In the wake of entertainer Michael Jackson's death at age 50 on June 25, commentators have been listening for a response by the White House and proclaiming a connection between Michael Jackson and Barack Obama.

Most of these commentators stress some form of causation, along the lines of: because Michael sang, Barack could run. Others seem to expect some sort of bond or special relationship between the two men.

This talk is silly.

Jackson and Obama are two famous American black men born within a few years of each other. So far as I can tell, that's all the two share. Jackson sold a lot of records, and Obama won a lot of votes.

Some commentators seem to make a "wasting racism" point: the racism historically inherent in the American population was chipped or melted by artists like Jackson, thanks to his "crossover" appeal. The point seems to be: popular culture has a special power to influence durably (white) people's views of minorities.

Rather than influence, doesn't popular culture instead mirror (popular) opinion of difference?

I think less of Michael Jackson and more of the "Miami Vice" television series (that started in 1984) or the "Lethal Weapon" motion pictures (that started in 1987), both of which depicted teams of policemen, one white, the other black.

But then I think some more, and I remember Bill Cosby in "I Spy" (that started in 1965) or Greg Morris in "Mission: Impossible" (that started in 1966). If there's influence going on, wouldn't these two series have somehow paved the way for Michael Jackson?