Obama Camp: Ludacris Should Be Ashamed

[malik flavors]

July 30, 2008
Categories: Barack Obama

Obama camp condemns song: Ludacris 'should be ashamed'

Barack Obama's campaign is condemning a song by the rapper Ludacris that praises Obama and bitterly attacks Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

"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."

"Hillary hated on you, so that bitch is irrelevant," say the lyrics. "McCain don't belong in ANY chair unless he's paralyzed Yeah I said it cause Bush is mentally handicapped."

The song also celebrates Obama's rise.

"The first black president is destined and it's meant to be," go the lyrics, calling on voters to "paint the White House black.

The song notes that Obama has praised Ludacris, and calls on him to "give Luda a special pardon if I'm ever in the slammer."

"The world is ready for change because Obama is here!" it concludes.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0708/Obama_camp_condemns_song_Ludacris_should_be_ashamed.html

[NYC_SKP]

1. Memo to Ludacris:

You're not helping.

:shrug:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

30. Blah de Sister Souljah Moment blah.

Something for the talking head morons to babble about, I guess. How's the economy doing, anyway?

[AspenRose]

2. I'm glad he said something

Please Ludacris, Senator Obama doesn't need the "favor." Peace

[Whisp]

4. actually me too.

at first I thought it wasn't necessary for Obama to make a statement about what every ahole says out there, but I think this one is important and glad they took the time to do it.

[cyndensco]

40. You'd think it would not be necessary for Obama to address Ludacris' lyrics.

In a perfect world, he would not.

David Gregory, or buchanan, just mentioned it and said Obama needs to distance himself from what "members of his camp" are saying. Ludacris is a member of his camp??? Ludicrous!

[ellacott]

3. Are you happy now?

I know this was such a concern to you.

[malik flavors]

18. Are YOU happy now? Got all the trash talk out of your system?

[ellacott]

21. What trash talk?

Anyway, I know you are relieved with this news.

[madeline_con]

5. Typical rap crap.

Some of the genre is o.k. A great deal of it, however, is shit that has no value, just goes on with obscene language and stupidity masked as social comment; every other word being bitch or the N word. :rant:

[my3boyz]

6. Good! I remember Oprah had him on her show and she tried to convince

him that it was not okay to use the N word and that it was not okay to use the B word. He blew it off. Some of the others on the show agreed with Oprah. It was during the promotion of "Crash".

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

7. Oh, lord. Crash.

God, what a racist movie.

[Bucky]

47. What's racist about people having orgasms to car crashes. Silly yes, but racist?

I think Cronenberg's too self obsessed to be truly concerned with any other human being.

[AlCzervik]

10. other people on Oprah's show agreed with Oprah? That's surprising!

[ellacott]

13. There weren't many who agreed with Oprah

Don Cheadle didn't agree. Terrance Howard didn't agree either. Also, there was some criticism about Oprah talking to Luda about his lyrics but leaving his response on the cutting room floor.

[AlCzervik]

14. i think the whole Oprah/Luda thing is why O'Reilly likes her now.

[ellacott]

15. I agree

O'Reilly still holds resentment for Luda's success. That's one reason I like Luda(Hi Mr. O'Reilly).

[AlCzervik]

16. yup, me too.

:thumbsup: :hi:

[ellacott]

19. Back at cha

:thumbsup: :hi:

[my3boyz]

28. At the beginning they did not. Then towards the end some of them were saying how

they could see where she was coming from. From what I remember Terrence Howard was one of the ones that kinda changed his mind. It was a long time ago so I can't remember the details.

[ellacott]

33. Terrance changed his mind back pretty quick

Most people see where she's coming from. Many just don't agree. I remember that show because I remember how she didn't win many over. Don Cheadle held his ground.

[LisaM]

8. It doesn't appear that Ludacris seems to "get" Obama very well

I'm kind of at a loss about what to make of that song. It's not really perpetrating the unity thing!

[Cha]

12. I know...that is such a big fat NO NO

with Obama.

[Clintonista2]

9. Thank you sen Obama.

[scheming daemons]

11. Hey Ludacris and other rappers of a similar bent....

STFU

Right fucking now.

[DevonRex]

17. Good response. And if anybody else out there wants to "help"

Obama in this way, I wish they'd think first. Just THINK for God's sake.

[malik flavors]

22. Nas was smart enough to not put as controversial lyrics in his "Black President" song.

I think the only thing he said was "McCain got apologies, ain't nobody trying to hear that."

I'm guess it was in reference to his apology for voting against MLK's holiday.

[maxsolomon]

20. Dear Celebrity Obama Supporters:

Stop making our candidate & staff fight rear guard actions. With friends like Rev. Wright, Jesse Jackson, and now Luda, the GOP barely needs to lift their tired, old, corrupt, closeted selves up off their piles of money.

[highplainsdem]

23. Good. This is just what I'd said he should do - especially given his earlier comments on rap lyrics

:thumbsup:

Kudos to the Obama campaign for responding quickly.

[Median Democrat]

24. Nas - Was Able To Write A Pro Obama Anti-Fox Song

Without going over the top. Of course, NAS song is not getting to much play by Big Media, particularly Fox, but Luda will now gets tons of free publicity.

[jobycom]

25. Doesn't sound any worse than DU on a good day.

:shrug:

Well, the B word would get you deleted, but that tone was used on Clinton a lot around here during the primaries. Then again, I haven't heard the whole song, so maybe I haven't heard the real reason people got upset. I wonder if Obama will have to denounce DU one day.

Not that I'm criticizing him. He had to do that. And he gets the best of both worlds. The song is done and already hit its target, and Obama's renunciation takes care of anyone offended by the song. Smart politics, as usual.

[highplainsdem]

31. The similar comments about Clinton that were posted here were an embarrassment to DU and the party,

and the people posting them should have been banned. There were entirely too many Clinton-hating posts here that lookd as if they could have come from Free Republic.

The Obama camp is right -- Ludacris should be ashamed.

And FWIW, I think it would be wonderful if Obama would denounce his supporters here who indulged (or continue to indulge) in that kind of childish, embarrassing, UN-Democratic Clinton-bashing.

[ellacott]

35. There was a fair share of Obama bashers here also

You all don't seem to see that.

I'm tired of all this denouncing, rejecting and condemning. We are a party of wimps.

My goodness

[nc4bo]

26. it's sad that this sort of thing even needs to be addressed...

wth happened to commonsense? :shrug:

[Raineyb]

29. Really!

Is Obama going to have to denounce every rapper that puts out a song with lyrics he doesn't like? I think there are slightly more important things to worry about than Ludacris.

It should go without saying that Obama doesn't have say over every song that's put out in his name.

Regards

[nc4bo]

32. I'm at the point where I know some folks enjoy listening to this stuff........

possibly a segment of folks who wouldn't ordinarily vote or even *care* enough to vote, for whatever reasons.

Just maybe Lud. can reach this segment that isn't quite as mainstreamed as the rest of us.

O doesn't have to like it or agree with it, which he just stated, but it might *not* be such a bad thing if it's left alone.

(I can't believe I just said any of that)

eta to add a couple words :S

[Raineyb]

34. I'm with you on that

Plus the constant denunciations of rap lyrics makes it seem as though there's something particular to rap as a genre which needs denouncing and I don't think this is the case. It's annoying. Leave it alone and the people who listen will listen and if you don't like it don't listen. Fairly easy I'd think.

Unfortunately, it always seems as though it's the people to whom the music isn't targeted and who ordinarily wouldn't listen to it who get their undies up in a knot about it.

I don't really listen to Ludacris so I wouldn't have known about it had this denunciation not taken place. Now I'm going to have to seek it out to listen to it so I can hear it for myself.

Even if I end up not liking it I'm still not denouncing it.

Regards

[MagickMuffin]

52. Rappers get put under the microscope by the masses, yet Rednecks can sing about lynchings

and never a peep from the masses about how offensive those lyrics are and what they represent.

Kinda like Obama's is constantly put under the microscope by the M$M, yet WcCaineyBush gets a free ride.

Ah well the times we live in.

:shrug:

[Number23]

50. **Cheering and Whistling**

it's sad that this sort of thing even needs to be addressed...

Abso-damn-lutely. And it's even more pathetic that there are people who believe that Obama has to not only address this foolishness but DISTANCE himself from a freaking rapper he has no relationship with him outside of being a fellow American. This is about the dubmbest sh*t I've heard all day.

Why was this even necessary?? But I agree that the damage to Obama should be minimal since he's already repudiated these awful, AWFUL comments from a man he barely knows. But who knows what's next?? Maybe DMX will get arrested again and Obama will be forced to condemn that as well! 50 Cent might whup someone's @ss forcing a beleaguered Obama to comment. And don't even get me started on Queen Latifah's jazz album... I'm sure he'll be apologizing for that soon as well. Well, somebody should....

[high density]

27. oh joy, here comes the next outrage by proxy from the media

Wheeee.

[ccharles000]

36. I agree with Obama ludacris should be ashamed.

[uponit7771]

37. WTF Luda!?!?! You could've made your point AND got airplay...now? Not so much...Hmmmm

[depakid]

38. Was that really necessary?

Why not just ignore the song (along with right wing sites like politico trying to create a stir).

[ecstatic]

39. I didn't think this was Obama's business, but, at least now the PUMAs

have nothing to complain about.

[polichick]

41. I wish rappers would use their talents for good.

[Median Democrat]

42. Hey, Nas's Sly Fox Song Is Pretty Cool

It totally rips on Fox News in a fairly thoughtful manner. Also, his Black President song is not bad, so I would not throw all rappers in the same category.

[malik flavors]

44. They do. It's just not as popular. You don't see it on MTV or BET, but it's out there.

[Sensitivity]

43. Should the Campaign stoop to commenting on such issues??

[Imagevision]

45. Ludacris; "I gotta be me ya'll...

[crimsonblue]

46. I don't think anyone gave a damn abt the dissing of Georgie...

mainly because Georgie IS mentally handicapped... No... that's a disservice to all of the mentally handicapped individuals in this country.

[Blue_Roses]

48. what a DUMB thing for him to do...

...Ludacris that is...:eyes:

I think the only reason Obama addressed it so fast was because he had said that Ludacris was on his ipod.

The rwing is just getting started with this. I was flipping from CNN to MSNBC tonight and stopped on FOX for a second. Hannity was sinking his teeth into this...along with his dumb and dumber groupies. I had to flip the channel 'cause my blood pressure started to rise. I can't stand Hannity and why in the hell don't these people think before doing shit like this. We don't need to add more fuel to the rwing bullshiters.

Ugh. :banghead:

[Pushed To The Left]

49. I have mixed feelings about it. I don't like that Ludacris goes after Clinton that harshly, but I'm

glad to hear him taking a stand against the right wing. Maybe Ludacris can inspire his fans to become more politically active. However, I can also see how it isn't necessarily helpful to the campaign. RW radio is already playing Ludacris's song, and will probably ignore the fact that the Obama campaign spoke out against the lyrics. The right wing won't let the facts get in the way of a good smear.

[TexasObserver]

51. As with your other thread on this topic, big deal.

Obama knows how to avoid problems being continuing. His concern is his campaign. He's not a roving arbiter of good taste.

It's still just a hip hop song, by a really good performer.

He should have given partial writing credit to Tina Fey, and then his comment about Hillary would have been just peachy!