Hip Hop impresario Russell Simmons was on Bloomberg TV's Night Talk last night to promote the Gotham paperback edition of Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success (the book Oprah changed the title of) and talked about why he's backing Obama. If you remember, just last year he was backing Kucinich and referred to Sen. Obama as a "mouse" who is "controlled, just like everyone else" in a New York Times interview. Earlier this month he apologized for that statement and last night, he went into a little more detail on what he wants from the book loving senator.

Strength isn't measured only in I'm tough, I can obliterate my opponent' or 'I don't want to talk to them because I will put the weight on them.' It may be that you show them something. After 9/11 we had an opportunity to promote world peace that was stronger to say, let's promote world peace. We have the opportunity now - not let's invade and take more. Let's become givers... we didn't do that. We want someone who recognizes that we missed that opportunity.

I wonder if Obama will return the favor and pick up a copy of his book?