Obama on Michael Jackson (via Gibbs)

Since the tragic news about the passing of pop icon Michael Jackson broke, your Gaggler has been wondering if and when the president would make a statement. It's not unusual for the White House to release such statements after the death of major cultural figures, and Jackson was arguably the biggest pop superstar of the past 30 years or more. And he was black, so it seemed reasonable to expect the first black president to have a few heartfelt words. But of course, dealing with Michael Jackson and his often baffling (and sometimes dark) private life is not that simple. So rather than issuing a formal statement, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs made a few remarks at today's briefing. Here's Gibbs:

“I talked to [Obama] about it this morning. Look, he said to me that obviously Michael Jackson was a spectacular performer and a music icon. I think everybody remembers hearing his songs, watching him moonwalk on television during Motown's 25th anniversary. But the president also said, look, he had aspects of his life that were sad and tragic. And his condolences went out to the Jackson family and to the fans that mourned his loss."

When asked why the White House didn't release a formal statement, Gibbs replied, "Because I just said it." Obama has yet to speak to any members of the Jackson family, and it is unclear if he will. Gibbs also joked that reporters had been to shy to ask the president about it directly during his press availability with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He added a dig at those pundits who were annoyed by the staged Huffington Post question on Tuesday saying, "I could have arranged it through a third party."