Obama connects and corrects

CARROLLTON, Texas -- Is it possible to be a hip scold? Barack Obama gave it a good shot today.

Speaking to high-schoolers and their parents outside Dallas this afternoon, Obama tried to identify with the youth but teach them some lessons at the same time.

"I don't want to preach, but too many of our young men end up being irresponsible, having babies and then never knowing those children," Obama said. "And that leaves a lot of people feeling hopeless. You've got responsibilities that have to be met. So we have to be better parents. We have to nurture our children. We have to spend more time with them."

Obama told the crowd that while he listens to hip-hop artist Jay-Z, he also deplores the damaging messages sent by some modern hip-hop.

"I'll listen to Jay-Z once in a while and some other stuff, but I have to say that so much of the culture glorifies bling, and, you know violence, and is disrespectful to women," he said. "And we've got to counteract some of those cultural influences." His comments brought a hearty applause.

Obama said he wanted young people "to feel like they can have impact." "You will fill the world with hope and fill yourselves with hope," he said. He might have added, How about starting by helping elect me the next president of the United States?