Springsteen nixes ‘draft’

A New York concert promoter has mounted an online campaign to “draft” Bruce Springsteen to headline a rock ‘n’ roll show to upstage the Republican National Convention, but the rock star appears to be uninterested.

The “Concert for Change” would be held Sept. 1 at Giants Stadium, across the Hudson River from the Republicans’ meeting at Madison Square Garden, said promoter and Democratic activist Andrew Rasiej, who has reserved the date at Springsteen’s New Jersey home venue.

“This is a simple idea that captures the imagination of Americans opposed to George Bush,” Rasiej said about hopes of staging an anti-Bush rock show the night Republicans nominate the incumbent to run for another term as president. An online petition at www.draftbruce.com has been signed by about 50,000 people, he said.

Springsteen’s publicist, however, said the music star does not plan to perform at any events tied to the Democratic or Republican conventions.