I Got 99 Problems But Jay-Z Ain't One

Roy Edroso catches Human Events attacking Barack Obama over his links to the "other Jeremiah Wrights"—hip-hop stars.

Besides Jay-Z, Obama has also won support from rap mogul Russell Simmons, rapper Nas, whose new album is titled "N—–" and 9/11 conspiracy theorist Mos Def.

It's high time the media ask some tough questions. Why has Obama collaborated with rappers? Is he familiar with their words? How could he not be? The senator's spokesperson said that when he and Ludacris met the two men found common ground on AIDS prevention. How do you find common ground on sexual behavior with someone who calls women "b——?"

Have any rappers donated to his campaign? Will he return the money? Why has he not renounced support from rappers? Is this going to take 20 years like it did with Reverend Wright?

Are we really going to play this game? OK, then: I'm waiting for the Human Events expose on McCain's endorsement from a porn star.

Yes, I understand the larger point—that Obama endorses artists who are poisoning young minds, etc. On this i'm also with Edroso:

Suppose we apply this root-and-branch approach to country music. From the old murder ballads through the works of modern-era superstars, we can see a normative attitude toward drink, drugs, and violence against women. Many country songs promote alcoholism, loyalty to anti-social homies, and brawling. Even the female stars are getting in on the act, a sure sign of social breakdown.

The argument, I guess, is that they don't call women "bitches." Yawn.

UPDATE: I'll keep all my Obama shilling (or anti-stupid-argument shilling) in this post. From an emailer to Jonah Goldberg.

The next time the Obama campaign repeats the line that he was only 8 years old when Bill Ayers was busy planting bombs, perhaps they should be reminded that Trent Lott was only 7 when Strom Thurmond ran for President.

What tripped up Lott, remember, was not praise for Strom Thurmond, but the wish that Thurmond had been elected president in 1948. If he'd been, "we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years." As the scandal rolled on, it came out that Lott had said some version of this multiple times. So if we find Obama saying on multiple occasions that America would have been better off if the Weather Underground had overthrown the government in 1973, then we can make the comparison. Not before.