A television ad for Bernie Sanders in the run-up to the Iowa caucuses is featuring the song “America” by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.
The one-minute ad for the Democratic presidential candidate started running in the state on Friday in advance of the Feb. 1 vote. It includes images of Americans on farms, in offices and at home; people at Sanders’ rallies; and the family of the Vermont senator set to the iconic song by the Jewish duo, members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
A voiceover by Sanders appears in the last four seconds saying he approves of the ad’s message.
Garfunkel told CNN in an interview that he supports the Brooklyn-born Sanders, an independent running in the Democratic race, though a campaign spokesman has been careful to point out that use of the song does not imply an endorsement from the artists.
“This campaign is not about me,” Sanders was quoted as saying in a news release announcing the new ad. “It is not about Hillary Clinton or any other candidate. This campaign is about you, your kids and your parents. It is about creating a political movement of millions of people who stand up and loudly proclaim that this nation belongs to all of us and not just a handful of billionaires.”
