Bruce Springsteen was advocating for the rights of the common working-class man. The song was widely misinterpreted as jingoistic, and in connection with the 1984 presidential campaign became the subject of considerable folklore. In 1984, conservative columnist George Will attended a Springsteen concert and then wrote a column praising Springsteen's work ethic. Six days after the column was printed, in a campaign rally in Hammonton, New Jersey, Reagan said, "America's future rests in a thousand dreams inside your hearts. It rests in the message of hope in the songs of a man so many young Americans admire—New Jersey's own, Bruce Springsteen." Two
VH1 Storytellers (Bruce Springsteen) at the end that his analysis was cooked for the show and that his original writing had been more subconscious. Wife Patti Scialfa contributed the occasional helping vocal. A question and answer session with contest winning audience members also ensued. VH1 Storytellers (Bruce Springsteen) VH1 Storytellers is a concert and discussion DVD by Bruce Springsteen, expanded from the airing of an episode of the VH1 television series "VH1 Storytellers" on April 23, 2005. Tied into promotion for his album "Devils & Dust" at the time, it was released in video form half a year later. The filming for the program