Politics

If rapper Common is barred by White House, Pope should be, too, says FNC guest

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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The debate surrounding hip-hop artist Common’s participation in the White House’s poetry evening has advocates on both sides. But would uninviting him have unintended consequences?

On Monday’s “On the Record,” anchored by guest host Martha MacCallum, Keli Goff of TheLoop21.com made the case that if Common were banned 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, then the Pope could be as well.

“But can I just say from this line of reasoning, right, the Pope wouldn’t be welcome in the White House because he presided over one of the biggest pedophilia scandals in American history, right? From that logic is what you’re saying, people shouldn’t be welcome …”

MacCallum called Goff’s assertion, “absolutely ridiculous.”

“If you were inviting, you know, students to talk about religion, OK – and you wanted to have religious leaders from around the world, you would include the Pope in that group, would you not?” MacCallum asked.

That led to this exchange:

GOFF: I’m posing it to you. Do think he belongs there or not? Because I think he’s controversial.
MACCALLUM: I — I find that…
GOFF: You don’t think the pope’s controversial?
MACCALLUM: No, I find it ridiculous! The Pope — these words
GOFF: There are victims of abuse who would disagree with that.

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