He also shared that he will be performing during an event at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in September.

By JAMES W. WADE III
Staff Reporter

The 2012 Presidential Election is starting to heat up, big time. This week, the Republican Party Convention opened in Tampa, Florida.

President Barack Obama’s campaign has been recruiting many celebrities to help support his efforts. One such celebrity is Ohio’s own Grammy Award winner John Legend, a native of Springfield, who has been backing the president since he was a senator in Illinois.

In a phone interview, he expressed how happy he was to be out talking about the importance of this election.

“I want everyone that can hear me to make sure they are registered and to go to the polls and vote for our president,” Legend said.

In the midst of the battle over early voting in Ohio, many are taking a stand against Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.

While on the phone interview with the Call & Post, Legend discussed why he supports President Obama.

“We need someone in the White House that is an advocate for the working class and for the middle class, and cares about their concerns, and is in office to help extend the American dream to everyone.”

Legend would like the president to get four more years to finish the work he started. He shared that the president came into office at the worst possible time, during the country’s financial and housing crisis, but immediately started fighting for people and even helped the automobile industry with a bailout.

We asked Legend if the excitement was in the air for President Obama like four years ago. “To be honest, he’s not the new person on the block now. So, having the excitement of being new is a bit different. We have to realize how much more important this election is because the differences between the two candidates,” he replied.

This Grammy winner has been out all over Ohio campaigning for President Obama.

In case you didn’t know, Legend performed during the 2008 campaign with will.i.am at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

“I believe in my President and I want to make sure he gets my State support. We are a swing state and he needs Ohio,” Legend said. He has been to barbeques, barber shops, and even helped open a new campaign office in Ohio for President Obama.

“This is nothing new for me. I will use my celebrity status for any cause that I believe in,” said Legend. He shared how he came back to his hometown of Springfield to give a free concert in support of President Obama.

We also asked Legend how he felt about the lawsuit filed by the president against Ohio’s Secretary of State. “We can’t take this laying down. Ohioans still have to keep fighting hard so that all the progress we have made over the last few years doesn’t get reversed and repealed and taken away.”

Legend informed us he was not coming to Cleveland yet, but don’t rule him out. “I will be on the trail for President Obama, no matter where it takes me.”

He also shared that he will be performing during an event at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in September.

Many will be waiting for the ending night, September 6. That’s when President Barack Obama is expected to deliver his acceptance speech as the presidential nominee.