Washington, D.C., United States (AHN) – The White House evening performance on Wednesday got into hot waters before kicking off as there were questions raised at the daily White House press briefing about invitation to rapper “Common,” whose lyrics sometimes border on violence.
During the briefing, the journalists raised questions about songs of Common, with real name Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., mentioning “burning Bush,” and another one where praise is heaped by the singer on convicted cop-killer Assata Shakur.
“While the president doesn’t support the kind of lyrics raised here, we do think some of the reports distort what Mr. Lynn stands for more broadly in order to stoke controversy,” White House spokesman Jay Carney replied.
In a manner of pleading Common case, Carney told journalists, “The fact is, Mr. Lynn has participated in other events in the past, including lighting the Christmas tree. I believe he’s a multi-Grammy award winning artist and he’s been invited to this event about poetry.”
On the lyrics being cited, Carney said, “He (President Barack Obama) has spoken out about — very strongly against — as an elected official, as an American and as a father, against those kinds of lyrics. And he opposes them.”
Carney, however, cited Obama as not against Common’s total work saying, “But he (President Obama) does not think that that is the sum total of this particular artist’s work.”
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tweeted, “Oh, lovely, White House,” but later deleted the posting while another Conservative Karl Rove called Common a “thug.”
Carney mentioned conservative media outlet Fox News, saying that the work of Common, “has been recognized by a lot of mainstream organizations and fair and balanced organizations like Fox News, which described his music as very positive.”
Carney could not confirm or deny if the White House had vetted the poetry to be recited at the reading Wednesday night.
Later in the afternoon, Michelle Obama hosted hundreds of American students from across the nation, along with a surprise attendee the visiting First Lady of Mexico on Wednesday at a daytime workshop.
The students were given an opportunity to work with and learn from an array of top level performers.
Addressing the audience, Michelle welcomed, “Rita Dove, Billy Collins, Kenny Goldsmith, Alison Knowles, and Aimee Mann,” with words, “let’s give them a round of applause. We’ll get to hear from these folks.”
First Lady Obama is hosting an event “An Evening of Poetry,” at the White House later in the evening on Wednesday.
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