Barack Obama Sends Condolences to Michael Jackson's Family

While President Barack Obama has yet to make a public statement about the death of Michael Jackson, Obama's senior adviser David Axelrod told NBC's Meet the Press this weekend that Obama wrote to the Jackson family to privately send his condolences, Politico reports. "The president has written the family and has shared his feelings with the family, and he felt that that was the appropriate way to go," Axelrod said on air.

"The president obviously believes that he was an important and magnificent performer," Axelrod added. "Obviously, he led a sad life in many ways as well but his impact is undeniable." Axelrod noted that Obama was prepared to speak about Jackson during a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel last Friday, however no reporters asked the President about Michael Jackson.

Axelrod's comments echo what press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters last week following Jackson's sudden death. "I talked to [Obama] about it this morning. He said to me that obviously Michael Jackson was a spectacular performer, a music icon, and I think everybody remembers hearing his songs, watching him moonwalk on television during Motown’s 25th anniversary," Gibbs said, "But the President also said he had aspects of his life that were sad and tragic. His condolences went out to the Jackson family and to fans who mourned his loss." No word whether Obama's written letter to the Jackson family would be made public or if the President himself would issue a statement regarding Jackson.

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Song Stories

“Oh Sherrie”

Steve Perry | 1984

Steve Perry's girlfriend Sherrie Swafford was actually in the studio when Perry began writing this song--his lone Top Ten hit as a solo act--with two co-writers. The trio began at midnight one night with just "Oh, Sherrie!" and "hold on, hold on." Three hours later, they had a complete song. Swafford, however, had to wait until the next day to hear it. "Sherrie actually got tired and went to bed," Perry said. She also appeared in the video, but their relationship did not hold on for long.

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