congress should be ashamed for letting him get away with it. The American people should be ashamed for not standing up to their government. The American people have become afraid, afraid to speak their mind, afraid to stand up for what is right. If people actually think that Bush has done a good job are ignorant and blind to what is really happening and happened to our Great country.

B. Carter Jerome, Idaho (Sent Tuesday, November 20, 2007 11:30 AM)

I too am very glad that people, who truly want change, are looking at John Edwards propasals and Reading them. I watched a speech by him years ago, before he came on the national scene, he has always been for change and against the strangle hold of corperations, he has grown even more through hard learned experiences, and has accepted the fact he has made mistakes, acknowledged them and was willing to adjust and work to make things right. How many candidates for example, Senator First Lady Mrs.Clinton, appear willing to do the same!!!!
I also agree with Dr. Mike in Ok.
Voters need to envision their candidate actually representing America acually giving a state of the Union address acually living in the White House, Acually pointing out the President of the United States to your Children or Grandchildren. Which one either Rep or Demo would you feel proud to represent us, and do the American people Proud????

CM Idabel OK (Sent Wednesday, November 21, 2007 12:08 AM)

Polls show, Edwards is the ONLY candidate that can with the election against ANY Republican nominee. I live in Des Moines, I supported Edwards four years ago, and still do. He is the Real Deal, America. Unless you are rich, connected, or corrupt, this is your candidate. Let's give the USA back to the people, not the priveleged.

Cara. West Des Moines, IA (Sent Wednesday, November 21, 2007 11:43 PM)

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