The Politics of Michael Jackson

He may have been an entertainer first and foremost, but Michael Jackson did occasionally branch off into politics and left an impact on the lives of many heads of state.

"We lost a hero of the world," said Kim Dae-jung, the former president of South Korea, according to the New York Times. Venezuela's leader, Hugo Chavez, called Jackson's death "lamentable news."

While Obama has yet to make a statement on the King of Pop's death, we can look back at how Jackson did affect other American presidents in the past.

According to Politico, after honoring Jackson with an award in 1984, President Reagan said, "You've gained quite a number of fans along the road since 'I Want You Back,' and Nancy and I are among them."

In his journals, Regan noted that he was "surprised at how shy" Jackson was in person.

In 1990, Jackson was honored with an award for Artist of the Decade by President George H.W. Bush, who said, "[H]e has a tremendous following. He does good work, what we call the Points of Light concept."

Politico reports that the King of Pop did try to keep a distance from Washington but he nonetheless had showed up from time to time to promote causes like helping people overcome drug and alcohol abuse and the long fight against HIV/AIDS.