Here's a second White House pool report, this time from Richard Latendresse of Groupe TVA, Canada's largest private French-language TV network. We left it pretty much as written. The POTUS and FLOTUS abbreviations are how the press refers to the President and First Lady outside of stories, which this and the previous report we used was:
Recording in the East Room of "Paul McCartney: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song In Performance at the White House" to be aired on PBS on July 28 at 8PM.
Not much to add as foreign pooler. Note the non-American guests:
- Corinne Bailey Rae, British, sang "Blackbird" accompanied by Herbie Hancock.
- Elvis Costello, British, "Penny Lane", remembering how much the song touched him since his mother "lived half a mile from there".
- Lang Lang, Chinese, played very beautifully a classical piece (from the lesser known repertoire of McCartney).Macca sat to right of the President of the United States to listen to (and sing along with) Stevie Wonder ("We Can Work It Out") and the singers who followed.
Few hundred people in the room, definitely the "smallest venue he has played since the Cavern Club" as he was introduced.
POTUS and FLOTUS seemed to enjoy from the very first song, "Got to Get You Into My Life".
Later in the evening, while McCartney sang "Michelle" ("a song I've been itching to do at the White House"), POTUS sang along while looking at FLOTUS, almost serenading her. Impossible to see her reaction from your pooler's position.
Pool was ushered in after almost one hour of recording, right at the moment when POTUS got on stage. See coming transcript for remarks.
After POTUS and Macca shared a warm hug, Macca underlined that "getting this prize is good enough, but getting it from THIS president!", to generous applause. Responding to the president's admission that these have been difficult times, McCartney added "You have billions of us rooting for you!"
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Comments
From everything I've heard and read, it was a beautiful event. Not sure about the Ebony/Ivory thing. Will have to wait and see/hear it on PBS. Paul could and should (IMO) have left out the gratuitous anti-Bush comment he, for whatever reason, felt the need to make...Bush not knowing what a library is. Totally unnecessary and not in keeping with the classiness of the event. Bad move, Paul. Bush is long gone from the scene.
I'm fine with Paul making humorous political comments, especially considering the wealth of raw material for satire provided by the previous administration. Imagine what John would have had to say under similar circumstances!
At least in the United States, there is freedom of speech, which he excerised. He is free to make any statement he wanted to and I see nothing wrong with what he said.
I think John was there, inside Pauls little head...I had no problem with what was said W was the biggest idiot this country ever product or should I say that sat inside the Oval Office...great choice of words considering he was in the White House....the repercussions of what W did are still being felt.
Enough Said !!!!
RS
I didn't vote for Bush either time, but he IS a former President of this country whether we like it or not. The fact is, Paul McCartney is a foreigner in this country, making a gazillion $$$ here. As such, he really has no business going into the White House and insulting a former President regardless of who that President was. Bush got us into a terrible war, etc., and there's a lot to dislike about him, but he is entitled to some respect for being in that OFFICE. A hell of a lot of people in this country DID vote for him, twice, and they may not take too kindly to Paul going into that House and making a gratuitous joke for a cheap laugh. Those people may well like Paul too, but maybe not so much now. Let Paul him make his comments on the concert stage.
I'm fine with Paul making humorous political comments, especially considering the wealth of raw material for satire provided by the previous administration. Imagine what John would have had to say under similar circumstances!
I don't suppose Paul realized how rabid the anti-Obama forces are. They're trashing Paul quite a bit around the Web. Of course the lefties on the Huffington Post are loving what Paul said. I thought it was funny but then I'm one of those left leaners. I notice the right has no qualms about making vicious jokes about Obama but they sure can't take a mild joke about Bush.
Paul was just being Paul with his wry comments. I wonder if he'd rehearsed to say that about the Library? Anyway, it was very funny and Bush well deserved the comment. Obama outclasses him in every respect.
That's right people lets take away Paul's freedom of speech, I'm sure W would agree with you.
Next: Paul said to Obama that this was the bass guitar that he used on the Ed Sullivan show way back when so I'm wondering where is the pick guard.
Because I made the mistake of thinking Paul was a classier guy does not make me in any way part of some "rabid anti-Obama forces," whoever the hell they are....Thank you very much. This ain't about Obama or Bush...it's about Paul.
Jon, people earn RESPECT, they are not awarded it based on an office they once held. Bush gets the respect or lack of that he deserves. Mr. McCartney is telling the truth something Bush himself knows nothing about.
I loved the Beatles and MACCA since the early to mid 60's. I consider myself an extremely LOYAL fan. However I found the comments by MACCA classless and unfortunate for someone of his stature. Be bigger than that Paul..........
Okay, Maclen, I give up, but...the OFFICE of the President of the U.S. and, yes, the person who occupies/occupied that office in that HOUSE, which is THE HOUSE of every American citizen deserves respect. Someone coming into that HOUSE..rather than on a concert stage in Bum*uck, ALaska, is to act accordingly...with some manners and respect for the American people. It isn't Obama's personal home that Paul could get all cozy in and dish the dirt. He acted in a totally classless manner, something I never expected from him. I am a lifelong Beatlemaniac and I resent what he did. So frigging shoot me!
Bush may be long gone from the scene, but his effect is still being felt (Gulf oil leak, anyone?). Right on, Paul...Johnny is smiling down on you for that one!
Jon, I wasn't aiming my "rabid anti-Obama forces" comment at you, but at the ridiculous overreaction to Paul's remark elsewhere on the Web. I can see what you're saying, and I bet Paul probably regrets the remark, or at least regrets saying it at the White House. Everyone knows he's a generally polite guy and maybe he got carried away in the moment. That ever happened to you? It's happened to me and I've said the wrong thing at the wrong time.
However, the very same people who are attacking Paul harshly on various Web sites for this relatively mild remark are people who make the most racist, awful remarks about Obama and his wife, with no concern for "respecting the office." The hypocrisy is stunning.
Paul your not from here, and you mad e an ass out of your self, sorry!
I can't believe you liberals talk about "class" and say Paul and Obama have it. It's clear you're either young or are from the lower classes.
OK Jon relax,no one is going to shoot you. You feel disappointed and resentful. It is your RIGHT. It is ALSO Mr. McCartney's right to express his opinion about Mr Bush's reading habits or lack of. Personally I don't see this as anything but a harmless flippant remark blown way out of proportion. Look at it this way would
a glib observation concerning Adolf Hitler's reading habits draw your ire because Hitler held the highest office in Germany? That's the problem about these " respect rules" they have to be applied universally not selectively.
You wouldn't expect a Beatle to be a conservative republican, would you? My initial reaction was it was not appropriate but McCartney has been outspoken about enviornmentalism and Bush was teh President who raised his fist at the G-8 summit and proclaimed "Goodbye from the worlds largest polluter" reffereing to the US. If you are republican you might like that bravado with all our rivals if you are a democrat that appears dopey and antagonistic and I rememebr McCrtney calling it shocking:
President George Bush:
'Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter'
George Bush surprised world leaders with a joke about his poor record on the environment as he left the G8 summit in Japan
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