From the Thursday Morning Jolt:

Some Folks Weren’t On Board With This Fanfare for the Common Man
Apparently a rapper I’ve barely heard of beyond some yawn-inducing supporting roles in action movies became a big deal at the White House yesterday. Typical.
Wait, his name isn’t “Typical.” It’s “Average.”
Wait, no, it’s “Regular.” No, wait . . . “General”? Nope. “Ordinary”? “Usual”?
Common.
Clearly, the Associated Press – who I suspect is none too pleased with me these days — cannot believe anyone objected to Conventional — I mean, Familiar — er, The Strangely Modest Adjective: “There were love poems and folk tunes. There were classic verses and modern odes. There were sound effects and a gritty rap. Michelle Obama’s evening of poetry at the White House rolled out seamlessly Wednesday night, showcasing the impact of such words on American culture. The fireworks erupted earlier, as Republicans cried foul before anyone had uttered a word. It was the inclusion of Grammy Award-winning rapper and actor Common that drew complaints from Republicans, who said some of his lyrics celebrate violence. Common, who is considered fairly tame as rappers go, is known for rhymes that tend to be socially and politically conscious. He was on his best behavior Wednesday night. The rapper opened his performance with cuts of words from Martin Luther King Jr. and spoke of walking into the White House with ‘love on my sleeve.’ His performance gave nods to the challenges of crime and violence that face children, to gangsters and beacons of light for those in dark alleys, and celebrated the rise of Barack Obama. It ended with ‘one King’s dream, he was able to Barack us.’”
But did it rhyme?
ABC News’ Jake Tapper clarifies a bit on the controversy: “David Jones, the president of the New Jersey State Troopers Fraternal Association, voiced concern to the White House and to ABC News about Common’s invitation given Common’s song extolling Joanne Chesimard, a member of the Black Liberation Army, convicted in 1977 of the first degree murder of a state trooper and sentenced to life in prison. In November 1979, Chesimard escaped from prison. That said, the White House press secretary suggested that some of the media coverage of this controversy has not be fair or accurate. ’While the president doesn’t support the kind of lyrics that have been raised here,’ Carney said, ‘some of these reports distort what Mr. Lynn stands for more broadly,’ referring to Common by his given name, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. ‘Within that genre of hip hop and rap he is known as . . . a conscious rapper.’”
Reaction One: I’m glad Jay Carney is around to be our guide through the complicated and confusing world of hip hop and rap. Reaction Two: He’s a ‘conscious’ rapper? Fantastic. He’s common and awake.
. . . ADDENDA: No, really: Associates of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange now have to sign a nondisclosure agreement.
You just can’t trust anybody these days, huh, Julian?