Springsteen endorses Obama for president

Bruce Springsteen has officially given democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama his backing.
In a message posted on his website, New Jersey-born Springsteen, who plays Dublin next month, said that Obama has "the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years."
Springsteen wrote: "Like most of you, I've been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.
"He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where "...nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone."
He continued: "After the terrible damage done over the past eight years, a great American reclamation project needs to be undertaken. I believe that Senator Obama is the best candidate to lead that project and to lead us into the 21st Century with a renewed sense of moral purpose and of ourselves as Americans. Over here on E Street, we're proud to support Obama for President."
Springsteen has long seen his music and image associated with US politics. His track 'Born In The USA' was used as Ronald Regan's campaign song during his 1984 election campaign, while in 2004 Springsteen toured as part of the Vote For Change tour to try to stop the re-election of George W Bush.