Insert "Psycho Governor", "Burning Down the State House", "once in a Term Limit", "Life During Hard Fought Political Campaigns" references...

Surprisingly, this has happened a number of times, where famous songs are used without permission in political ads:

Jackson Browne has settled a lawsuit and received an apology from Sen. John McCain and the Republican Party over use of his song “Running on Empty” during last year’s presidential campaign

[Don] Henley sued [Assemblyman Chuck] DeVore and Justin Hart, DeVore's director of new media on the Senate campaign, last year after the two teamed up to produce two YouTube videos poking fun at President Barack Obama and U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer

Republican Rep. Dean Heller has “appalled” the widow of composer Cy Coleman with an unauthorized use of his Broadway hit “Big Spender.”

Rules still apply to the rich and connected, it seems.

George H. W. Bush used Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy" until McFerrin asked him to stop.

The song was used in George H. W. Bush's 1988 U.S. presidential election as Bush's 1988 official presidential campaign song, without Bobby McFerrin's permission or endorsement. In reaction, Bobby McFerrin publicly protested that particular use of his song, including stating that he was going to vote against Bush, and completely dropped the song from his own performance repertoire, to make the point even clearer. The George H. W. Bush campaign then reportedly desisted from further use of the song.

I know, this happens a LOT in campaigns. Are they just that ignorant, or do they do it because the benefits of having a good song on your ad outweigh the penalty you pay afterward?

I remember the first George Bush getting into trouble with Bobby McFerrin for playing "Don't Worry, Be Happy" on campaign stops in 1992.

on non-preview: jinx, danf! Also, I had the year wrong.