Political Influence
On April 17, 2008, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama referenced the song in gesture, in response to sharp attacks from his rival Hillary Clinton and a debate which was widely criticized for focusing on campaign gaffes rather than on candidates' policy positions. Referencing his opponents' "textbook Washington" tactics, focusing on personal attacks and trivial issues, Obama used Jay-Z's hand signal to "brush the dirt" off his shoulders. When asked whether Obama was deliberately referencing the song, a campaign spokesman said, "He has some Jay-Z on his iPod."
Read more about this topic: Dirt Off Your Shoulder
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