Candidates look to makepop-culture connection

Candidates look to makepop-culture connection

It may be, though, that all the pop-culture hoopla in the world isn't going to have much effect without a populist candidate to ride the wave. Riding a Harley-Davidson onto the ''Tonight Show" stage notwithstanding, Kerry may not be the man to do that, given that his persona is more patrician than populist...

Springsteen has been at the forefront of mobilizing rock stars touring the battleground states in support of Kerry. Some of the singers, such as Bonnie Raitt and Keb' Mo', probably have a disproportionate number of Kerry fans to begin with. Others, including John Mellencamp and the Dixie Chicks, have had a more diverse fan base.

Springsteen, a Will Rogers figure if ever there was one, has been trying his best to pass the populism on to Kerry...