Politics

Christie asks Springsteen to support ‘Jersey comeback,’ perform at new resort

Alexis Levinson Political Reporter
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New Jersey Republican Gov. Chris Christie is asking music icon Bruce Springsteen to perform at a new casino in Atlantic City over Labor Day weekend to support what the governor calls “the New Jersey comeback.”

The casino resort, Revel, was built with the help of tax incentives as part of an effort to revitalize Atlantic City.

Visiting the resort on Tuesday, Christie asked for support from the Boss.

“I would make a direct plea to Bruce right now … when he gets off of the summer part of his tour, he doesn’t have anything announced yet for Labor Day weekend. I think Labor Day weekend at Revel for Bruce Springsteen would be an incredible show of support by Bruce for his home state,” Christie said.

He later tweeted: “so what do you say @springsteen? Come support AC Comeback & perform at @RevelResorts on Labor Day weekend?”

No response yet via Twitter from Springsteen.

Christie, whose Republican politics put him at odds with Springsteen, said that their ideological differences are irrelevant in this case. The construction and opening of Revel, Christie said, created and sustained a number of jobs for middle class New Jersey residents.

“As I understand his music, he’s all for those folks. And so am I,” Christie said. (SEE ALSO: On Illinois stump, Christie sounds more like candidate than Romney surrogate)

“I was also part of the Justice Department when on one of his tours he was writing songs about rendition and no Habeas Corpus and all that stuff,” Christie recalled. “My friends used to make fun of me standing at one of his concerts, going ‘that’s you, that’s you.’ So I don’t take that stuff personally. Bruce and I obviously have different points of view on certain areas of politics, but I think he would look at this … I think Bruce, if he’s true to his lyrics, would love the fact that the state used taxpayer funds to invest in this place to create jobs for working men and women.”

Christie will attend his 127th Springsteen concert Tuesday evening.

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