Republicans do a lot of complaining about liberals in the entertainment industry...but when campaign season rolls around, they're never shy about using those people's music as theme songs.
From Ronald Reagan and "Born in the USA" to George W. Bush and "Still the One," there's a rich tradition of Republicans being called out by Democratic musicians unthrilled at seeing their work used to promote politicians they oppose -- and John McCain has done his part to add to the list.
First it was John Mellencamp:
When the liberal rocker found out his songs were being played at events for Republican John McCain's presidential campaign, Mellencamp's publicist sent a letter that questioned the campaign's playlist.
"Are you sure you want to use his music to promote Senator McCain's efforts?" according to the letter sent to McCain's campaign on Monday. "Logic says that the facts might prove to be an embarrassment, were they to be circulated widely."
Then, in non-musical entertainment, Mike Myers made McCain pull a Wayne's World clip from one of his attack ads.
And now it's Jackson Browne:
Singer, songwriter, liberal activist and now John McCain scourge Jackson Browne filed a lawsuit today against the presumptive GOP nominee and the Republican Party for failing to obtain a license to use one of his songs in a television commercial.
The song, "Running on Empty," has been used by the Ohio Republican Party (not the McCain campaign) apparently against Browne's approval. The music icon also claims that in doing so, the false perception is created that he is endorsing McCain's candidacy.
Seriously? Jackson Browne? Are there any musicians more identified with not merely liberal but left politics than Jackson Browne? I guess they could've gone with Pete Seeger, but beyond that I'm hard pressed to think of anyone else.
All I know is, if I were John Rich and I'd gone to the trouble of writing a song for McCain and humiliating myself by playing in front of a laughably small audience, I'd be pretty pissed.
UPDATE: Newsweek reports that McCain's also run afoul of Frankie Valli, ABBA, Orleans (that's Democratic Rep. John Hall's band), and Chuck Berry, in the same manner. He's a regular serial scofflaw, this John McCain. Why does he hate private property so much? [Kagro X]