It's difficult to pin down exactly what Jennifer Hudson has come to symbolize in American culture. Grammy-winning sensation? Scorn of Simon Cowell? Black best friend? Someone obviously thought about The Hudson when considering America, then, since she's singing the national anthem on Thursday when Barack accepts the nomination.

As with everything else in this campaign — the hue of Michelle Obama's dress last night, the decision to give their kids a mic during the Obama remote — the choice for who sings at this week's most historical moment in politics in decades was a carefully orchestrated undertaking.

So why Hudson instead of Beyonce, or Aretha, or even Kanye? (Kanye: "This is the story of a champion …")

Bruce Springsteen, chosen as Obama's closing act on Thursday, is an obvious candidate; he represents the blue-collar, hard-working, all-American mensch that Obama's critics claim the candidate isn't. (And Obama-loving NBC loves The Boss!) But the the choice of Hudson wasn't a fluke. So what has Hudson done in her career to deserve such a distinction?

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