Are there times when a candidate buries their head in shame at some of the off the wall tributes and endorsements they are given? This is the question I found myself asking while I watched the famous 90s rap duo, Salt and Peppa, on BET’s Hip Hop Awards Thursday night. The group somehow thought it was appropriate to show their support for Barack and Michelle by singing “Whatta Man.” While in its original context I am a fan of the song, I must admit I was a bit off put by the performance. I can’t help but wonder what Senator Obama was thinking. Don’t get me wrong, I love rap and R&B music. I am just not so sure it has a place in a presidential election. The truth is, the election has been filled with many endorsements that have caused me to bury my head in shame or want to hide under a rock.

I can’t blame Obama from distancing himself from rapper Ludacris’s song “Obama is Here.” While it is admirable that the artist has a passion for the political process, it is not admirable to dissent other candidates in such a disrespectful manner. In one minute and 40 seconds alone, Ludacris dissed the age of McCain (“McCain doesn’t belong in any chair unless he is paralyzed”), the mental capacity of George Bush (“Bush is mentally handicap, so ball up all of his speeches and throw ‘em like candy wrap.”), and downgraded Hilary Clinton by using the B-word.

So how should one deal with these types of unwanted endorsements? And how do they affect the voting process? I believe Obama has done an excellent job ignoring the blatant disrespect that has been portrayed against a viable candidate. I hope that informed voters will realize that under the First Amendment, the U.S. Constitution does uphold freedom of speech. It should be remembered that the views of various entertainment moguls do not represent Senator Obama’s views or the views of the Democratic National Party. Hopefully, voters will not be ignorant and keep an open mind towards what really matters in a Presidential election, the issues. Let’s remember to focus on the economic crisis, education, energy, health care and let those inside the field of entertainment stick to entertaining.