Obama's iPod playlist will likely not include this screed. Nice lyrics, Ludacris.
I'm back on it like I just signed my record deal
yeah the best is here, the Bentley Coup paint is dripping wet, it got sex appeal
never should have hated
you never should've doubted him
with a slot in the president's iPod Obama shattered 'em
Said I handled his biz and I'm one of his favorite rappers
Well give Luda a special pardon if I'm ever in the slammer
Better yet put him in office, make me your vice president
Hillary hated on you, so that b^$&%* is irrelevant …
The Obama campaign responded quickly.
“As Barack Obama has said many, many times in the past, rap lyrics today too often perpetuate misogyny, materialism, and degrading images that he doesn’t want his daughters or any children exposed to,” said spokesman Bill Burton. “This song is not only outrageously offensive to Senator Clinton, Reverend Jackson, Senator McCain, and President Bush, it is offensive to all of us who are trying to raise our children with the values we hold dear. While Ludacris is a talented individual he should be ashamed of these lyrics.”
“Is not only offensive to Senator Clinton…” then the Obama team quickly moves on to immediately include all the males involved too, acknowledging the slam against McCain as unconscionable. But the statement blithely skips over the main message Ludacris is sending, not to mention the slur against Hillary Clinton that is preceded by a special shot at her for not knowing her place. Male rap artists have a creative history of promoting misogyny and all out disrespect of women. Does the Obama team really not get it? Lumping Jackson, McCain and President Bush into what was said about Hillary misses the moment completely. Then they make matters worse with a finish that sends a wink to Ludacris, slapping him in the next breath, making sure to have it both ways. Can't offend friends. Well, with friends like these…
Why is it every time the Obama campaign has a chance to elevate themselves on women's issues, especially where Hillary is concerned, they manage to trip over their inclusive kumbaya, lump everything into the same sink, sprinkle it with magic O rhetoric, then call the situation clean?
Where's Mary J. Blige when you need her? And as I've stated before, I love good rap. But there is a lot of garbage out there, with Ludacris a prime culprit for this junk.
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Obama met with him in 2006. “We talked about empowering the youth,” said Ludacris. Well, the last time I looked, young girls need empowerment too. So to call the first viable female candidate in U.S. history an “irrelevant 'b^$&%*'” is disavowing what she means to young girls, because she broke the barrier of all barriers, which affects all females in this country, whether they like Clinton or not. That's what historic pioneers do. They change things for people who don't even appreciate it. But obviously, “empowering the youth” for Ludacris doesn't extend to girls.
Senator Obama has been terrific in talking about young men in his community needing to stand up and be fathers. But he missed a chance to take a real stand against this stuff by giving a nod to his idea of a “talented individual” that actually makes trash talking “b^$&%* is irrelevant” lyrics a part of his financial bottom line.
When it comes to what Hillary Clinton means to women, their daughters and the general role she continues to play in politics, but also in leadership for women in general, team Obama still doesn't understand that Hillary is different. They don't understand how important she is, either that or they're in denial. She's the first woman ever to come so close to winning the nomination of a major party and so close to being considered the first female commander in chief. However, she's also a pioneer symbolizing new groundbreaking opportunities for all women. She isn't in the same category as Jackson, McCain and Bush. She's a first for women, breaking new ground for all women, not just people who respect her.
Why is it that Obama can see his own historic symbolism through his candidacy, but cannot see that Hillary Clinton represents the exact same thing in her own right, regardless of her not prevailing in the primaries?
Obama's team giving Ludacris any cover at all, calling him a “talented individual,” sends a message to Hillary supporters that Obama cannot afford. They couldn't possibly be making my job harder if they tried. The anti Obama zealots are going to love it. The wingnut decency police are going to jump on it. It will play great for them in Missouri.
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