Update (via DailyKos): Okay, Heart actually doesn’t appear to have legal standing, since “Barracuda” has been “licensed for public performance under a blanket fee paid by the venue to ASCAP, the firm that collects royalties on behalf of composers and copyright owners.”  But Roger Fisher, a former guitarist of the band, says he will donate his royalties to Obama: “With my contribution to Obama’s campaign, the Republicans are now supporting Obama.”

You gotta have Heart, I guess.

Yes, Heart — one of my youthful guilty musical pleasures — has sent a cease-and-desist order to the McCain-Palin campaign via their record label.  They objected to their use of “Barracuda” after the Republican convention speech of VP nominee Sarah “Barracuda” Palin (the nickname she supposedly gained on the basketball court).

Four years ago I saw John Fogerty on the “Vote for Change” tour supporting the Kerry-Edwards ticket with Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M. and others.  His extra-bitter performance of “Fortunate Son” made it clear what he thought of George W. Bush.

So why isn’t he publicly objecting to the use of “Centerfield (Put Me In Coach)” — which bridged the speeches of Joe Gibbs, former coach of the Washington Redskins, and Senator Lindsey Graham at the convention?

Now, I don’t know if a cease-and-desist order would have any legal basis, but as Dave Burdick at the Huffington Post reports, many other artists and their labels have made their objections known.

Come on, John, the list even includes Van Halen.