Entertainment

John McCain's presidential campaign continues to have problems with singer-songwriters.

Jackson Browne recently sued the McCain campaign for what he called its unauthorized use of his 1977 hit "Running on Empty" in an attack ad against Democratic candidate Barack Obama.

Now, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters is irate about vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's use of her song, "Independence Day." Ms. Peters wrote the song that, in 1994, became a major hit for Martina McBride.

In a press release issued Saturday, the night after she performed at McDavid Studio in Fort Worth, Ms. Peters says she noticed that Ms. McBride's recording of "Independence Day" had welcomed Ms. Palin to the stage in St. Louis Thursday night, moments after her debate with Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The lyrics of "Independence Day" tell the story of a woman's response to domestic abuse from the point of view of her daughter.

"The fact that the McCain-Palin campaign is using a song about an abused woman as a rallying cry for their vice presidential candidate, a woman who would ban abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, is beyond irony," Ms. Peters says in an e-mail. "They are co-opting the song, completely overlooking the context and message, and using it to promote a candidate who would set women's rights back decades."

Ms. Peters says she donates any royalties from the song accrued "during this election cycle to Planned Parenthood in Sarah Palin's name. I hope with the additional income provided by the McCain-Palin campaign, Planned Parenthood will be able to help many more women in need." Ms. Peters also provided a link on her Web site for donations to Planned Parenthood.

The McCain campaign could not be reached for comment.