SEATTLE, WA. (Vote for Change/ www.moveonpac.org/ www.act04.com) - Today eight Vote for Change artists released a series of video statements on why they feel a vote for change is needed on November 2nd. Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder, Jackson Browne,
James Taylor, Keb' Mo' and Michael Stipe spoke about the issues that are important to each of them and their reasons for being part of this unprecedented tour.
"My point of view about it has been pretty simple," said Bruce Springsteen. "I think that if you mislead the country and you take the nation to war and you put our sons and daughters on the line and the basis on which you have taken the country to war has been proven false, you lose your job. It's not rocket science. When you do that you lose your job."
Vote for Change artists were brought together by a single idea - the need to make a change in the direction of our country at the federal, state and local levels. The Vote for Change artists felt it was important to speak out prior to the tour's October 1st kick-off shows in Pennsylvania. Each of them took the time to address the reasons why a change of administration is essential to the health of our nation.
"They went out of their way, I believe, to lie to the American people about Iraq and made us feel so unsafe that we felt we had to do this when we really didn't," said Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. "There was no imminent danger. Sadaam Hussein didn't have anything to do with 9/11."
Bonnie Raitt added, "Jobs are being outsourced wholesale to the rest of the world. When you consider everything that is happening to the economy, to labor, the cost of health care and almost every issue that working class and middle class people care about, this administration has failed."
The Vote for Change tour came out of an informal conversation among a handful of artists on how they could make a difference in this year's elections and beyond. This idea has resulted in a first-of-its-kind endeavor where Vote for Change participating artists will focus their energies on the states where the elections are expected to be the closest.
The artist coalition includes Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Bonnie Raitt, Bright Eyes, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Dave Matthews Band, Death Cab for Cutie, Dixie Chicks, Jackson Brown, James Taylor, Jurassic 5, Keb' Mo', Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds, Pearl Jam, R.E.M. and My Morning Jacket. These artists will tour simultaneously in 11 battleground states as well as the District of Columbia over the course of 15 days with a grand finale set for Oct. 11th in Washington, D.C.
The finale brings together more than 12 artists for a four-hour performance that is set to be the centerpiece for the Sundance Channel's televised special titled National Anthem: Inside the "Vote for Change" Concert Tour.
This documentary film will include behind-the-scenes footage from the tour and live performances from the Washington, D.C. event. National Anthem will air on Monday, October 11th during the performances from 6:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. ET/PT.
All Vote for Change shows are presented by MoveOn PAC to benefit America Coming Together (ACT). All Vote for Change artists are donating their time and talent in support of the tour. For more information on Vote for Change, visit https://www.moveonpac.org or https://www.act04.com.
