{alltv} Why Is Sarah Palin Suddenly Bashing Rapper-Actor Common?

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

{alltv} Why Is Sarah Palin Suddenly Bashing Rapper-Actor Common?

We already knew Sarah Palin doesn't read the newspaper. Now we just found out that she's not a fan of poetry—or hip-hop.

The former half-term governor took to Twitter today and slammed Michelle Obama for inviting Common to the White House for a Wednesday event celebrating American poetry.

Her beef? Palin and some other conservatives aren't thrilled about the First Amendment that the rapper-actor once rhymed about burning President George W. Bush.

Let the feuding begin!

"Oh lovely, White House," tweeted the former veep wannabe turned reality star, making sarcastic reference to a story she linked to in the Daily Caller.

The conservative website founded for former CNN pundit (and Jon Stewart punching bag) Tucker Carlson resurrected an old dig Common aimed at Dubya by transcribing lyrics from a 2007 YouTube video of a past performance of "Letter to the Law," in which he also rapped about shooting cops.

"Seeing a fiend being hung/With that happening, why they messing with Saddam?/Burn a Bush 'cause for peace he no push no button/Killing over oil and grease/no weapons of destruction/How can we follow a leader when this a corrupt one," went the song.

As of press time, the video has garnered more than 847,000 views.

Palin's criticism was echoed by the Drudge Report and Fox News—and all the free publicity seemed to delight Common.

The rapper, whose real name is Lonnie Rashid Jr., poked fun at the faux-controversy on his own Twitter page.

"So apparently Sarah Palin and Fox News doesn't like me," the hip-hopster tweeted to CNN contributor Roland Martin.

"It's not funny...I'm dangerous!" he later joked

Common is a big supporter of President Barack Obama and, like the first family, calls Chicago his hometown. In early 2008, he appeared in will.i.am's viral video "Yes We Can," which promoted Obama's candidacy.

One thing that's certain to fuel winger outrage: the MC also belonged to the same Southside church whose controversial pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, nearly derailed Obama's 2008 candidacy.

A rep for Palin was not available to comment on the flap.