Rebecca HaithcoatApple pie and baseball? Nah, what's more American is good ol' fashioned political beef. We'd rather splash around in the we-know-why-it's-tepid kiddie than that cesspool, but Tom Petty supposedly issuing a cease and desist letter to Republican candidate Michele Bachmann over her use of “American Girl” is too juicy.
Bachmann officially kicked off her campaign yesterday in Waterloo, Iowa. At the tail end of her speech, the opening strains of Petty's song jangle right after she says, “together” for the uh, trillionth time, and the classic sign off, “God bless the United States of America.”
A few hours after the rally, Matt Ortega tweeted, “@TomPetty unhappy with Michele Bachmann's use of 'American Girl' and in process of issuing [a cease and desist] letter.”
NBC's Kelly O'Donnell confirmed the singer's dissent later, saying, “And details matter, and when Bachmann left the stage here, her campaign played the Tom Petty hit song, 'American Girl,'” O'Donnell said. “Turns out petty isn't pleased. His manager says they will ask the Bachmann campaign not to use that song.”
Petty ain't scared. Remember when he did the same to George W. Bush for using “I Won't Back Down”?
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