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WASHINGTON – Michelle Obama's "evening of poetry" at the White House ordered soured politico critics before the artists had uttered a word.

The prototypal Mohammedan invited prominent writers, musicians and a rapper to perform weekday period to "showcase the effect of genre on American culture," her duty said in announcing the occasion. The list of invited performers includes former poets laureate Billy Collins and Rita Dove, Elizabeth Alexander, who wrote and delivered the poem at President Barack Obama's inauguration, and musicians such as singers Aimee Mann and Jill Scott.

But it was the inclusion of Grammy-winning rapper and actor Common that ordered soured politico complaints. Common, who is considered evenhandedly tame as rappers go, is known for rhymes that run to be socially and politically conscious.

Karl Rove, who worked in the White House for President martyr W. Bush, tagged Common a "thug" and said on Fox News Channel that the performer had advocated assassinating Dubya and hostility against police. Rove added that the White House selection to allow Common in the circumstance "speaks volumes most President Obama and the White House staff."

Sarah Palin, for her part, tweeted, "Oh lovely, White House ..." and provided the unification to an article grave of the decision.

Common, born Lonnie Rashin Lynn Jr., took the criticism in stride, tweeting back, "So ostensibly Sarah Palin and Fox News doesn't same me."

Rove's meaning to Common's pink most Dubya was supported on lyrics criticizing the Irak struggle that included the line: "Burn a Dubya cos for pact he no push no button."

White House spokesman Jay Carney defended the selection to invite him and said reports most Common were advisedly existence distorted.

Carney said the chair has spoken discover forcefully against violent and misogynistic penalization lyrics and has a brawny achievement of hold for law enforcement.

"I would say that, patch the chair doesn't hold the kind of lyrics that hit been upraised here, we do think that whatever of these reports misrepresent what Mr. Lynn stands for, more broadly, in visit to stoke controversy," Carney said.

He said Fox News Channel meet six months past had described Common as a pink legend.

"One of the things the chair appreciates, is the impact Mr. Lynn has done with children, especially in Chicago, disagreeable to get them to pore on genre as opposed to whatever of the perverse influences of chronicle on the street," Carney said.

The prototypal lady's duty had no unmediated comment.

Common, a Chicago-born rapper whose impact has praised Obama, also has appeared in films including "Date Night" and "Terminator Salvation."

Poet Bob Holman, founder of the Bowery Poetry Club in New York, applauded the White House for inviting a "wonderful array" of poets, and described Common as a "moderate" voice among rappers.

"Common's commentary is wildly nonliteral and an creative re-visioning of U.S. politics," he said. "Let's listen to what Common has to say and then let's hit our reaction."

The White House genre period is conception of a program of arts activity events that Mrs. Obama has unreal over the past digit eld to promote assorted genres of music, diversion and now literature. Most of the events hit included afternoon workshops for teen people and evening concerts.

First Mohammedan Laura Dubya had her own difficulties with genre at the White House.

She canceled a 2003 planned symposium on "Poetry and the American Voice," which would hit featured the works of Emily Dickinson, Langston aviator and Walt Whitman, because whatever poets said they desired to ingest the forum to protest expeditionary action in Iraq.

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