By Bill O'Reilly
First lady Michelle Obama invited a number of poets to read their works at the White House Wednesday night. Among them is a rapper named Common, who is controversial to say the least.
This guy has sympathized with convicted cop killers. He also does the usual rap stuff, touting guns and other anti-social behavior. In addition, he is a friend of Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
So why on earth would the president and first lady invite this man to the White House?
The answer, I believe, is that the Obamas do not understand the sensibilities of many Americans. We saw that during the campaign with the president's comments on guns and religion.
A man like Common targets a very select audience: young, urban, mostly African-American. He is certainly entitled as an artist to rap whatever he wants to rap. But by inviting him to the White House, the president and first lady tacitly endorse him. And when you get into areas where the man is praising convicted cop killers, you've got a major problem.
In 1977, a radical woman named Joanne Chesimard was convicted of killing New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster. Ms. Chesimard went to prison, escaped and is still at large. She is believed to be living in Cuba, where she has been granted asylum. She has now changed her name to Assata Shakur, and here's part of Common's tribute to her:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COMMON, RAPPER: Assata has been convicted of a murder she couldn't have done; medical evidence shown she couldn't have shot the gun. It's time for her to see the sun from the other side. It's time for her daughter to be by her mother's side.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Of course the family and friends of Officer Foerster are appalled, as they should be.
White house spokesman Jay Carney was asked what Mr. Obama thinks about Common's work:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He 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's -- and he -- he opposes them. But he does not think that that is the sum total of this particular artist's work and which has been recognized by a lot of mainstream organizations and fair and balanced organizations like Fox News.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
That is completely disingenuous. Carney's reference to Fox News was taken from the far-left propaganda website Media Matters, which highlights a freelance review done of Common last year on FoxNews.com. Give me a break.
The real issue that Jay Carney dodged is about appropriate behavior. Murdered police officers is not something you rap about lightly. Common has no idea what happened, yet he has taken an irresponsible position.
The president and first lady have made a major mistake in inviting this man to the White House. He surely does not deserve that honor.
And that's "The Memo."
Pinheads & Patriots
As you may know, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was not invited to the royal wedding, primarily because she has misbehaved.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH FERGUSON, DUCHESS OF YORK: I went through the phase of feeling totally worthless and that I was quite right they didn't invite me. Why would they? What would they invite me, after all?
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: Did you feel ostracized by them?
FERGUSON: No, not ostracized. I felt that I ostracized myself by my behavior by the past by living with all the regrets of my mistakes that I sort of wore a hair shirt and beat myself up most of the day thinking and regretting, "Why did I make such a mistake? Why have I made so many mistakes?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
So is Mr. Ferguson's confessional on TV patriotic or pinheaded? Please vote on BillOReilly.com.
Tuesday night we showed you Kirstie Alley saying the "s" word.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRUNO TONIOLI, JUDGE, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": You did a classic, traditional salsa, which is smooth and slow, lovely arm passes. But you lost sync three different times.
KIRSTIE ALLEY, CONTESTANT, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": (EXPLETIVE MUTED)
TONIOLI: It happens. I do it all the time. Don't worry about it.
TOM BERGERON, HOST, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": That's why we have people on the button. Let them earn their money on the button back there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Well, 76 percent of you believe Ms. Alley is a pinhead for that display; 24 percent say she is a patriot. Don't exactly know how that works, but I guess everybody makes those mistakes. I certainly do.
— You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads & Patriots" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com.
