Hillary sacks Celine

The US presidential race is already the longest-running in history, so it's not surprising that the leading contenders are feeling the strain. Last week we got news of the first major shake-up in Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign, and what was it the former First Lady decided to do? Bring on a new campaign manager? Send Bill to outer Mongolia so he wouldn't keep outshining her? Get rid of that bone-chilling laugh of hers?

No, no and if only. Instead, Hillary has dumped Celine Dion's track 'You and I' as her official campaign song. In the Canadian chanteuse's place is Big Head Todd and the Monsters with their soft-rock ditty Blue Sky, which was originally written as a tribute to America's space programme.

Now, just why any politician — particularly one as savvy as Hillary —would ever think that Celine Dion was going to be the tune to win over the masses on the hustings is anyone's guess. Her only defence is that this disastrous and regrettable song choice was made by popular vote —surely an ominous metaphor for any political campaign.

And although Hillary 08's replacement tune is safely inspirational, I think Hillary botched this chance to musically communicate her message to voters. She only had to look to the rest of Ms Dion's hits to find a wealth of suitable tracks to sum up her bid for the presidency. How about Celine's 'I Want You To Need Me' or 'Show Some Emotion'?

There were also the eerily apt 'I Hate You Then I Love You' and 'Everybody'sTalking My Baby Down'. Wasted chance Hill.

Of course, her husband Bill famously used Fleetwood Mac's 'Don't Stop(Thinking About Tomorrow)' as the backdrop music for his first campaign in 1992, and keeping with those legendarily tempestuous lovers/business partners (the Mac, not the Clintons), couldn't Hillary have opted for the band's classic 'What Makes You Think You're The One?' as her official song?

Alternatively, Hillary had the choice of the Mac's 'Over My Head', or'No Questions Asked'. Also how could she not be tempted to use the songs 'Little Lies', 'As Long as You Follow' or 'Second Hand News'?

And while Republicans would pick the Mac's 'Never Going Back Again' for Hillary, there's no doubt she thinks — well, hopes anyway — that'Landslide' will ultimately be the Mac tune she hears when votes arecounted/sabotaged on November 4 next.