McCain ad uses Medal of Honor score

  • By Polybren, GameSpot
  • Posted Jun 19, 2008 5:30 pm PT

Electronic Arts' Medal of Honor series has always been noted for its sound design, from authentically reproduced gunshots to rousingly epic scores. Republican John McCain apparently hopes the music from the series will help rouse the electorate, as the presidential candidate used a selection from...

Electronic Arts' Medal of Honor series has always been noted for its sound design, from authentically reproduced gunshots to rousingly epic scores. Republican John McCain apparently hopes the music from the series will help rouse the electorate, as the presidential candidate used a selection from Medal of Honor: European Assault in a recent campaign ad, as reported by GamePolitics.

The spot emphasizes McCain's history of military service--along with his five years as a Vietnamese prisoner of war--as evidence that he knows about the human cost of war. McCain states that, "Only a fool or a fraud talks tough or romantically about war," while a piece of music titled "Casualties of War" plays in the background.

The composer of that piece, Christopher Lennertz, has taken exception to the use of his music for a political ad. While he told GamePolitics that McCain's use of the music wasn't illegal, he still didn't approve of it.

"I am dismayed that my music has been used to promote his platform and even more disappointed that a candidate who claims to be the best voice for American entrepreneurs and business owners in this troubled economy so flagrantly ignored the most basic values and tenents of copyright and intellectual property," Lennertz said in a statement to Game Politics. "What, I ask, does such an action or oversight say about Mr. McCain's regard for the intrinsic value of American products, services, or creations? Where does the line get drawn? Is it reasonable to use my music to sell tobacco, alcohol, or pornographic materials? Is it reasonable to use it to promote a religion in which I do not believe? Is it legal?...yes, perhaps, is it ethical?...I don't believe so. Is it American?...definitely not by my standards. ... As an artist, business owner, and patriot, I proudly support Senator Barack Obama for the Presidency of the United States of America."

Representatives from Electronic Arts were unable to comment as of press time.

412 Comments

  • danielreader22

    Posted Oct 22, 2008 9:25 pm PT

    BORING!! Seriously, no one wants to know about some whining composer who's a crybaby! Ooh, he used my music! Waaaaa! If anything, you should be flattered that a presidential candidate is using YOUR music for an ad. COME ON, Gamespot! Bottom line, lame article.

  • Domenico54

    Posted Jul 24, 2008 11:35 am PT

    And tommorow we will see.....

  • mohaddict

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 11:20 am PT

    I'm a republican and i am addicted to medal of honor. I really think if this composer loves hussain obama, why doesn't he marry him, support his campaign, get him elected, and let the muther f#%&er blow him and the rest of the country up!

  • goldeneye_basic

    Posted Jun 28, 2008 9:19 pm PT

    @RunningMansKid, they have fanboys for everything.

    @Nineball2112, good point.

  • VelociBlade

    Posted Jun 26, 2008 5:56 pm PT

    Aaaaaaaaaaaannd how does this affect us?

  • Nawras

    Posted Jun 26, 2008 1:17 am PT

    The imbecile

  • Wikipedian

    Posted Jun 25, 2008 8:36 pm PT

    Obama should use something for his ads, Hillary... what would Hillary do?

  • MetroidPrimePwn

    Posted Jun 25, 2008 10:54 am PT

    Medal of Honor: Battle for Electoral Control

  • RunningMansKid

    Posted Jun 25, 2008 9:44 am PT

    presidential fanboys??? I've never heard of that... does that mean everyone who votes and takes pride in their candidate is a fanboy?? some of you gamers are being highly irrational right now!

  • athenian29

    Posted Jun 25, 2008 9:07 am PT

    Good lord... Why oh why??? We're all doomed now! John McCain is using video game music! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

    Seriously, it makes little or no difference. If the composer didn't like it (and, so it seems, he didn't), then this can be counted as just another strike against McCain. Not that it matters that much, it's just a 30-second (or so) ad...

  • kyle756

    Posted Jun 24, 2008 10:52 pm PT

    If he "ignored the most basic values and tenents of copyright and intellectual property" then why is it not illegal?

  • ColdfireTrilogy

    Posted Jun 24, 2008 10:05 pm PT

    yes lets make the assumption that because its okay for mccain to use your musical piece under 30 seconds that its cool to sell tobacco and alcohol with your musical piece ... oh wait thats like comparing apples to oranges....

  • Soldaten027

    Posted Jun 24, 2008 9:08 pm PT

    I've been supporting Obama for a while...but McCain is within his rights to use MoH music. But....the irony...

  • ThePhilatron

    Posted Jun 24, 2008 7:53 pm PT

    Not even real news; please stop wasting my time Gamestop.

  • conformist

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 8:30 pm PT

    Will the sun still rise tomorrow with one more discontented Hollywood liberal added to the mix? Well, gee, I don't know about that...

  • kingship

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 6:39 pm PT

    Wow. A musician supporting Obama. Who'd a thunk it?

  • pencilpusher69

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 6:26 pm PT

    sieg6529 "This is politics, and it is dirty. I don't like McCain, mostly because I doubt the mental stability of someone held as a POW for so long and under such conditions, but this is how Washington does politics."

    I am truly disgusted by your comments. You clearly have ZERO idea about politics, or you'd know that John McCain's "mental stability" is just a ridiculous notion. People like YOU go online, and single handedly smear somebody you know NOTHING about, and only because you fail to follow ANYTHING that goes on in washington, beyond maybe a sound bite.

  • pencilpusher69

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 6:23 pm PT

    So John McCain suffered with other American Soldiers in Vietnamese prison camps, serving the military that allows this worm to compose music and to be able to speak his mind politically, and because this worm doesn't agree with McCain, he's dismayed.

    What a weak son of a b-.

  • kono11

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 3:47 pm PT

    Kekekeke, this gonna be real crazy!
    We hope if Mc-guy gets the license from EA for the song. If not, maybe McCain is little more suck than Obama.
    My country's radio even used an legendary Indiana Jones score for their featured article .

  • vbdevpro

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 2:00 pm PT

    Oh shut up, composer. Go whine to the Obama platform for blatantly ripping off the Apple advertisement. That music ceased to be his intellectual property the minute he sold it to EA.

  • masterswanny

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 1:27 pm PT

    I like turtles

  • Nineball2112

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 1:07 pm PT

    JanusAchilles posted: "I've always wondered why a little over half of the comments on this site appeared to be written by backwards, inane, super-aggressive know-nothing morons who seldom exhibit the ability to spell or form a coherent sentence. Half of you are Repuglicans!"

    That's hilarious, because I was thinking the same thing, only I thought they must all be Dimocrat moonbats! And although, you seem to be able to actually make a coherent post with proper grammer and punctuation, you still obviously drink from the libtard kool-aid and use their talking points! How unoriginal of you!

  • wksims86

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 10:11 am PT

    Sorry Chrissy - you don't get to control what you don't own. If you want to prevent McCain from using your music, buy the rights for it. Until then, shut up and enjoy the money you're making from it, since this has NOTHING to do with copyright law, intellectual property, or morality.

    This is such a non-story, and I'm a little disgusted that over half of the article is talking about Lennertz' objection to use. The real gamer news here is that a candidate is using video game music to support his campaign. End. Done.

  • sieg6529

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 5:26 am PT

    This is politics, and it is dirty. I don't like McCain, mostly because I doubt the mental stability of someone held as a POW for so long and under such conditions, but this is how Washington does politics.

  • Tebbit

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 4:19 am PT

    Has anyone noticed that McCaine supporters are really agro?
    I'd be kinda pissed if I drew a picture and it was used to advertise brill-o-pad.

  • AncientDozer

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 3:46 am PT

    Why not, Ben? Isn't it our fundamental belief that all are innocent until proven guilty. That everything be fair and just? I mean, if we say something and go back on it, doesn't that just make us petty and vindictive? Hypocrites, too, in fact and that's why so many hate people like you and I. Because all they see are people saying one thing and doing another. It's so sad that hatred, hypocrisy, and double standards are so. . strong throughout the world and in our country.

    Oh well. I don't see why you're worried, Ben. You'd think it'd be an open and shut case considering he says he did it, admits he did it, and talks about doing it.

  • cengi

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 2:39 am PT

    who cares??

  • CVM_123

    Posted Jun 23, 2008 1:31 am PT

    oh god f****** politics

  • BaBaBaBen35

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 11:43 pm PT

    If we captured Osama Bin Laden alive tomorrow and then what if we were to ask Sen. Obama "is Osama Bin Laden INNOCENT UNTILL PROVEN GUILTY?" Because Sen. Obama is FOR giving those scums the rights of the American justice system, and SOME of you want to vote for him?

  • FoxMcCloudDS posted Jun 22, 2008 11:19 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    FoxMcCloudDS

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 11:19 pm PT (hide)

    Obama 08!

  • doub7

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 10:44 pm PT

    Is this Fox News or Gamespot? Can't I read about video games in peace?

  • Wiismgrocks

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 10:37 pm PT

    You guys know nothing of political views, do you watch the debates? I mean Obamma! wants to pull out troops right as he gets in, this WILL result in large loss amounts of our troops! Leave it to the Generals, they know whats best!! Did you know that from this time last year, 1/3 less bombings occured, and schools have been built. The trooth is, almost all news sights are democratic, so we never hear the good going on over their, ask one of our troops somethime you see them, they will tell you! McCain HAS many yeas of experiance and would make a better president than Obamma. Oh did I mention Obamma belives in giving equal justice to terroists, you cant treat them like people folks, how did they treat us on 9/11? One more thing 9/11 is really due to Bill Clinton, who in 1993 did nothing after a car bombing in the twin tower basements, done by terrorests, so they knew they could come in again!!! Dems. suck!!! Some Americans worrie me, they will be voting in the near future, I'm only 14, and I know whats what!!

  • jwb0711

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 10:13 pm PT

    If every farm in America made corn, that would processed into ethanol. We would not have enough fuel to run our country for even one day. Fact.
    Offshore drilling should be done immediately while we work something out.

  • machockey

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 7:41 pm PT

    Philly you're an idiot. sure we are DEVELOPING new technologies to support the alternative of fuel. however, you cant say **** fuel because those technologies are NOT available yet. what is available? well E85. that's made from corn... it also costs more to produce than it makes in profits, so that's basically useless.... what else is there... oh right hybrids... whoops those STILL use fuel. the stance that makes sense and should be taken is we need to continue drilling, WHILE we look for solutions. And like it or not, the only way to reduce the price of oil is to put more into the oil pool. There for UNTIL these alternatives are available to meet the demands of consumers by the masses, then guess what.... that's right we would be ****ing ourselves by not drilling. idiot.

  • astro64th

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 7:03 pm PT

    I'll definitely be voting McCain so I don't see this as a big deal, but obviously they should've asked first before using a PIECE of music. But like he said, it is legal. If you wanted to make a political video would you ask permission to use a segment of the music first? Most people only would if they were using a long segment of the song. I don't have a problem with it as long as the entire track isn't played, that's when you really need to ask permission.

    And as someone pointed out, do you think John McCain even knows what Medal of Honor is? He knows of the real deal sure, but I doubt he knows about the video game. It was his ad people that put it together, not him. And I'm sure he assumed they asked for permission to get the music they used. But again, it's not illegal, so who really cares.

    And I agree that the guy who wrote it is just trying to score political points himself . . . . *rolls eyes* Besides how can it be bad that his music gets more exposure?

  • Djmaster214

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 6:55 pm PT

    who cares *sigh* this is a stupid article

  • Proman84 posted Jun 22, 2008 6:02 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Proman84

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 6:02 pm PT (hide)

    How dare McCain do this? I really feel for the composer to have your music used by someone you dislike must be quite unpleasant. Still, I'm sure, it will all be good at the end!

  • Squall1113

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 4:33 pm PT

    wow democrats get butt hurt about every thing

  • VolcanoMan001

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 3:10 pm PT

    thepyrethatburn: "Wow, reading the comments in this topic is like watching monkeys fling poop at each other."

    LOL true. Actually it is like watching poop fling monkeys at each other. Who cares who anyone is voting for? If anyone here is dumb enough to decide who you are voting for by the amount of people that you see say "I support X or Y", then it is just plain stupidity. "I am going to vote for Obama because Lennertz said he supported him, and a lot of GS posters said it as well!" Stupid. Vote for who you want to vote for based on YOUR principles and you do not need to tell everyone. Who F'bombing cares!

  • Hellmonkey012

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 2:07 pm PT

    I see why the composer is mad. I would be mad if somebody used my music too. Although I am an Obama supporter I have to tell that composer to get over it. Its legal.

  • harrygordon1000

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 1:34 pm PT

    I loved the comment about "socialist commie liberals"! The cold war is over, go home.

  • harrygordon1000 posted Jun 22, 2008 1:26 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    harrygordon1000

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 1:26 pm PT (hide)

    Just so you can't say we didn't warn you, the rest of the world is going to quarantine the the US if you elect yet ANOTHER, bumpkin president.

    Vote Obama.

    Long live Britannia.

    Peace out.

  • jwb0711

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 12:32 pm PT

    Barack Obama is not a muslim.

    He is a liar, a smooth talker, and a socialist.

    People like him because he's black and he can speak well. But most people dont actually listen to what he is saying. NOTHING. He has the broadest, and most vague statements ever on a political campaign.

    John McCain '08

    Seriously guys, dont be stupid and vote Obama this fall.

  • daabulls23

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 9:19 am PT

    Sounds like Mr. Lennertz is really not a fan of McCain. Still, his music was good for MOH:EA, and it seems that most MOH games have good music scores.

  • jrxbond

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 8:37 am PT

    they are all idiots.. but i'd pick a veteran liar over a political lying barbie

    i'm a veteran of 911's war

    these aren't even conventional wars.. the soldiers are taken care of.. even if they have to live out in the desert.

  • jahoousa

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 7:07 am PT

    This seems to me a whole lot about nothing. It's a damn song. I'm a musician and if I even hear my music comming from anywhere I'm happy. I don't think I'd even care if a neonazi presidentail candidate was blairing it. The director should lighten up and stop failing to play polotics. If anybody is foolish enough to listen to a director or the media or the anylists then the country's lost it's footing already. Both Barak and John are liers, and it's doubtful things will change that much.... Just pick somebody you have faith in doing it!

  • flavort

    Posted Jun 22, 2008 6:36 am PT

    thats a trip! this composer is a hypocrite . That is how socialist commie liberals act, nothing new. cry cry cry cry cry . "I dont like that mean old man using my music, I want Obama use it, he goooood boy" DUDE your wackt nothing illegal, nothing to complain about, grow up.

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