McCain Sued for Running on Empty

Jackson Browne, who wrote the song "Running on Empty" sued the McCain camp and the Ohio republicans for using his song (in an ad slamming Obama) without permission.

AP: Jackson Browne doesn't want John McCain running on anything fueled by his lyrics.

The singer-songwriter sued McCain and the Ohio and national Republican committees in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Thursday, accusing them of using his song "Running on Empty" without his permission.

The lawsuit claims the song's use was an infringement of his copyright and will lead people to conclude he endorses McCain. The suit says Browne is a lifelong liberal who is as well-known for his music as for being "an advocate for social and environmental justice."

The advertisement mocks Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's contention that if U.S. drivers got regular tuneups and drove on properly inflated tires, they could save the same amount of oil that would be gained by offshore drilling. According to the suit, "Running on Empty" plays in the background of the ad criticizing the remarks.

Apparently, ABBA, who McCain loves and defends also asked McCain not to use their music. Soon all he'll have left is John Rich of Big and Rich (his partner supports Obama).

The suit notes that other musicians, including ABBA and John Cougar Mellencamp, have asked McCain to stop using their work.

Browne's attorney, Lawrence Iser, called the ad's use of the song "reprehensible."

The 59-year-old singer claims his reputation has already been damaged and is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.

Browne released "Running on Empty" — the song and an album by the same name — in 1977. According to the lawsuit, the album has sold more than 7 million copies.

Obama Artwork on Canvas and Musicians

Flea, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Painting, Ray Noland

Here's something the McCain camp wouldn't get, or would otherwise would make a juvenile ad about:

SF: "Art makes you feel renewed, refreshed," said Farzad, 62, of San Francisco. "I think artists are drawn to Obama because they are trained to express themselves with color and image. Obama, too, is a painter. He's painting the future for us, splashing color here and creating the image of a beautiful, multicultural future."
Obama has been attempting to convey that future with one word: "hope." Artists, in turn, have plugged "hope" into hip-hop and folk music lyrics, stitched it onto T-shirts and couture and neatly etched it onto everything from fine art to street billboards.

Check out more Obama art at obamaartreport.com.

Obama also inspires music. 

SF: The same can be said of support from musicians. While McCain's daughter, Meghan, mixes it up with reality television starlet and vocalist Heidi Montag and regularly recommends music mixes on her campaign-trail blog, www.mccainblogette.com, Obama continues to shore up support from outspoken musicians such as Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z, Dave Matthews and Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong.

Interestingly, McCain's daughter hangs with a reality star/singer, (I arrogantly have no idea who Heidi Montag is - but she seems to have a lot in common with Britney and Paris)

McCain got some love recently from one half of country duo, John Rich of Big and Rich (the other half, "Big Kenny" supports Obama)

WSJ: Friday evening McCain joined forces with John Rich, half of the honky tonk duo Big and Rich, at a concert here in what is fondly referred to as the Redneck Riviera. Rich, who backed Fred Thompson in the primary, gave a free concert in conjunction with the Republican Party of Florida to the enthusiastic crowd of roughly 1,000.

The high point of the concert was a tune written especially for the candidate, the high-tempo rock-country fusion rocker called “Raisin’ McCain.” Rich wrote it specifically for McCain and performed it for the first time publicly Friday. “You can get out of the train or get out of the way. We’re all just raisin’ McCain!” Rich screams. (At the end of the recorded version he says “I’m John Rich and I approve this message.”) 

Several NoBama supporters attended the concert in their NoBama shirts. I can't imagine someone wearing an anti-McCain shirt at an Obama event. I think they'd rather wear an Obama t-shirt and thus, the difference in the campaigns. More Obama art. 

Ian Scott, Anthrax

Some samplings of McBush art