Clinton spoofs Sopranos to unveil campaign song

WASHINGTON, June 20 (Reuters) Democratic Sen Hillary Rodham Clinton spoofed the final episode of the hit series ''The Sopranos'' in a video telling supporters the winning anthem for her 2008 presidential campaign was Celine Dion's ''You and I.'' Canadian Dion's song had been a write-in idea but received the most votes out of the more than 200,000 cast, beating out ''I'm a Believer'' by Smash Mouth, ''Beautiful Day'' by Irish rockers U2 and Canadian Shania Twain's ''Rock This Country!'' among others.

In a scene reminiscent of the HBO television show's unresolved ending, Clinton's video shows her sitting in a diner as her husband and former president Bill walks in, the Journey song ''Don't Stop Believin''' playing in the background, and a beefy man walking by glaring at them.

''So what's the winning song?'' Bill asked.

''You'll see,'' the New York senator responded.

''My money is on 'Smash Mouth', everybody in America wants to know how it's gonna end,'' he said.

The candidate puts a coin in the music player on the table and says: Ready?'' But instead of the Dion song belting out of the machine, the video released yesterday cuts to a black screen -- like the Sopranos -- and then lists her Web site to reveal the song: www.hillaryclinton.com/song and a fundraising pitch.

The last Sopranos episode left some fans unhappy because the final scene cut to a black screen leaving viewers uncertain as to whether the TV mobster had been rubbed out in a diner as his family gathers for a meal.

''It shows a little bit of humour,'' said Carol Darr, director for the Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet at George Washington University.

''I don't think it's going to get the play of 'Obama Girl','' Darr said, referring to the ''I've got a crush ... on Obama'' song that swoons for Clinton's rival, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, and has received more than 1 million views on YouTube.

REUTERS RJ KN0951