Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Daily Cardinal Est. 1892
Monday, July 07, 2025
Harper sings sincere in opening for Obama
President Barack Obama Visits Madison, Wis. on 28 September, 2010 to rally support among young voters.

Harper sings sincere in opening for Obama

President Barack Obama visited campus Tuesday as part of his Moving America Forward campaign, speaking specifically about the role of the young voters in the upcoming midterm elections. His visit marked the first appearance by a sitting president on the UW-Madison campus in 60 years.

A stirring performance by Ben Harper set the stage for this major political event. Harper first performed at an Obama fundraiser for him back in 2007 in New York City and in the spring 2008 he publicly announced he was backing Obama, channeling his support into performances at Vote Obama rallies throughout the primary season. So when the President invited Harper and his staff to perform in Madison, he jumped at the opportunity.

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Daily Cardinal delivered to your inbox

""Any time you get to share the stage with a president who has true humanity in his heart like President Obama, it's just super special for me,"" Harper said, conveying his excitement. ""It's quite an opportunity and I really feel proud and privileged.""

It is clear Harper has a distinct admiration for the president. When asked what separates Obama from other political leaders, Harper struggled to find the right words to do the president justice. One quality that especially stood out in his mind was his humility, a trait Harper admires in Obama and works to embody in his music.

""I would just love for the songs that I write to resonate in a soulful, sincere way,"" Harper said.

In front of approximately 17,200 people Tuesday, he attained that goal. With an audience of this size, it can be difficult to reach the level of intimacy a musician might strive for. This was not a problem for Harper, however, who achieved an honest, personal performance. He began with a soft guitar solo followed by songs that showcased his voice, including ""With My Own Two Hands"" and ""Better Way.""

Although his time on stage was short, the songs he chose were relevant.

Obama used Harper's song ""Better Way"" to kindle excitement over his presidential campaign. The song was just as fitting Tuesday given the upcoming midterm elections. Harper sang, ""What good is a man who won't take a stand?"" an appropriate lyric given the evening's theme of confronting apathy. President Obama addressed the ""enthusiasm gap"" among voters, and reminded everyone at the rally the purpose of his visit: To inspire the public, especially students, to vote.

Harper does not have a concrete answer on what message he wants the public to walk away with, maintaining that what each individual takes from music relies solely on them.

""Messages are a challenging subject only because messages should come from messengers,"" Harper said. ""I'm not a messenger. I just love to write songs and hope that they can convey a feeling that's meaningful in people's lives.""

Harper admits he does not know whether or not music can inspire people to get involved in the political process. A self-proclaimed ""hyper realist,"" Harper is hesitant to measure music's influence in the political realm.

""I recognize the limits of what music can do and I also recognize the limitless nature and potential of music,"" Harper said. ""I approach it with that perspective.""

We have all heard plenty of mechanical speeches and a great deal of Auto-Tuned music. Most people have come to recognize Obama as a remarkable speaker, and anything but mechanical. His words are inspiring because of the manner in which he delivers them: He is sincere. Harper, too, proves honest in his delivery. The passion in his voice is undeniable. It is evident that Harper believes in what he sings, just as Obama believes in what he says.

At Tuesday's rally, this sincerity is what made Harper and Obama's messages so effective. People want the truth and respect those that give it to them. This common thread allowed Harper's opening act to subtly complement the president's address. The audience was left enthusiastic about how they could embody messages of the politician and the performer: Vote.

 

Support your local paper
Donate Today
The Daily Cardinal has been covering the University and Madison community since 1892. Please consider giving today.

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2025 The Daily Cardinal