“[Senator Obama] revealed later in the campaign that he actually was a Springsteen fan, although he named the sultry ‘I’m on Fire’ as a favorite, rather than any song that could more clearly be identified as political. Backstage at a fund-raiser that fall, he joked to his wife, Michelle, ‘The reason I’m running for President is because I can’t be Bruce Springsteen.’” 

From Marc Dolan’s Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock ‘n’ Roll, out 6/4.