February 4, 2008 1:56 PM ET
At some recent John McCain campaign rallies, John Mellencamp's "Our Country" and "Pink Houses" have been booming out over the speakers. Uplifting heartland rock must have seemed like a smart pick, but there's just one problem: Mellencamp is an ardent Democrat. And, until recently, he supported John Edwards — who had been playing "Our Country"and "Small Town" at his rallies. Mellencamp hasn't yet made a public response, but his reps are quietly reaching out to McCain and asking him to stop playing his tunes. (McCain's press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)
Not to mention that the far-right types whose votes McCain is seeking won't love the mildly progressive lyrics to "Our Country," which call on the government to "help the poor and common man" and suggest that "there's room enough here for science to live/ And there's room enough here for religion to forgive." And does McCain really want to associate himself with those "Pink Houses" lines about the "simple man" paying for the "the thrills, the bills and the pills that kill"?
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