The controversy surrounding the rapper Common’s recent invite to the White House was back again Monday night.
On “The O’Reilly Factor” on Fox News, the very opinionated host took on Jon Stewart in a debate about the rapper’s visit.
Common’s visit last week sparked criticism from several conservatives, including former Alaskan-Governor Sarah Palin who disagreed with some of the rappers lyrics in his music.
Bill O’Reilly argued on his show that Common shouldn’t have been able to visit because he has shown support for a convicted cop-killer in the past.
“The President of the United States takes him into the house, thereby validating him. Come on that was a bad decision,” O’Reilly said on his show.
Stewart, in an attempt to defend Common repeated several times: “I think he believes she was convicted unjustly.”
“This guy thinks she’s great,” O’Reilly said.
“Thinks she’s innocent,” the host of “The Daily Show” shot back.
The debate between Stewart and O’Reilly was relatively calm during the ten minute segment. Stewart was even playful at times saying, “You know I got mad love for you.”
But the two continued the debate with Stewart citing other performers with controversial lyrics, who were invited to the White House before.
“There is a selective outrage machine here at Fox that pettifogs only when it suits the narrative that suits them,” Stewart said.
At Common’s visit to the White House he praised the president with his rhymes saying: “From one king’s dream, he was able to Barack us, one king’s dream, he was able to Barack us, one king’s dream, he was able to Barack us.”
Once the controversy gained some steam the White House responded by saying the president doesn’t support controversial lyrics spoken by the rapper.
Last week, Common released his own statement on Facebook surrounding the poetry slam, saying: “Politics is politics and everyone is entitles to their own opinion, I respect that. The one thing that shouldn’t be questioned is my support for the police officers and troops that protect us every day. Peace yall!”
Halfway through Stewart’s appearance on O’Reilly’s show he said the president has more things to worry about then a poetry slam.
“It’s a poetry slam,” Stewart said. “Who gives a crap?”
“A lot, a lot of people do,” O’Reilly said.
And of course, the comedian had to insert one joke during the debate.
“When The Weather Girls sing ‘it’s raining men’,” he said to O’Reilly, “its not really precipitation of males.”
