(10-11-2005) DATA Reaction to U2/Santorum Drama - Interference.com*

[HelloAngel]

DATA REACTION TO INACCURATE MEDIA STATEMENTS ON U2 SHOWS AS POLITICAL FUNDRAISERS

Ed. Note -- We had been forwarded numerous times today a story that suggested U2 would participate in a fundraiser for Senator Rick Santorum, but wanted to wait for official reaction instead. See below.

STATEMENT BY JAMIE DRUMMOND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DATA (debt AIDS trade Africa), THE AFRICA ADVOCACY GROUP CO-FOUNDED BY BONO:

"Throughout the U2 tour, politicians from both sides have been organizing fundraisers at the venues or around specific shows. Neither DATA or Bono are involved in these and they cannot be controlled. The U2 concerts are categorically not fundraisers for any politician - they are rock concerts for U2 fans."

http://www.data.org/archives/000747.php

See the article in question here.

 

[nbcrusader]

it made such good FYM drama.....

 

[nathan1977]

Truly bizarre.

 

[thousandfold]

Oh, thank God it's not true.

 

[Diane L]

I just wrote posts on Dailykos and Eschalon (Atrios) sharing this information. I don't want anyone getting the wrong impression about this--I know I was rather dismayed, to say the least, when I heard about the fundraiser.

 

[cindyhan]

How bizarre. Wonkette had some interesting excerpts from Santorum's book critizing "Vertigo"
(I emailed a copy of DATA's statement to them too, btw)

 

[tiny dancer]

Oh, thank God it's not true.

Yes, Santorum is worse than Bush. Even my Republican friends are not in favor of this man. Right now according to PA. state polls, Casey who is a democratic who will be running against Santorum is a head my a high margin.

 

[stray dog]

CNN just reported that the band is playing for Santorum's fundraiser...now what's the truth?

 

[HelloAngel]

This is a really sick mess. I hope the originator of the article prints a retraction.

 

[stray dog]

C ompletely N ot N ews just did a backflip...love how they start their ****up with "the band is denying" lol

 

[Jamila]

Maybe now Bono will begin to re-evaluate his hobnobbing with all these politicos.

I have always supported Bono's tactic of working with all members of Congress and across the political divide to get things done in Washington DC for Africa.

But as the years have progressed, the Global AIDS and anti-poverty movement has not seen the amount of money necessary in the federal budget every year to adequately fund the programs that Bono advocates for.

In many respects, THESE POLITICIANS HAVE TAKEN THE PHOTO OPS AND BONO AUTOGRAPHS TO PUT UP IN THEIR OFFICES WHILE THEY HAVE USED EVERY EXCUSE TO UNDERFUND THE PROGRAMS THAT BONO ADVOCATES FOR!

This has been unfair and a misuse of Bono's fame and popularity and I only hope with this fiasco and apparent misuse of U2 by Santorum to further his own personal agenda that

BONO WILL BEGIN TO USE HIS STAR POWER WITH POLITICOS MORE WISELY AND MORE SPARINGLY - giving them what they want only when the Global AIDS and anti-poverty movement gets what it needs to save the lives of millions of innocent people.

The ONE Campaign now has over 2 million supporters - enough people power for Bono to begin to insist on more respect and more money for the programs that will benefit the world's poorest people.

ONE supporters have the power to vote these self-serving politicos out of office - I suggest ONE supporters in Pennsylvania begin to consider this option.

 

[kellyahern]

This is a really sick mess. I hope the originator of the article prints a retraction.

Didn't the fundraiser people use one of Anton Corbijn's photos of U2 on the the fundraiser invite? I think I saw that in another thread or atu2. If so, they could get in big trouble for using a copyrighted photo without permission/

 

[tiny dancer]

Jamila,

Thank you for your input about Rick Santorum. Believe me, I will be involved in the Senate Race of 2006 here in Pennsylvania, and in getting Bob Casey elected to beat Santorum.

 

[Bono's shades]

This is awful! So people can buy a bunch of U2 tickets and use them for a fund-raiser for whatever the hell they want and the band can't do anything about it?

Bono has got to start setting some boundries with these politicians he's meeting with. I don't care if they put autographed pictures of themselves with him on their walls, but to pull a stunt like this is disgusting. I suppose Bono feels like he can't afford to alienate anyone, but he could always point out to them that he can't allow U2 to be used by ANY political party - even indirectly - for political gain if he is to remain neutral in U.S. politics.

 

[Carek1230]

OOh I smell a can of worms. And how dare criticize the Vertigo tour!

 

[Earnie Shavers]

If I were U2 that would make me livid. Using their concert as a fundraiser, and on top of that, using their image to promote it and subtlely create an association. Bono's been caught out before in circumstances like this, usually something as innocent as a photo snapped that sends the wrong image. If Bono needs this guys support, he shouldn't or wouldn't say anything publicly, but I hope privately this Senator copped it from him. It would be the same with a Democrat or whoever too. It's not right to create the image of an endorsement that's not there, even if privately the individual knew it was (which in this case you'd have to say is 99.9% unlikely). Republican. Democrat. Charity. Cause. Company. Brand. Whatever.

 

[ShellBeThere]

what did rick santorum say about Vertigo?! he really found a way to include it in his book?! I'm very confused...

I hope two things...that Corbijn sues his ass, and that U2 turn his 'fundraiser' show into something really special, like maybe the Pop revisiting some of us have been hoping for! And I would love to hear the boot where Bono dedicates "Do you feel loved" to him
At the very least they gotta keep the whole Zoo TV encore and bring back the 'topless' lightcurtain dancer...and begin and end on Vertigo, with maybe a third thrown in the middle somewhere...
plus pulling up men for hot dances, just really entertain those santorum supporters!

cheers!

 

[Earnie Shavers]

If he's still going to the show and pulling off this $1000 a ticket business, ie continues to actually fundraise from it, a few well placed banners by fans pointing in the right direction wouldn't go astray either...

 

[ShellBeThere]

I wonder how many people the invite went out to..I mean, it couldn't be that he'd raise that much cash from a skybox, could it...how many people does it seat? Seems to me that the bigger ratings boost would come from associating himself with Bono.
And who wrote the article? Sounds like a plant from his campaign people, and all you need to do is get the word out, then it has a life of its own anyway..*CNN* actually reported this?!

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

here's what Santorum said in his book


http://capitolbuzz.blogspot.com/200...s-book-for.html

NewsMax's misleading story that U2's Bono is raising money for Santorum is particularly interesting since in his book, It Takes A Family, Santorum describes Bono as satanic and ties U2 to the liberal view of society that Senator Rick hates so much. It's also noteworthy that Santorum is more than willing to stomach U2 when he's raising money for his campaign. His hypocrisy knows no bounds.

On page 14 of his tome, Santorum writes that liberals define freedom as "without limits (with the obligatory caveat that you can't hurt anyone else directly). But someone always gets hurt when masses of indiviudals do what is only in their self-interest. That is the great lie of liberal freedom, or as I like to say, 'No-Fault Freedom' (all of the choice, none of the responsiblity). When I listen to the rock group U2's latest hit 'Vertigo,' which criticixes the dizzying culture surrounding us, a chill goes through me when I hear Bono sing, in a satanic voice, 'All of this, all of this can be yours -- just give me what I want and no one gets hurt.'

Santorum continues: "No one gets hurt? Believers in No-Fault Freedom turn a blind eye to the damage such a notion of freedom causes not to this or that individual but to society as a whole."

On pages 264 and 265, Santorum writes: "The world liberals see is one in which each of us is an island entire unto ourselves, supported by the village elders, doing what pleases us, as the U2 song says, 'as long as nobody gets hurt.' Except that everybody gets hurt."

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Bono is satanic. Yeah, okay....

...where does this guy come up with this stuff? Geez...

He REALLY scares me.

Angela

 

[bonoeire]

Send an email to Santorum, or better yet call him.

Every US senator has email and phone numbers listed on their own page.

You do not have to be from Pennsylvania to let this guy know how you feel about his actions. Let him and "clever" staff stay busy with the phones for a few days.

Washington, D.C. Office:
511 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-6324

Allentown Office:
Counties: Monroe, Carbon, Schuylkill, Northampton, Lehigh, Berks
3802 Federal Office Building
504 West Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18101
Main: 610-770-0142
Fax: 610-770-0911

Altoona Office:
Counties: Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Clearfield, Fulton, Huntingdon, Somerset
Route 220 North
Regency Square, Suite 220
Altoona, PA 16601
Main: 814-946-7023
Fax: 814-946-7025

Coudersport Office:
Counties: Cameron, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Tioga
1705 West 26th Street
Erie, PA 16508
Main: 814-454-7114
Fax: 814-459-2096

Erie Office:
Counties: Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, Warren
1705 West 26th Street
Erie, PA 16508
Main: 814-454-7114
Fax: 814-459-2096

Harrisburg Office:
Counties: Adams, Centre, Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming, Mifflin, Northumberland, Perry, Union Snyder, York
555 Walnut Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Main: 717-231-7540
Fax: 717-231-7542

Philadelphia Office:
Counties: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia
1 South Penn Square
Widener Building, Suite 960
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Main: 215-864-6900
Fax: 215-864-6910

Pittsburgh Office:
Counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Westmoreland, Washington
100 West Station Square Drive
Landmarks Building, Suite 250
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Main: 412-562-0533
Fax: 412-562-4313

Scranton Office:
Counties: Bradford, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Montour, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming
The Ritz Building
222 Wyoming Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503
Main: 570-344-8799
Fax: 570-344-8906

 

[Johnovox]

Santorum is frightening. I can't believe its taken so long for people to notice this. And don't forget, he is a front runner for the next presidential campaign.

 

[karls77]

Something else on this one:

Rock giants U2 unhappy to be politicians' cash cows
Oct 12 11:55 AM US/Eastern

Rock giants U2 have expressed outrage that US politicians from both main parties, including Hillary Clinton, are using their concerts to fill campaign coffers.

"The U2 concerts are categorically not fundraisers for any politician. They are rock concerts for U2 fans," a statement from the group's publicist said.

Senator Clinton has "invited" 18 people to join her on October 19 in a luxury suite at Washington's MCI Center to see U2 play during their sold-out Vertigo tour, as long as they contribute 2,500 dollars to the Democratic Party.

Luxury suites at the center cost 7,000 dollars and offer a close-up view of the stage.

"We do a meet-and-greet with the senator, and then go in and listen to music," said Ann Lewis, the former first lady's spokeswoman.

Pennsylvania Republican Senator Rick Santorum is holding a 1,000-dollar-a-head fundraiser at U2's show in Philadelphia this weekend.


http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/10/12/051012155550.z3h0befp.html

 

[Teta040]

Ohhhhh boyyy.....

As I am a normal regular of FYM, you can darned well bet I'll have a SERMON on this one....

for the moment though..I have to say..
(for the most part) Jamila, you rock!

Back in a few...(in FYM that is...ha ha, Dreadsox, what do you think of THIS?)