Jon Stewart Defends Rapper Common on 'O'Reilly Factor' (Video)

The latest in the right-wing Common controversy: Jon Stewart accepted Bill O'Reilly's challenge to debate over the rapper's appe...

The latest in the right-wing Common controversy: Jon Stewart accepted Bill O'Reilly's challenge to debate over the rapper's appearance at a White House poetry event last week on "The O'Reilly Factor" yesterday (May 16). Watch below:



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"They [the President and First Lady] have to select people who are almost unimpeachable," Bill O'Reilly said in defense of his criticism. "It validates him [Common]... it elevates him as a poet, or whatever."

O'Reilly and other right-wing personalities including Sarah Palin and Sean Hannity targeted Common as an inappropriate White House guest due to lyrics that they believe celebrate violence. In his debate with "The Daily Show" host, O'Reilly pointed to (though not by name) Common's "A Song for Assata," the subject of which is convicted cop killer and former Black Panther member Assata Shakur.

Stewart remained calm, defending Common by saying, in regards to "A Song for Assata": "What I think he's doing is not celebrating, but honoring someone he thinks was wrongly convicted of cop killing."

And, of course, Stewart let his comedic flair fly, dropping some hip-hop lingo on a seemingly unamused O'Reilly.

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