I can't believe it. It's really me. OMG!!!

The Democratic National Convention starts this evening with a bunch of speakers, including Ted Kennedy, among other things. But last night there was a big kickoff concert. “Green Sunday At Red Rocks” featured performances by recording artists and environmental advocates including Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, Sheryl Crow and Sugarland.

Sheryl Crow dedicated Strong Enough to Barack Obama and Joe Biden, changing the lyrics… “Are you strong enough to be my man, or my president?” Dave Matthews performed an acoustic set with Tim Reynolds, still dealing with the sudden loss last week of his bandmate, LeRoi Moore.

We’ll have to see which songs are used in the campaigns from this point forward. There will be plenty of pep rallies, and there will be many songs used. Hopefully, the campaigns are putting a little bit of thought into which songs are used.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan’s campaign used Born in the U.S.A. as its pep song. Many people consider it a song about American pride. Lyrically, however, the song is really about how the U.S. poorly treated (ignored) the Vietnam war veterans as they returned home. It’s one of the more misinterpreted songs of Bruce Springsteen’s career.

Of course, besides picking a good song, the Obama-Biden campaign also has to figure out a way to make sure newscasters are getting the name of the ticket right. CNN’s Betty Nguyen had trouble with this the other day, the morning after the famous text-message/email from Barack Obama announcing his running mate. She referred to the ticket as “Obiden.”

“I’ve got to stop you,” her co-anchor T.J. Holmes said. “That’s the second time you’ve done that, ‘Obiden.’ ”

“I said ‘Obiden?’ Really?” Nguyen said.

“You didn’t realize you said it, but… Obiden.”

“It’s becoming a household name.”

Tags: Barack Obama, betty nguyen, born in the u.s.a., campaign, cnn, colorado, dave matthews, democratic national committee, democratic national convention, denver, dnc, green sunday at red rocks, joe biden, obiden, president, ronald reagan, sheryl crow, sugarland, t.j. holmes, ted kennedy, tim reynolds, vietnam