Politics Takes Center Stage

This is the season when new TV shows premiere, Oscar-worthy movies make their debuts and holiday albums hit store shelves.

But the entertainment news this fall has less to do with TV, movies and music and a more to do with voting and the presidential election.

With just five days left to register voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was traveling to Michigan and sending in his wife, Michelle, hip-hop star Jay-Z and rocker Bruce Springsteen to push the registration message.

The campaign also has created a video playing on the Obama Web site and YouTube that features Obama, running mate Joe Biden and a host of Michigan Democrats and popular entertainers who have hosted voter registration rallies and events in the state.

"This is the biggest election of our lifetime," Obama says in the video. "If you are already registered to vote, get your friends and family to register to vote. If you need more information about where to go, get on our Web site. ... Remember, we need to do it by Oct. 6."

Meanwhile Leonardo DiCaprio, Halle Berry, Jennifer Aniston, Tobey Maguire, Eva Longoria Parker and a host of other stars are using reverse psychology to get young people into voting booths on election day.

But the stars soon twist the message: Voting is a civic duty and the only way to effect change.

"I mean, seriously, ... after this whole video, if you're not gonna vote, I don't even know what to say. ... You know you have to vote," says DiCaprio, who produced the PSA.

Also appearing: Ellen DeGeneres, Forest Whitaker, Dustin Hoffman, Demi Moore, Sarah Silverman, Jonah Hill, Ashton Kutcher, Courteney Cox, Laura Linney, Natalie Portman, Jamie Foxx, Usher, Kyra Sedgwick and will.i.am.

While that message is non-partisan; other stars have shown their stripes.

Springsteen, who just ended a long international tour in August, and piano man Billy Joel are teaming up for their first joint concert and it will benefit Obama. Tickets start at $500.

Obama plans to attend the concert at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Oct. 16, the day after his final debate with Republican John McCain at Hofstra University, located several miles outside the city in Hempstead, N.Y.

So it's no surprise that Obama, who has been a huge favorite with young adults, some of whom have never voted, turned to the rock star to help register his supporters. Unless supporters are registered to vote, they can't help him on Election Day, something he is emphasizing at rallies in Grand Rapids and at Michigan State University in East Lansing.

Michigan's voter registration rolls have seen a net increase of more than 100,000 voters since January, to more than 7.2 million. Secretary of state officials won't have a final tally until after Monday's voter registration deadline, but Obama strategists hope to raise the number of new registrants to 150,000.

A spokesman for the Michigan Republican Party has said the number of eligible voters registered to vote already is high in Michigan - 95 percent. His party is focused on identifying supporters for GOP presidential candidate John McCain and on making sure they vote.

Michelle Obama, will push voter registration during a Saginaw rally at Heritage High School early Thursday afternoon before heading to Chippewa Valley High School in Macomb County's Clinton Township for a late afternoon talk on the economy.

The campaign is sending Jay-Z to perform Saturday at Detroit's Cobo Arena during a free rally and concert to promote voter registration, and Bruce Springsteen to perform Monday at an Eastern Michigan University rally.

Jay-Z, one of Obama's favorite musicians, has won seven Grammy Awards, is married to singer Beyonce Knowles and is part-owner of the New Jersey Nets.