'A Fighting Optimism': Bruce Springsteen And Barack Obama On Politics In 2021 | NPR

Barack and Bruce. Obama and Springsteen. The Boss and Mr. President. Or maybe you can just call them renegades.

Launched in February, the 'Renegades' podcast consisted of a series of candid conversations between iconic musician Bruce Springsteen and former President Barack Obama, recorded in the summer of 2020 during the height of the pandemic.

As they discuss their lives and careers, the recurring thread of their conversations is one that's a shared passion: the love of their country, despite its flaws and troubled history (and present struggles).

Now, their podcast has been turned into a book. 'Renegades: Born In The USA.' Ahead of the Oct. 26 release, Obama and Springsteen sat down in their studio at Springsteen's New Jersey farm — where they recorded the podcast — for an interview with Audie Cornish, co-host of NPR's 'All Things Considered.'

Among the topics discussed in the interview was critical race theory. That part of the conversation is excerpted here.

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[twofpv]

Obama is so unattached from reality and it is sad. Thank god everyone sees this miserable attempt at a podcast for what it is and therefore it's success will be an ultimate fail. Get a clue my friend, it is not working anymore.

[carmella]

"Am I the only one who quits singin' along
Every time they play a Springsteen song?"

- Aaron Lewis

[cano]

This is amazingly cringey. Bruce Springsteen lost touch with reality back in the 90's. He's like Gary Busey now, just with a guitar.

[gigglingchicken]

Wait 15 years ago when I was in school we talked about how awful slavery was and how terribly they treated black slaves. We talked about the brave people who fought against it and the underground railroad. No body painted slavery in a positive light in school which they shouldn't it was terrible.
At the same time we can't hold anybody living accountable for this. They didn't do it and most think it was terrible. Heck I had 0 family in the US until after WWII and I was taught never to look down on others based on racial or ethnic profile especially since my family ran from the Nazi's and Soviet Russia.
It's already taught in school and it should stay that way. Just don't blame others or they need to take accountability on actions done before even their grandparents were born. This is a catalyst to racism and dehumanizing others. We need to know history to prevent bad things from happening again. Lets treat people like people not based on the color of their skin.

[Ryanhelpmeunderstand]

Playing the victim of past mistakes destroys any chance for a bright future. This is literally all part of Satans plan. He wishes to divide us, because divided we fall.

[davidprice]

I used to listen to Bruce Springsteen growing up I used to be a Democrat today I see Springsteen was never one of us working class he just used us used are hardships our dreams are disappointments and his associates today his friends today are all people who disrespect us Ron Stewart good example along with Obama... So sorry I voted for Obama

[C.Noble]

These bad actors are so far removed from reality. Rich bossy big wigs. clueless .

[zoobrizz]

They really have no idea what’s going on in America.

[Loquacious_Jackson]

A pretentious tool and a war criminal, what a great duo!

[stevenperry]

Ears pierced and nice shade of lipstick #BarackObama

[jeffrandolf]

*'A Fighting Opposition': Bruce Springsteen And Barack Obama On DIVIDING America In 2021 | NPR"*

[HarrisonTheGrey]

Hey look. Two people whose political opinions I couldn't care less about.

[tonycoza]

at one point in the conversation, obama says that if springsteen fans were in a bar and Clarence Clemons walked in (and was not well-known for playing with springsteen), the n-word would have been used between the fans. As if they would look at each other and say, "look at that "n." And sprinsteen nodded his head and mumbled "yea." So bruce is telling his fans that he thinks they are racists. About a year ago I read an interview with springsteen. In that interview he said that he understood why some people voted for Trump. At that point I was actually hopeful that he might understand the frustration. But when I see this, it is clear that he will simply agree with anything the race-baiting former president says. Ironically, I know so many blacks who voted for obama because he is black, which is the definition of racism. Later

[jessjackson]

Bruce must be talking about the dims lying about their own history.

[anthony]

Remember, this is being presented by the totally non-biased NPR organization.

[tink]

6 year olds aren’t responsible for the sins of the fathers. This smug “awareness” is nauseating. You opinions are just that, nothing more. You have no authority to analyze and judge a whole block of voters who are vehemently opposed to your remaking of America. And don’t play the race card with me. My husbands skin tone is Hershey’s Special Dark. My children colors are amazing cocoas to almond. I know what his family suffered and he knows how my Irish family was thrown on a ship to Canada during the potato blight “that between 1845 and 1850 killed more than 1 million people and forced another 1.5 million to emigrate, most of them to North America. That was a mass genocide that the British Lords caused and they got away with it .

[pointschamp]

NPR is literally racist. Boston elects and Asian American as mayor and NPR is up in arms that it's not a black person. NPR seems to care a lot about race for not being racist

[harrygill]

The market will be very Favourable now due to the rapid growth of Bitcoin which is $64k, The rich won't disclose it so don't be fooled, it's right time to invest, Christmas is on the way🎄🎅*

[andrewwiest]

Wow, hard to believe this podcast didn't take off..

[jasminebebe]

A war criminal talking about politics... no thank you