Paul McCartney to the President: "... BILLIONS of Us are Rooting for You ..."

[Clio the Leo]

My friends, the legendary Paul McCartney is, quite literally, an Obama cheerleader! (and mods, you KNOW I mean that as a compliment!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuPXpKPh4Uw&playnext_from=TL&videos=-BXhwwqwez0&feature=sub">Video: Paul McCartney accepts the Gershwin Prize.
(Paul's remarks start at around the 7 min mark)

McCartney Is Honored at White House
By JON PARELES
Published: June 2, 2010

WASHINGTON — A Beatle met the president when Sir Paul McCartney performed at the East Room of the White House on Wednesday night.

Accepting the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, Mr. McCartney used the occasion to applaud President Obama. “Getting this prize would be good enough,” Mr. McCartney said. “But getting it from this president ...” He smiled.

He added that despite “difficult times” for the president, “you have billions of us who are rooting for you.” Then, with the first lady in the front row, Mr. McCartney sang “a song I have been itching to do at the White House,” he said. It was “Michelle.”

A few minutes after the concert, Mr. McCartney returned to the microphone, thanking the Library of Congress and adding, “After the last eight years, it’s great to have a president who knows what a library is.”

It was not a lighthearted party. Mr. McCartney sang reflective songs like “Eleanor Rigby” and “Let It Be.” The president praised Mr. McCartney but also brought up the catastrophic Gulf Coast oil spill. Mr. Obama spoke about “part of the country this is so rich in musical heritage” and said he was committed to “see to it that their lives and their communities are made whole again.”

Mr. McCartney heard praise for his songs — and some performances — from President Obama and from multiple generations of pop, jazz, country and classical musicians. He opened the concert playing the same violin-shaped bass he used with the Beatles in 1964 on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

Stevie Wonder, who won the Gershwin Award last year, steamed through “We Can Work It Out” — insistently repeating the title before a crowd of politicians — and he later joined Mr. McCartney for an earnest duet on “Ebony and Ivory.”

The lineup also included Herbie Hancock, Elvis Costello, the Jonas Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Faith Hill, Corinne Bailey Rae, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, and Jack White of the White Stripes, backed by Mr. McCartney’s touring band. The show is to be broadcast as a PBS special on July 28.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/arts/music/03mccartney.html?src=mv

[johnaries]

1. I love Sir Paul.

“After the last eight years, it’s great to have a president who knows what a library is.”
:rofl:

[The Hitman]

4. Rush and Glenn Beck will be stoking the flames soon

How many right-wingers are going to attack him over for this? Kinda like when John said they were bigger than Jesus.

[impik]

13. Yea, that's the end of The Beatles' legacy

[Cha]

39. ..

:rofl:

[polmaven]

43. I have loved him since 1964....

Waaaay before the "Sir" part was even thought about.

[givemebackmycountry]

2. Take the Jonas Bros out of the mix and that's some serious talent.

"The lineup also included Herbie Hancock, Elvis Costello, the Jonas Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Faith Hill, Corinne Bailey Rae, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, and Jack White of the White Stripes, backed by Mr. McCartney’s touring band. The show is to be broadcast as a PBS special on July 28".

I am so ready for this one...

[impik]

14. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh:

"McCartney had a little song of his own for the first lady, “Michelle,” which he joked, after performing it, could make him the first person to ever get “punched out” by the president.

As McCartney sang “Michelle,” President Obama serenaded his wife from the audience, singing to her, “I love you, I love you, I love you, Michelle,” as the first daughters looked on".


http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/06/hey-jude-the-obamas-sing-and-dance-in-honor-of-paul-mccartney.html

[Cha]

40. Yowzer!

Can't wait to see it:bounce:

[renate]

41. awwwww.....

That's lovely. I can't wait to see that clip!

[Enthusiast]

44. Watch the full episode.

http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/1301 "The Ring" :rofl:

[Voice for Peace]

56. augh thanks for that link

south park is so funny

[FlaGatorJD]

48. I know . . . what a concert?

of course except for the Jonas boys.

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. K&R for Sir Paul. (nt)

[flamingdem]

5. I still LUV Paul

My favorite beatle even though I felt it was more politically correct to LUV John because he was so creative or LUV George because he was shy or LUV Ringo.. no, not him.

[John Q. Citizen]

6. Paul once said in an interview that he tried pot only once but that he never exhaled!

[tabatha]

11. Did he swallow it?

[John Q. Citizen]

32. Mean People Suck; Nice People Swallow

When the reporters asked Ringo if he was a Mod or a Rocker he replied, "I'm a Mocker!"

[tabatha]

36. Ringo is fast on his feet as well as swift with his hands.

[K8-EEE]

7. Thanks Sir Paul, the Republicans are giddy with any US failure

Hoping to turn the catastrophic results of their policies against the President. Appreciate the good vibes!

[zalinda]

8. Loving a President when you are rich is easy. n/t

[Jennicut]

10. Some of us here don't have much money.

What a strange statement.

[Fruittree]

16. What??

Why would you say that? A lot of Obama supporters, like myself, are far from rich - at least financially speaking..

[nofurylike]

19. actually, it is primarily the more privileged who can afford to

risk another round of repukes in power. see it all over this place.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dionysus]

34. someone needs a pamper changed, methinks....

[Drunken Irishman]

20. I've never been rich...

I was born to lower-level working class parents. My mom worked as a daycare provider and my dad as a cashier at 7-11 until he eventually got a job with a door & window maker here in Salt Lake. That lasted until they tried to unionize and everyone was let go. Then he became a janitor at the VA Hospital. My mom stopped working in '96 after her father had a stroke and she became his care provider.

I work at the local paper. Hardly making anything close to what could be considered rich. :eyes:

But nice generalization there.

[marshall]

22. Isn't everything easy when you're rich?

At least that's what my parents always told me. But I still opted for a liberal arts degree.

[uponit7771]

26. oh god damn!!!

[dionysus]

27. teh bitter, it burnz

[volvoblue]

31. I've never had money and I love this president

Seems to me that many of Obama's detractors on the left are the ones who will swallow any rumor and in fact, just like the rightwing, put alot more stock in style over substance. Playacting over doing.

[SeattleGirl]

46. I see you're wearing the extra-large ass hat today.

:eyes:

[Starbucks Anarchist]

49. !

:rofl:

[liberation]

51. I have been plenty critical of Obama, but this post makes no sense

?

[zalinda]

57. When you are rich, it doesn't matter who the President is

Many of the rich loved Bush. Of course, many saw him as an idiot, but he had their backs. Now, Obama has their backs.

The poor, and struggling, on the other hand, have been used as scapegoats for decades. It's always their fault that they can't get ahead. The HCR will not impact the rich, or the well-to-do, it will impact the poor. They will have to pay for health insurance (or get fined) that they can't afford to use. The deductibles will just make it impossible. Oh, and for those who say, but they will get a tax rebate. Sorry, but most people can't give away a portion of their paychecks, for something they can't afford to use, and then wait to see if they will qualify for a rebate.

I have not seen this President do anything for the poor and struggling, but he has done plenty for the corporations. Let's take stem cell research. I was going to give him kudos for that, until I realized that big pharm REALLY made out on that one. Let's face it, if you are poor or struggling in this country, you are at the bottom of the pecking order, even if you make up the majority of the people. We are invisible. Hell, at this point, it looks like even the environment is invisible.

That hope and change thing is really getting tired, here at the bottom. Yes, it's easy to love a President when you are rich. But, when you are poor or struggling, no politician is worth loving when they can't see you. I heard many, many people talking about what Obama was going to fix when he got into the White House, those voices are now silent. Even more so, there is a sense of betrayal and depression. As I stand in line at the food bank, people have a certain look in their eyes. You never look directly into another person's eyes, as you think you will die of embarrassment for having to be there. When you use your food stamp card, you scan the registers to see who won't think negatively about you for having it. Even here pride is being knocked out of you, and depression sinks in. This is as good as it will ever get.

But, hey, there will be people here, who will tell me that I'm whining because I didn't get my pony, or that I'm an Obama hater, or a racist, or whatever, just so they can keep Obama on that pedestal. But, you see, for me, it's never the actually person that I like or dislike, it's what they do or stand for. And so far, Obama hasn't stood for much change in the world of the poor or struggling.

zalinda

[Mimosa]

58. Zalinda, you and I may be too radical left for some tastes

I've been disappointed too for the reasons you eloquently expressed. *hug*

Maybe Obama's doing the best he can but he comes across as if he prefers the company of the privileged.

[housewolf]

9. Thanks so much!

I loved seeing that tonight

[impik]

12. I wish there was a vid of Paul's performance

[Brother Buzz]

33. I understand it will be broadcast to the public in July

[Cha]

54. July 28th on most PBS stations..

"JIM LEHRER: The entire concert will air July 28 on most PBS stations. It's part of the "In Performance at the White House" series."

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/jan-june10/mccartney_06-03.html

[Brother Buzz]

55. Cool Beans!

Those snippets are such a damn tease, and the end of July is, like, almost next year, so we noted it on the calender.

[lunamagica]

15. The right is already at it

hurling all kinds of insults at him.

The man is still filling-out stadiums worldwide. He just came back from playing to 110 thousand people in Mexico

Do these morons think they have the power to make everyone turn against him?

[Kind of Blue]

17. Right on , Paul. He's needs all the support

he can get.
Thanks for posting this and its very cool title.
KnR

[ProgressOnTheMove]

18. Very powerful stuff, when the detractors make people feel otherwise pull this up.

[Diamonique]

21. Wow! I must remember to watch that. It sounds like a great lineup!

[marshall]

23. Remember the Austin Powers movie?

A million isn't what it used to be. To make a point these days one has to talk in terms of billions, if not trillions.

[Dr Morbius]

24. I think he's right, though.

I'd be willing to wager that there are way over a billion Obama fans worldwide.

[AspenRose]

25. I thought Obama hated Great Britain.

Maybe Paul's just a token to obfuscate his obvious hatred towards Great Britain.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1283534/STEPHEN-GLOVER-Barack-Obamas-anti-British-prejudice-helps-BP-alliance-served-world-100-years.html

:sarcasm: for the impaired

[goclark]

28. K

[volvoblue]

30. thank you Paul McCartney

thank you for your music and thank you for speaking out on how the People really feel and that the media will not win this attempt to help the republicans destroy him.

[undeterred]

35. What a concert!

And what a couple of beautiful men.

[politicasista]

37. Kick!

Shame on those that want this president to fail. :puke: :boring:


:kick: :patriot:

[Number23]

38. Gorgeous pic, Clio! I've never thought of Obama as "cute" but he is looking MIGHTY

fine in this pic! ;)

And Paul is right. There are literally BILLIONS of people all over the world rooting and pulling for this President. From all walks of life. Folks living in huts and who don't speak a word of English know Obama and have his back. That is powerful stuff.

[LibDemAlways]

42. What a terrific honor for a man who has brought so much happiness

to billions through his music. Saw him recently at the Hollywood Bowl and he still rocks.

[quiet.american]

45. Awesome. nt

[Left Coast2020]

47. When I clicked video link (accepting prize) there just had to.....

be a racist pig f**k who has to stoop down to sewer level in comments section. Really makes me sick to share the planet with filth like that. See for yourself and leave a comment. Its the link that shows the presentation and Obama's intro.

[Mosaic]

50. Kudos to the ex Beatle!

I really don't give a damn what any demonic racist "rite" winger thinks and anyone who thinks I should I'll put on ignore.

[GETPLANING]

52. The right wing smear campaign on Sir Paul

began almost immediately. It will be wall to wall for weeks.

[Lindsey]

53. I love it that Paul said what he did about the billions of people

loving our President. And as far as Paul's contribution to music, my belief is that he, John, and The Beatles will never be beat by anyone.

[Mimosa]

59. The Beatles are better than even George and Ira Gershwin?

I think paul is conceited and he is not the spokesman for 'BILLIONS' in the world.

[Arkana]

60. Carl Sagan has also chimed in

by saying "Mr. President, BILLIONS AND BILLIONS of us are rooting for you!"