Jackson Browne Sues GOP And McCain Campaign

***UPDATE*** McCain Campaign spokesman Brian Rogers responds to the lawsuit filed by Jackson Browne:

This campaign has never run any ad using any portion of Mr. Browne's song. If the complaint names the McCain campaign, Mr. Browne and his lawyers have picked the wrong target, and John McCain's name should obviously be removed from this lawsuit immediately.

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.

If the whole episode strikes a nostalgic tone, it's because famous musical artists and Republican presidential candidates have butted heads in the past. Bruce Springsteen publicly complained when Ronald Reagan used "Born in the U.S.A" during his campaign in 1984.

The commercial Browne is upset by is a recent spot on energy policy that rips Barack Obama for suggesting that the country conserve gas through proper tire inflation.

"We are confident that Jackson Browne will prevail in this lawsuit. Not only have Senator McCain and his agents plainly infringed Mr. Browne's copyright in Running On Empty, but the Federal Courts have long held that the unauthorized use of a famous singer's voice in a commercial constitutes a false endorsement and a violation of the singer's right of publicity," Lawrence Iser of the Santa Monica, California law firm Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert said in a press release. "In light of Jackson Browne's lifelong commitment to Democratic ideals and political candidates, the misappropriation of Jackson Browne's endorsement is entirely reprehensible, and I have no doubt that a jury will agree."

This is the second time in a week a celebrity has chastised the McCain camp for allegedly illegally using his or her material. Mike Myers, earlier this week, insisted that the Arizona Republican take down a web ad that -- mocking Obama's celebrity -- used a "we're not worthy" clip from his movie Wayne's World.

Back in July, meanwhile, the Silicon Alley Insider reported that...

... Warner Music Group (WMG) appears to have demanded that YouTube remove "Obama Love," a montage of press fawning over Sen. Barack Obama that had been posted on Sen. John McCain's official YouTube channel. "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Warner Music Group," says a message on YouTube.

The video, set to Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," had the makings of a rare viral hit for McCain. It had been viewed more than 200,000 times in its first three day on the Web, and helped McCain beat Obama in total views on YouTube over the past week.

Comments

[RRonin]

Seems to me it would help Pappy if he disavowed the Ohio Repubs commercial publicly reminded his supporters that the should respect copyrighted materials AND NOT POST IT ON HIS WEBSITE!

[darthdarcy]

McCain should be using Wagner... Rings of the Nibelung..­!

Simple as that...!

[MinuteMan]

Yeah, the "Götterdämmerung" would pretty much describe what a McCain administration would be like for the US and maybe for the world—the Russkies still have plenty of nukes!

[BrickSykes]

Why doesn't John McCain steal songs from RightWing songwriters?

Oh, thats right...No­t everybody in America is a frickin' Hill Billy....

Brick

[Agent420]

Have you heard any of that so called "christian rock?" Some of the instrumental stuff is ok (mainly as it has no reference to Dog), but the lyrics are utter crap and that is why they never steal from themselves.

[lylo]

I know that this is really, really off topic, but you reminded me of it and I just love this joke:
"Did you hear about the dislexic agnostic insomniac? He stayed up all night wondering if there really was a dog."

[fiberoptimist]

He's got every right to sue McCain since McCain is the primary beneficiary of the ad, and could very well have been involved in its creation.

"Lives in the Balance" is one great political song. Browne sings about how governments lie to their people to drive a country to war. Hmmmm. Sounds familiar doesn't it.

[Tulipp56]

Lives in the Balance is Jackson's best album.....­it has the guts to expose the dirty side of America...­..with his stand on nuclear energy, Jackson must despise McCain....­get em JB....you have millions behind you.......­..........­..

[poomplet]

Are you people blind, or just ignorant?

McCAIN didn't use the song. The National GOP didn't use the song. The OHIO GOP did...PERI­OD.

Tacking McCain & the National GOP to this lawsuit is transparantly malicious, frivolous and, I believe, actionable; McCain will now have to pay lawyers because JB is sick of being ignored & wants to re-establish his political-activist cred.

I'M A DEMOCRAT, and I think this is a joke. Sue the people that stole the song...end of story.

[claylandg]

See how everyone get all upset over something that maybe John mccain didn't even do.I'm also a democrate and I'm getting bashed on this blog for making comments and it might be that John mccain isn't even responsible, what a joke people just want to stick it to anyone. Good post Poomplet finally someone beside me here that thinks this is all a big joke and people need to get a life and stop worring about the small stuff.

[AlGionfriddo]

Browne objected to McCain putting it on his (McCain's) website. Browne's complaint seems legit to me.

[jahzilla]

No, you're not a Democrat. Nice try, but if you were a Democrat who regularly reads and posts on this site, you'd know your transparent "self-accr­editation" was just another sophomoric, sub-intellectual GOPer desperate stab, tried (and easily detected) so many times before, sunshine.

The campaign-finance system is not that tough to understand, nor are the various sums donated to each state's parties, for those with the smarts and requisite due-diligence to understand how to connect the dots and follow the money.

That said, the RNC has been shoveling massive amounts of cash Ohio's way through numerous PAC's that can only donate (those) massive amounts of cash to the party, but not to McCain directly. Let there be no doubt . . . the ad was concocted and produced by the same team that is "Team Fraud" (aka, John McBusheep's campaign).

Sell it to FOX, girlfriend ! Democrat? Ha!

[BrickSykes]

Gee, if I was John McCain and I wanted to run a song written by a Democratic Song Writer, maybe I'd get one of the State groups to run it 'cause when its run, somebody will probably get sued and I sure don't want it to be Me!

'Course, you being a good 'ol Democrat, one of the Two Digit ones, I guess you didn't think of that, huh? Thanks for being a good 'ol Democrat, too! Just remember that when you get in the voting booth in November, okay?

Brick

[Destin]

Amusing that talk radio's top hitmen, all use at least 1 liberal song during their radio shows. Limpbaugh uses that song from The Pretenders and you can't get more liberal than Chrissy Hynde. ;) And Vannity uses the Godfather theme, but it's from a live Ozzy Osbourne concert cd, and Michael "Brain" Damage uses both Metallica and Motley Crue, fine liberal metalhead bands.

[cariintexas]

PROVE IT.

[claylandg]

Mccain doesn't have to prove it in a court of law the burden lays with Mr brown.

[champislove]

Let him do it Mr. Brown. He is doing just what the song said. Empty ideas, Empty vision, Empty head just like Bush.....

[cungar]

He's using the song to describe Obama, not himself.

[claylandg]

Oh Please!!! Give it up Brown at least someone remembers you!! LOL it might make your sales go up, and this gives you a way to get your name in the news since it's been soooo long you should actually thank him for remembering you and using your mucic.

[Jeff1958]

I've heard Jackson Browne, I like Jackson Browne, and you, claylandg, have no name recognition whatsoever. You're clearly out of your league on this one.

[claylandg]

What do you mean? out of my league on this one?? I have also like and listened to jackson Brown the point i was trying to make was this is music and Brown has been out of the spot light for at least 20 yrs or so so why is it that he's pissed off it bring his name and music back to life for a new generation. i think you tone to me is alittle over the top Jeff1958

[Strywever]

Browne owns the song and the rights to use it. The GOP *stole* it from him. You are suggesting that because he's no longer as famous as he used to be, he should allow people to steal his property? Huh??

You make no sense.

[ChristianEcon.com]

"Give it up Brown at least someone remembers you!!"

I was going to credit your quote but I forgot who you were already.

[NicholeWebb]

Thank goodness for these artists that are standing strong for their rights and their personal beliefs!

[tea in the harbor]

Well, if Jackson's not interested, maybe he should look to another group of pretty women, it worked once. How about the Dixie Chicks?

[BLUEinReddeststate]

Jackson Browne is great and very timely. Go back and listen to "Life in a Balance" it was written during the Vietnam war but it could have been about Iraq. Talks about going to war for oil and corporations.

[LoveOverGold]

Maybe a nice Sousa march or something by Wagner would be more suitable.

[NicholeWebb]

roflol

[MinuteMan]

For McCain, the most appropriate music would be Muzak (i.e., the elevator music of yore).

[Tulipp56]

I think the best song for McCain would be whatever you play at a wake......­.....

[thereigoagain]

Hopefully Jackson Browne gives the money to a shelter for battered women.

[neveragain]

since most musical artist are liberal, you'd think they would jump at the chance to have their music used in democratic ads....and probably for free.

I envision the song "running on empty" playing as the video shows all the clips you can find of Bush and McCain embracing.

Just a thought.

[MinuteMan]

That would be a good second front: put out an anti-Bush/McCain music video. Just because you're suing them doesn't mean you have to let it go at that. Look what it did for Paris Hilton.

[democratsaint]

reagan played born int the usa even ,what was so funny it was a song about how bad things got under reagan.

the navy wanted to use in the navy as a recruiting song til they found out the village people were gay.

but the ad was put on by a group that supported mcain, which probaly have to get permission from him to run ads.

[DaOne]

Mc Same, the real admirer of celebrity.

Mc Same, you're so vain, you probably think this post is about you.......­..........

[NicholeWebb]

lol