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  • 28
    Apr
    2013
    12:11am, EDT

    5 fantastic moments from the White House Correspondents' Dinner

    By Randee Dawn, TODAY contributor

    Politics and Hollywood mingle on a cordial basis most days of the year. But on the night of the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, the gloves come off. On Saturday night, both President Barack Obama and comedian Conan O'Brien took to the dais at the "nerd prom" -- and each took a very different approach to making the room laugh ... and blush.

    Here are some of the most memorable moments:

    Winning!
    President Obama kicked things off in high style by heading up to the microphone to the strains of DJ Khaled's rap song"All I Do Is Win." "How do you like my new entrance music?" he asked the crowd, putting on a little 'tude. "Rush Limbaugh warned you about this. Second term, baby."

    Watch on YouTube

    'Obama,' the movie
    President Obama played up his Hollywood connections with the help of Steven Spielberg. The President told the crowd that the "Lincoln" director's next project would be another presidential biopic: "Obama." "Why wait?" said the director (who was also in the audience) in a taped video piece about his follow-up to the Oscar-winning "Lincoln." And since "Lincoln's" star Daniel Day-Lewis went over so well, he was going to cast Lewis in the key role. Cut to President Obama pretending to be Daniel Day-Lewis pretending to be President Obama. "The hardest part? Trying to understand his motivations," said Obama-as-Lewis-as-Obama. Another interesting "casting" choice: "30 Rock's" Tracy Morgan as Vice President Joe Biden. We'd watch that.

    That's entertainment
    The president showed he clearly has his finger on the pulse of all kinds of entertainment, referring to Jimmy Fallon's upcoming "Tonight Show" ascension and the recent kerfuffle over Beyonce and Jay-Z's trip to Cuba ("I've got 99 problems and now Jay-Z's one"). He also noted that no one from The History Channel was in attendance: "I guess they were embarrassed by the whole 'Obama is a devil' thing," he said, referring to the appearance of Satan in History's "The Bible" miniseries, and how the actor who played him seemed to resemble the president. 

    Zing!
    Conan O'Brien used his 15 minutes to zap his way through as many topics as possible, with as many one- or two-line zingers as he could manage:

    • "Since (Obama's) being elected, the number of Popes has doubled, and the number of 'Tonight Show' hosts has tripled!"
    • After noting that members of the cast of "Duck Dynasty" were in the audience: "That means the guys from 'Storage Wars' said 'no.'"
    • And he wrapped up by proposing another made-for-TV movie -- this time a miniseries -- starring many um, familiar faces playing the president's team and colleagues. Suggestions? Vice President Joe Biden played by Bob Barker, Rep. Paul Ryan played by Mr. Bean (a character created by Rowan Atkinson) and Sen. Harry Reid "played by the old man from the 'American Gothic' painting.'" We still think Morgan's the better choice for Biden, though.

    Follow @ NBCNewsEnt

    Kudos for Beantown
    Casting the inevitable Obama administration movie aside, the one area the two speakers did overlap on and grow serious about was the way in which the citizens of Boston have shown their strength in adversity following the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15. Boston native O'Brien noted he had relatives in nearby Watertown, and he thanked the president for his support of the city. "It's been said recently that you don't mess with Boston," said O'Brien. "As someone who grew up there, I'd like to echo that sentiment. It's really pretty simple: If you're going to pick on a city, don't choose one where nine out of every 10 people are related to a cop."

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  • 18
    Mar
    2013
    9:33am, EDT

    'Bible's' Satan casting raises eyebrows, ire with comparison to President Obama

    By Randee Dawn, TODAY contributor

    Updated at 1:23 p.m. ET: Casting the devil is a tricky thing; if you're not going with a caricature of a cloven-hooved man all in red with horns then you're going to have to watch what kind of face you put on the face of evil. History Channel's 10-part miniseries hit "The Bible," however, cast an actor (Mohamen Mehdi Ouazani) to play Satan that -- to some -- seems uncomfortably familiar. 

    "Anyone else think the Devil in #TheBible Sunday on History Channel looks exactly like That Guy?" tweeted @GlennBeck on Saturday, the day before the show aired to the general public, and linked to a photo from the series of Ouazani, hooded and in character. (Beck has taken a vow not to say the name of President Barack Obama in all of 2013, and so uses "that guy" instead.)

    That helped lead the charge on Twitter and beyond, as others jumped on the bandwagon to agree -- or voice strong disagreement.

    The History channel released a statement Monday, saying, "History channel has the highest respect for President Obama. The series was produced with an international and diverse cast of respected actors. It's unfortunate that anyone made this false connection. History’s ‘The Bible’ is meant to enlighten people on its rich stories and deep history.”

    The series' executive producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey also made similar comments.

    “This is utter nonsense. The actor who played Satan, Mehdi Ouzaani, is a highly acclaimed Moroccan actor," said Burnett. "He has previously played parts in several Biblical epics– including Satanic characters long before Barack Obama was elected as our President.”

    Downey added, "Both Mark and I have nothing but respect and love our President, who is a fellow Christian.  False statements such as these are just designed as a foolish distraction to try and discredit the beauty of the story of The Bible.”

    What do you think? Let us know on Facebook.


    Follow @ TODAY_ent

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  • Updated
    15
    Apr
    2013
    11:02am, EDT

    Nugent appearance at State of the Union a potential distraction for GOP

    By Domenico Montanaro, Deputy Political Editor, NBC News

    Here’s this year’s version of “You lie.”

    Ted Nugent, the rocker and current gun-rights advocate, will be in attendance at Tuesday’s State of the Union as the guest of Texas Congressman Steve Stockman.

    Stockman has said he would consider filing articles of impeachment about President Barack Obama for his gun-control push following the shootings in Newtown, Conn. Nugent is a board member of the National Rifle Association. Many Democrats have invited victims of gun violence to the address.

    Stockman will also be livetweeting the address – with the hash tag #youlie, “debunking myths and fact checking,” his office said.

    "I am excited to have a patriot like Ted Nugent joining me in the House Chamber to hear from President Obama," said Stockman in a press release of the man who was under Secret Service investigation last year for comments made about the president. "After the Address I'm sure Ted will have plenty to say."

    Kevin Tighe / Getty Images Contributor

    Ted Nugent performs at Ruth Eckerd Hall on August 6, 2012 in Tampa, Fla.

    Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is bilingual has been at the center of a Senate push on immigration reform, is delivering the official GOP State of the Union response. But Nugent's appearance, and the promise that he "will have plenty to say," has the potential to distract and be a headache for a Republican Party looking to re-brand itself, particularly in tone, after President Obama won re-election this past fall.

    More on Ted Nugent from NBCNews.com

    Nugent landed in hot water with the agency in charge of protecting the president, because he said in April of last year at a national NRA meeting that if Obama was re-elected, “I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year.”

    In the same set of comments, Nugent called the president, Vice President Joe Biden, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “criminals,” said the “government is wiping its ass with the constitution,” and equated Democrats to coyotes who should be shot.

    “If the coyote's in your living room pissing on your couch,” Nugent said, “it's not the coyote's fault. It's your fault for not shooting him."

    Stockman is also set to unveil what he’s calling, “The Obama Failometer, a ten-foot-long billboard that will objectively measure the failure of Obama's economic policies … The ten-foot-long Obama Failometer billboard will be displayed in the corridor of the Capitol's Cannon House Office building at Stockman's 326 Cannon Office.”

    Stockman, who previously served one term in Congress in 1995-1996, is back for the first time since.

    This story was originally published on Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:52 PM EST

    1135 comments

    Ted Nugent? HA! Is this the GOP's idea of a "star studded" guest list to the SOTU? Just when you think this party(Repub/Cons) can't get any more ridiculous.........Ohhhh, the cringing that must be going on right now behind Republican leaders' doors!

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  • 21
    Jan
    2013
    9:45pm, EST

    Alicia Keys changes tune to 'Obama's on Fire' at Inaugural Ball

    Paul Sancya / AP

    Alica Keys performs during Inaugural Ball Monday.

    By Anna Chan, TODAY

    Songstress Alicia Keys paid tribute to President Barack Obama during his Inaugural Ball Monday night by changing the words to her hit tune "Girl on Fire."

    She delivered the tweaked lyrics while seated at a grand piano at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Keys started the song with the line, "He's the president and he's on fire," and continued small tweaks until she hit the chorus, which went:

    Obama’s on fire
    Obama’s on fire
    He's walking on fire
    Obama’s on fire

    Later on, she threw in a mention to the first lady:


    Follow @TODAY_ent

    Everybody stands as he goes by
    Cause they can see the flame that's in his eyes
    Watch him as he's lighting up the night
    Everybody knows that Michelle is his girl
    Together they run the world.

    Watch the performance:

     

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  • 11
    Jan
    2013
    10:48am, EST

    Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley and more to play at inaugural events

    Christopher Polk / Getty Images

    Singer Katy Perry.

    By Courtney Hazlett, NBC News

    As we get closer to President Barack Obama's second inauguration, celebrity acts continue to sign on to take part in the festivities. The latest boldface names to officially join in the action are Katy Perry, Alicia Keys, Usher, Brad Paisley and the cast of "Glee."

    That crop of singers, along with Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marc Anthony and John Legend, Nick Cannon, fun., and Mindless Behavior are expected to make appearances at various events, including the Kids' Inaugural on Saturday, Jan. 19, and the official inaugural balls that take place the evening of Jan. 21.

    The Kids' Inaugural is hosted by first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden and is part of their commitment to military families; the concert honors and celebrates the service and sacrifice of the U.S. military and their families. Inaugural officials have not indicated which performers will be at the Kids' Inaugural, and which will perform at other balls.

    For those seeking out public performances, the actual inauguration ceremony on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 21 is the best bet. Beyonce will be there to perform the national anthem; James Taylor is scheduled to sing "Shower the People;" Kelly Clarkson will sing "America the Beautiful." 


    Follow @ NBCNewsEnt

    Stay tuned for more as the Presidential Inaugural Committee promises more announcements in the coming days.

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  • 9
    Jan
    2013
    9:53am, EST

    Beyonce, James Taylor, Kelly Clarkson to perform at Obama's inauguration

    Win Mcnamee / Getty Images file

    President Barack Obama dances with first lady Lady Michelle Obama as Beyonce sings "At Last" during the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball on Jan. 20, 2009.

    By Courtney Hazlett, NBC News

    Beyonce will sing the national anthem at President Barack Obama's second inauguration, the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced. James Taylor and Kelly Clarkson will also perform at the Jan. 21 event in Washington, D.C. Taylor will sing "America the Beautiful" and Clarkson will perform "My Country Tis of Thee."

    This isn't the first time on an inaugural stage for Beyonce and Taylor. Both artists sang at the inaugural concert held at the Lincoln Memorial ahead of Obama's swearing in in 2009. Taylor sang "Shower the People," Beyonce sang "America the Beautiful." Beyonce made another appearance after Obama's swearing in, accompanying the president and first lady for their first dance at the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball with the Etta James classic "At Last."

    Slideshow: Beyonce

    The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced Tuesday that the invocation at the inaugruation will be delivered by Myrlie Evers-Williams, the widow of civil rights icon Medgar Williams.

    The PIC also announced that an inaugural poet has been chosen for the swearing-in ceremony: Richard Blanco, the youngest-ever and first Latino poet will recite a poem at the ceremony. Blanco's works explore his family's exile from their native country and "the intersection of his cultural identities as a Cuban-American gay man," the inaugural planners announced. Previous inaugural poets include Maya Angelou (President Bill Clinton, 1993) and Robert Frost (John F. Kennedy, 1961).

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  • 10
    Dec
    2012
    12:52am, EST

    PSY performs for president despite fallout from anti-American remarks

    By Stacy A. Anderson, Associated Press

    A holiday concert attended Sunday by President Barack Obama and his family included some non-traditional entertainment this year: a performance by South Korean rapper and Internet sensation PSY. 

    PSY— wearing an all-red outfit including a sparkling, sequined top— was backed by dancers wearing reindeer antlers as he performed his popular "Gangnam Style" dance, which mimics riding a horse.

    The rapper, born Park Jae-sang, had apologized Friday for using what he called "inflammatory and inappropriate language" during anti-U.S. protests at concerts in 2002 and 2004. The flak from his remarks didn't dampen the festive holiday mood Sunday.

    Other performers at the charity concert included Diana Ross, Demi Lovato, "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery and Megan Hilty, star of the NBC musical drama "Smash."

    In brief remarks, Obama said the celebration was "a chance to get in the Christmas spirit, spread some joy and sing along with artists who have much better voices than we do."

    He also said the holiday season was a time to remember that everyone is "incredibly blessed in so many ways," and to share with the less fortunate, such as those in hospitals, shelters and battlefields far from home.

    "Those blessings aren't just meant to be enjoyed, they're meant to be used and shared with those who have less," he said.

    The "Christmas in Washington" concert benefits Children's National Medical Center. Before the show, Obama was accompanied by his wife, Michelle, and daughters, Sasha and Malia, as he presented a basket of books to four former patients of the center, who were dressed as elves.

    The 31st annual concert was held Sunday at the National Building Museum and was hosted for a second year by comedian Conan O'Brien.

    It is scheduled to air Dec. 21 on TNT. 

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    © 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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  • 28
    Nov
    2012
    4:11pm, EST

    Glenn Beck puts Obama figure in jar of 'pee pee'

    By Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, NBC News

    Conservative media personality Glenn Beck's attempt to sell a project he called "Obama in Pee Pee" was thwarted by eBay Wednesday, but Beck then began taking bids via email instead.

    theblazeTV.com

    Glenn Beck's Obama bobblehead floating in a jar of what he joked was "pee pee," but was reportedly only beer.

    On Tuesday, Beck was discussing a controversial painting titled "The Truth," which shows President Barack Obama in a Christ-like pose wearing a crown of thorns.

    Dressed as a parody of an artist, Beck pointed to a copy of the Constitution and said, "That document means I can't stop (the artist), and the spirit of that document is that I shouldn't try."

    After painting clothing on replicas of some famous nudes, Beck then walked to a large jar of yellow liquid, calling it "my own specially brewed CountryTime, if you will."

    Placing a bobblehead of a flag-draped Obama in the jar, Beck called the president the "savior of mankind" and announced, "this is when icon and art come together." He labeled the jar with a pricetag of $25,000.

    "So whether you're offended by this one or by this one," he said, indicating the Obama jar and a framed copy of the painting showing Obama in the crucifixion pose, "Sucks to be you, doesn't it? Welcome to America."


    Follow @ NBCNewsEnt

    He then said if the original project sold, he would make another one featuring "Michelle Obama and her little abs."

    On Wednesday's show, Beck was given a letter from eBay, where bidding on the jar had topped $11,000. The letter said the auction had been removed because it contained "bodily waste." The liquid was revealed on Beck's website to be beer, not urine.

    "But everybody on the left, they are so open and tolerant, and they just don't like it when people complain about taking the image of the savior and putting him in pee pee," Beck said. "But the savior Obama in pee pee? Oh no, that's just too much."

    Beck said proceeds from the sale of the jar would go to his Mercury One charity.

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  • 7
    Nov
    2012
    8:42am, EST

    President Obama raps 'U Can't Touch This' in new viral music video

    By Randee Dawn, TODAY contributor

    Tuesday night, President Barack Obama won another four years in office, which means someone else also just got re-elected: Fadi Saleh, the genius behind BaracksDubs, will now have a second term to keep producing hilarious, quick-cut videos of the president "singing" to popular tunes.

    And Saleh, a 19-year-old biochemistry major, is wasting no time; last night, he posted his first post-election mash-up of clips from Obama speeches married with MC Hammer's 1990 hit "U Can't Touch This."

    In the short video, Obama may look presidential at the podium, standing in front of numerous cheering crowds, but thanks to the terrific editing and vocal tweaks, he gets down and funky, even removing his jacket at one point and uttering "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots" randomly at the end.

    Check it out!

    Watch on YouTube

    Follow @ TODAY_ent

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  • 28
    Oct
    2012
    1:55pm, EDT

    Madonna booed after praising Obama at New Orleans concert

    Alexander Demianchuk / AP

    Madonna in concert in Russia.

    By Associated Press

    Madonna drew boos and triggered a walkout by several concertgoers after she touted President Barack Obama on her "MDNA Tour" in New Orleans.

    The Material Girl asked during Saturday night's performance: "Who's registered to vote?" She added: "I don't care who you vote for as long as you vote for Obama."

    Drawing boos in touting Obama over Republican Mitt Romney, Madonna followed: "Seriously, I don't care who you vote for ... Do not take this privilege for granted. Go vote."

    Madonna is often outspoken. Some Colorado fans, mindful of a mass shooting there, complained she used a fake gun to shoot a masked gunman in a recent concert act in Denver. A Madonna concert in Paris in July drew ire when a video showed a swastika on a politician's forehead.

    Slideshow: Madonna

    Evan Agostini / AP

    Launch slideshow

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    © 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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  • 19
    Oct
    2012
    9:20am, EDT

    President Obama tells Jon Stewart about first debate: 'Obviously, I had an off-night'

    By Craig Berman, NBC News contributor

    Comedy Central

    President Barack Obama and Jon Stewart.

    After weeks of listening to Jon Stewart cheer, cajole, criticize, and generally fuss over the state of his campaign, President Barack Obama showed up to “The Daily Show” on Thursday and got the chance to speak for himself in person rather than through cable news soundbites.

    The president and Stewart talked about issues domestic and foreign, with jokes mixed into the generally serious conversation. But Stewart started by asking what he’s asked on the air since the day it happened ... what went wrong for Obama during that first debate?

    “Sometimes I’ll go onstage and have an open-faced turkey sandwich and a shot of NyQuil, and halfway through I’ll look up and say 'Are we on?'" Stewart said, offering his own excuse for the occasional sub-par night.

    But Obama wasn’t blaming his diet or big pharma.

    “Obviously I had an off night. The presentation wasn’t what it needed to be,” he said. “But the issues haven’t changed -- the stakes of this election are really big. Governor Romney makes a good presentation, but the fundamentals of what he’s calling for are the same policies that got us into this mess, that we've been fighting against for the past four years, trying to dig our way out of.”

    The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
    Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

    Obama stressed the accomplishments of his first term, such as ending the war in Iraq, health care reform, bailing out the auto industry, and aggressively fighting al-Qaeda. He placed some of the blame on the Republicans for not being able to do more.

    “We could be growing even faster than we have if Governor Romney’s allies in Congress would move on some of the things we’ve recommended.”

    “We ended the war in Iraq. We’re ending the war in Afghanistan. We’ve gone after al-Qaeda and its leadership. It’s true that al-Qaeda is still active, at least sort of remnants of it are staging in other parts of North Africa and the Middle East. Sometimes you’ve got to make some tough calls, but you can do so in a way that’s consistent with international law and with American law,” Obama said.

    Stewart also asked about the recent attack in Libya that killed the American ambassador, and Romney’s assertion that the White House came back with a confusing response.

    “We weren’t confused about the fact that four Americans had been killed. I wasn’t confused about the fact that we needed to ramp up diplomatic security around the world right after it happened. I wasn’t confused about the fact that we had to investigate exactly what happened so it gets fixed. And I wasn’t confused about the fact that we’re going to hunt down whoever did it and bring them to justice,” Obama said.

    “What I have always tried to do is make sure we get all the facts, figure out what went wrong, and make sure it doesn’t happen again. We’re still in that process now. Every piece of information that we get, as we got it we laid it out to the American people. The picture eventually gets fully filled in and we know exactly what happened, and then we know how to make sure we prevent it in the future,” he added.

    Not surprisingly, the President treated the interview like a stump speech, and he closed with a plea for people to go to the polls.

    The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
    Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

    "Here’s what I’ll say to everybody who’s watching -- the stakes on this could not be bigger. War, peace, the Supreme Court, a woman’s right to choose, whether we’re creating jobs in this country or whether they’re getting shipped overseas, whether our kids are getting the best education they can. All that stuff is at stake. There is no excuse not to vote.

    Of course, there was some humor mixed in with the political discourse.

    Stewart expressed concerns about the president’s plan to ask the rich to pay more taxes to help lower the deficit.

    “Wait, this is the first I’m hearing about this. What is this about billionaires? What are you doing to us?” Stewart said. Clearly, being the host of “The Daily Show” pays well.

    For his final question, Stewart noted that the interview had taken somewhere around 14 minutes. How many e-mails, Stewart asked, had the Obama campaign sent him during that time?


    Follow @ NBCNewsEnt

    “It depends on whether you’ve maxed out,” Obama said.

    Come on, Jon! If you’re a billionaire, what are a few thousand bucks among friends?

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  • 18
    Oct
    2012
    2:10pm, EDT

    Democratic rock stars -- Clinton and Springsteen -- stump for Obama

    By NBC's Andrew Rafferty
    Follow @AndrewNBCNews

     

    PARMA, Ohio -- Two rock stars -- one a former Democratic president, the other a multi-platinum musician -- made an appeal for President Barack Obama to voters in battleground territory in northeast Ohio on Thursday.

    Former President Bill Clinton joined forces with Bruce Springsteen for a high-profile appearance on Obama's behalf in the Cleveland area, a key region in a key battleground state that could make-or-break the president's bid for a second term.

    Both former President Bill Clinton and Bruce Springsteen were in Parma, Ohio, Thursday to sing the praises of President Obama. NBC's Shawna Thomas reports.

    "I've had, I don't know, 20-something jobs before I got elected president. But this is the first time in my life I ever got to be the warm-up act for Bruce Springsteen. I am qualified because I was born in the USA; and unlike one of the candidates for president, I keep all of my money here," Clinton told told the more than 3,000 packed into the gym at Cuyahoga Community College.

    An additional 700 crammed into over-flow rooms.

    The rally was Springsteen's first stop on the campaign trail this year, but just the latest for Clinton, who's emerged as one of Obama's top advocates, first at September's Democratic National Convention and later at campaign stops throughout the country. Clinton has been to Florida, New Hampshire and Nevada, and will travel tomorrow to Wisconsin.

    Springsteen was set to travel to Iowa for a solo rally later in the afternoon.

    Both Clinton and Springsteen played up Ohio's Midwestern tradition and the auto industry rescue initiated by Obama in 2009 in their speeches, mindful of the jobs preserved by the bailout of GM and Chrysler. ("I'm thankful GM is still making cars," Springsteen joked. "What else would I write about? I'd have no job!")

    During his warm up act, which exceeded 30 minutes, Clinton blasted Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney for a lack of transparency, telling supporters they did not put up with the "hide and seek stuff" of the GOP candidate.  His budget, tax returns and details about his economic plan are things the former president said the Republican has been hiding.

    "I love Ohio, it's an old school place," Clinton said. "We like our families, we like our communities, we value personal loyalty. When you were down, you were out and when your whole economy was threatened, the president had your back. You gotta have his back now."

    Rocker Bruce Springsteen performs for a crowd of Obama supporters in Parma, Ohio.

    At one point, in making the case against Romney, Clinton acknowledged that the economy was "not fixed," a comment on which the Republican nominee's campaign quickly pounced.

    "We agree with former President Bill Clinton. The economy has not been fixed under President Barack Obama," said Romney spokesman Ryan Williams. "Today, more than 23 million Americans are struggling for work, poverty has increased and food stamps are at record levels. Mitt Romney believes we can do better by creating 12 million new jobs with higher take-home pay, cutting spending to put our nation on course for a balanced budget, and actually fixing our economy."

    For his part, Springsteen has a well-established track record of supporting Democrats, and he posted a letter on his website Wednesday evening formally backing Obama.

    While campaigning in Parma, Ohio, former president Bill Clinton draws comparisons to his eight years in office to the promise of four more years of Obama in the White House, if re-elected.

    "This presidential election is different than the last one because President Obama has a four year record to run on. Last time around, he carried with him a tremendous amount of hope and expectations" he wrote. "Unfortunately, due to the economic chaos the previous administration left him with, and the extraordinary intensity of the opposition, it turned into a really rough ride. But through grit, determination, and focus, the President has been able to do a great many things that many of us deeply support."

    In front of the crowd today, Springsteen said, "The future is rarely a tide rushing in. It's a long march, day by day. And Obama feels that in his bones for all 100 percent of us."

    In a short acoustic set, Springsteen played some of his more recognizeable hits -- including his steel town dirge, "Youngstown," for the city just a short distance from Thursday's rally -- along with a jokingly-composed campaign song The Boss said he wrote at the president's request.

    "Let's vote for the man who got Osama," went one line. Continuing about the second debate: "Smilin' Joe really brought the drama."

    556 comments

    Ohio voters do yourself and the nation a favor, vote Obama. Please, I never, ever want to read of the Cuyahoga River catching fire again. Protect the environment. 4 more 4 44 and Mother Nature ☺

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    Explore related topics: bill-clinton, mitt-romney, barack-obama, bruce-springsteen, oh, first-read, decision-2012, appfeatured
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