Rapper Common Uninvited to White House Event Amid Right-Wing Pressure

Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity criticized the decision to invite the controversial rapper -- whose violent lyrics have been directed at police officers -- to a poetry program.

After a couple of days of criticism from right-wing TV and radio hosts and bloggers, it appears controversial rapper Common has quietly been disinvited from Wednesday's poetry program at the White House.

The Daily Caller is reporting that when First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed the poets who had been invited, she neglected to mention Common, and reporters did not see him at the event, which continues into the night.

It was revealed a few days ago that Common was among the poets that Michelle Obama had invited to her poetry session, and the Drudge Report and others immediately noted the rapper's history of violent lyrics, notably directed at police officers.

He's also rapped his advice to "Burn a Bush," a reference to President George W. Bush.

"The first lady's office declined to comment on whether Common will play a role in the event's evening session," says The Daily Caller.

Among those critical of the invitation were Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

Beck ridiculed the White House invitation Wednesday morning on his radio show, for example, by saying, sarcastically, "The president and the first lady, of course -- of course -- are not anti-cop."
His rant -- if you can call it that, given it was filled mostly with disingenuous praise for the first couple -- went on for seven minutes. [Watch video below.]

Limbaugh on Wednesday called Common an "artiste" and suggested that only uneducated rubes would dare criticize his lyrics.

He was also being sarcastic.

Hannity, on his Fox News TV show Tuesday night, went through a litany of Common's alleged offenses. When a guest accused Hannity of advocating censoring poets, he responded: "I don't want to censor them. Should he be in the White House? Big difference." [Watch video below.]

Sarah Palin also weighed in by tweeting, "OH LOVELY, WHITE HOUSE." Common responded by tweeting, "SO APPARENTLY SARAH PALIN AND FOX NEWS DOESN'T LIKE ME."

Some police unions and support groups have also objected to the invitation.