PrintJune 3, 2010
Sir Paul McCartney's Churlish White House Comment
It was one of those nice events at the White House that was supposed to make everyone feel good. President Obama presided as Beatles great Paul McCartney was given the Library of Congress' Gershwin Award. Certainly, McCartney merited the award for the influence that his music has had in America. And his singing the tuneful "Michelle, Ma Belle" to our lovely First Lady, Michelle Obama, was a memorable moment.
But it was all marred by an extraordinary bit of churlishness. Knights -- he is Sir Paul, after all -- are supposed leave churlishness to the churls. McCartney told the assembled toffs in the East Room that it was especially nice to receive the award from Barack Obama. "After the last eight years, it's nice to receive this award from a president who knows what a library is." Ugly comment. Ugly response. The assembled worthies roared their appreciation.
Do these people have any idea how to behave? It's the nation's White House. As Joe Biden would say, it's a big (bleep-ing) deal. You are not supposed to bring in low and vulgar talk into this historic place.
What can we expect after what Bill and Hillary did there? I'm not just talking about Bill's extra-marital hijinks. The Weekly Standard ran a cover photo of two Hollywooden heads jumping in the Lincoln Bed. They had rented the room. By the hour?
Not that Bill Clinton didn't sometimes try to come up to standard. In December, 2000, he invited biographer David McCullough to come to the East Room to help the President and a select audience of his "Friends of Bill" celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the White House. Liberal columnist Mary McGrory noted that McCullough read John Adams' famous words: "I pray to heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and all that hereafter inhabit it...May none but the honest and wise men ever rule under this roof." Miss McGrory wrote that when McCullough recited that bit about wise and honest, all of Bill Clinton's best friends looked at their shoes.
It's a part of left-wing conceit that they are the only learned ones, the only one who read. Paul McCartney might be surprised to match his college grades against those of George W. Bush -- at Yale University or at the Harvard Business School. What's that you say? McCartney never went to college? No matter. In the words of Rep Tevye of Fiddler on the Roof, "when you're rich they think you really know."
Twice in as many weeks, President Barack Obama has stood by passively while foreigners ripped up Americans. Whether you approve of Arizona's new law or not, whether you supported President George Bush or not, America's White House is not the place to "go off." This is true for Americans. It is especially true for foreigners invited to the White House.
Will President Obama defend us? Will he defend our borders? He won't even defend his country in his own Living Room!
