President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the 32nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors last night, with honoree Bruce Springsteen (left) Vice President Joe Biden (3rd from right), his daughter Ashley and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (right). Photo by Mandel Ngan / AFP / Getty Images.
by Mark Silva
First Lady Michelle Obama sat next to "the Boss'' last night.
Seated on her other side at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington was the president of the United States, there to oversee the honors for singer Bruce Springsteen - a Rock and Roll laureate, the president called him; "the music czar,'' Comedy Central's Jon Stewart called him -- and a cast of other honorees in a star-studded evening including actor Robert DeNiro.
"On a day like this I remember, I'm the president, but he's the Boss,'' President Barack Obama said of Springsteen, with an audience of about 300 luminaries of the entertainment and political worlds earlier Sunday in the East Room of the White House. There, before 6 pm, they taped remarks that would be played at the Kennedy Center later.
On a riser in a White House decorated for Christmas -- the first of many holiday receptions, for members of Congress, comes tonight -- the president joined the Kennedy Center honorees: Springsteen, DeNiro, comedian Mel Brooks, opera singer Grace Bumbry, jazz musician Dave Brubeck.
It was the president's own nostalgic rendition of Take Five.
In his tribute to Brubeck, Obama said this: "In the few weeks that I spent with my father as a child -- he came to visit me for about a month when I was young -- one of the things he did was to take me to my first jazz concert, in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1971. And it was a Dave Brubeck concert. The world he opened up to a 10-year-old boy was spectacular."
The president wasn't shy about his youthful cinematic memories of Brooks, either: "We're reading back all of your golden moments,'' Obama said. "Unfortunately, many of the punch lines that have defined Mel Brooks' success cannot be repeated here...
"I told him that I went to Blazing Saddles, and he pointed out that, I think, according to the ratings, I should not have been allowed in the theater,'' Obama said. "I think that's true... I got a fake ID,'' the president said, pausing. "The statute of limitations has passed."
Bumbry, the president said, is "a diva in the classical sense, a divine voice worthy of the Heavens."
He saluted De Niro's "emotional audacity" and his "legendary method." He called Springsteen "the quiet kid from Jersey who grew up to be a Rock and Roll laureate.''
The president wore a tuxedo, the first lady a strapless, floor-length purple gown.
The audience included performers: Jack Black, Katherine Weymouth, Matthew Broderick, Martin Scorsese, Frank Langella, Edward Norton, Ben Stiller, Mikhail Barishnikov, Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, Jon Stewart, Sting, Patrick Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joe Montagne, Les Moonves, Harvey Keitel, William Cohen, Barbara Walters and Nancy Pelosi.
They took a four-minute ride to the Kennedy Center, arriving close to 7 pm as the audience was filing into the grand crimson theater.
The president entered his center-balcony box behind the first lady, joined in the box by Pelosi, Vice President Joe Biden and daughter Ashley, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and CBAS President Les Moonves.
Seated in boxes next to the president were Springsteen, Brooks, De Niro, Brubeck and Bumbry. The first lady sat between her husband and Springsteen. They all rose for the National Anthem - and, while all appeared to be singing, the one most audible was Bumbry.
During the tribute to De Niro, Ben Stiller interrupted his commentary to note that Springsteen was in the house. "Bruuuuuce," he said, pumping his fists. Then, spotting the president, Stiller said, "It's the Nobel Peace guy."
Jon Stewart called Springsteen "the music czar.''
Stiller called Brooks a "pioneer'' and "a trailblazer. He's like the Barack Obama for short funny Jews." Langella told the president that he hoped "the lyrics of the theme song of 'The 12 Chairs' will guide you through your years in office'' and advised him to take notes:
""Hope for the best. Expect the worst.
Some drink champagne. Some die of thirst.
No way of knowing which way you're going.
Hope for the best. Expect the worst."
The show ran for three hours, but will be distilled to two for airing on CBS on Dec. 29. The presenters and performers included:
For DeNiro: Ben Stiller, Ed Norton, Harvey Keitel, Sharon Stone. For Brubeck: Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Jon Faddis, Miguel Zenon, Bill Stewart, Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band, and Brubeck's four sons, Christopher, Daniel, Darius, and Matthew. For Brooks: Carl Reiner, Frank Langella, Martin Short, Jack Black, Harry Connick, Jr., Richard Kind, Jane Krawkowski, Matthew Morrison, Gary Beach, Matthew Broderick. For Bumbry: Aretha Franklin, Simon Estes, Angela Gheorghiu. For Springsteen: Melissa Etheridge, John Mellencamp, Ron Kovic, Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper, Jennifer Nettles and Sting.
The president returned home shortly after 11 pm.
And for an encore, the Swamp would like to say that Matthew Mosk of the Washington Times performed stellar Sunday print pool duty.
Comments
The liberals had such a great time for eight years bashing the GOP and Bush for the very same things they do today; albeit worse. The liberals also spent too much energy criticizing Bush's command of the English language. The title of this story? 'Obama Honor Springstein'. Duh; the correct title should either be - 'Obama's Honor Springstein' OR 'Obama Honors Springstein'. Butchering the language is not in the true spirit of Christmas. Have a Merry, Merry Christmas!!!
Posted by: Banderman | December 7, 2009 8:23 AM
Fake ID, just like his fake birth certificate.
Posted by: Dave Madsan | December 7, 2009 9:12 AM
Come on, " Dave ", update your fanatical playbook. I'm sure , with that fertile mind of yours, you can concoct some equally laughable non-issue. How about working on the audacious mindset of " Quitter " Palin and her reported, alarming suggestion, that Alaska secede from our United States of America. Would you look into that alarming idea and get back to us. We sure don't want that great Republican-Libertarian embracing an issue, that she may later regret, having done so. Thanks, " Dave ", keep up the "good" work II You Republican-Libertarians sure now how to present a great example of a good worker, like the way you worked to discredit President, yes, President Obama, and the nonsense about his citizenship.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | December 7, 2009 9:30 AM
"Springstein"?
I guess by your logic then, we should implicate all conservatives for bad spelling and ruining the true spirit of Kawanza and Eid.
Posted by: Dan Federici | December 7, 2009 9:44 AM
Lots of parties. Lots of golf. Lots of campaigning. Lots of teleprompter talking. But very little action of any kind for the American people. Obama is a smug, smirking con man. Unfortunately, the American people will continue to suffer for his selfishness, dishonesty, incompetence and narcissism.
Posted by: Jackson | December 7, 2009 9:59 AM
Of course Barry and My Belle Michelle honored him. Look at the voter fraud contributions that he made in Ohio this past November.
Posted by: BDD | December 7, 2009 10:15 AM
Good to see Obama is honoring Springsteen, he really deserves the credit. And it's not like there is anything else significant that happened on this date.
Except that little business about Pearl Harbor. Which I believe was in Obama's home state. Something on the order of 3000 American's killed. I guess those troops aren't worth supporting anymore, many still entombed at the bottom of the harbor at their battlestations. Meanwhile our "Commander and Chief" is off bowing to the japanese emperor. Proud to be an American? Not today, I'm not, this all just makes me sick to my stomach.
Posted by: Rick Derago | December 7, 2009 10:37 AM
[[Lots of parties. Lots of golf. Lots of campaigning. Lots of teleprompter talking. But very little action of any kind for the American people. Obama is a smug, smirking con man. Unfortunately, the American people will continue to suffer for his selfishness, dishonesty, incompetence and narcissism. Posted by: Jackson | December 7, 2009 9:59 AM]]
yep. i agree 100 percent!!! erm, except for credit card reform, setting in motion an exit from iraq, health insurance reform, an improved relationship with russia, outsmarting the extremists in iran, establishing a timetable to exit afghanistan, securing commitments for foreign troops to bolster the mission in afghanistan, bringing emerging nations to the table to negotiate global warming commitments....
yep, except for all of that, you're a hundred percent right.
Posted by: you are correct, sir | December 7, 2009 11:02 AM
To Banderman-- It's (as in "it is") "Obamas honor Springsteen". Just because a plural ends in "s" does not make it possessive. You are the one sorely in need of refresher course in punctuation. The Trib was correct and you are not.
Posted by: Boy George | December 7, 2009 11:16 AM
[[Good to see Obama is honoring Springsteen, he really deserves the credit. And it's not like there is anything else significant that happened on this date. Except that little business about Pearl Harbor. Which I believe was in Obama's home state. Something on the order of 3000 American's killed. I guess those troops aren't worth supporting anymore, many still entombed at the bottom of the harbor at their battlestations. Meanwhile our "Commander and Chief" is off bowing to the japanese emperor. Proud to be an American? Not today, I'm not, this all just makes me sick to my stomach. Posted by: Rick Derago | December 7, 2009 10:37 AM]]
::sigh::
i see your reading comprehension is a bit low. the kennedy center event was yesterday, december 6.
apart from that, i seem to recall the president saluting fallen soldiers whose remains were brought back from battle.
http://media.sacbee.com/smedia/2009/10/30/18/ObamaFallenSoldiers.standalone.prod_affiliate.4.jpg
and then there was his veteran's day tribute, which was reported thusly:
[[WASHINGTON — President Obama hailed the sacrifice and determination of the nation’s military on Wednesday as he delivered a Veterans Day tribute at Arlington National Cemetery, a hallowed place where he said the “grief remains fresh.”
As he weighs a decision to escalate the war in Afghanistan, Mr. Obama called on Americans to honor the sacrifices that men and women in this generation — and those who have gone before — have given to protect the country.]]
but this is a fun little game you're playing. let's give it a name. let's call it "myopia."
Posted by: imho | December 7, 2009 11:46 AM
i dream of a movie (B&W - not color) in which there is a long line of limos pulling one by one up to a debarking point. The door is opened by an obsequious (sp?) person and the occupant of the limo gets out and proceeds into the building.
(Posses/entourages not allowed.)
One by one they arrive and the next scene shows all of them seated around a very large round table and then someone emerges with a handful of straws, one of which is longer than any of the others. he/she passes these straws out - one to each person - and the person with the long straw is "it". Raising her/his straw so the others can see he/she is "it" he/she begins the charade by turning to the person on his/her left (?) and intoning: "you're important!"
And so it goes, all around the room until EVERYBODY has been told that he/she is important and has said the same to the person to his/her immediate left. (?)
For some reason this article reminded me of that dream.
I wonder why
Posted by: Terry | December 7, 2009 11:48 AM
Banderman is a jerk and a hypocrite. No one bashed Bush for honoring anyone; he' making it up. Then he talks about butchering the language is not in the spirit of Christmas. But bashing liberals is? Merry Christmas, you jerk!
Posted by: Disgusted | December 7, 2009 12:26 PM
Question: Obama's least favorite Springsteen song?
Answer: "Born in the USA"
of course..
Personally I think he was but some people still keep looking for his birth certificate. Who cares!
STOP THE DC SPENDING! BRING OUR DOLLAR BACK TO WHERE IT BELONGS!!
Posted by: wingnut master | December 7, 2009 1:09 PM
Banderman: Duh! You're wrong. It should be: Obama Honors Springstein--OR--Obamas Honor Springstein.
Tell me where the possession is in Obama's?
Posted by: Janstress | December 7, 2009 1:18 PM
Reply to "you are correct, sir:"
You've got to be kidding! Or else you're dreaming.
"Credit card reform" that protects the stupid/self-indulgent at a cost passed on to customers that will be shared with those of us that don't abuse credit. Thanks.
"Health insurance reform" that will be another bloated, inefficient government bureaucracy that will bankrupt the U.S. So what's wrong with TORT REFORM? (Oh, right. Trial lawyers are a Dem special interest group to be protected.)
"An improved relationship with russia" - how naive can you be?
"Outsmarting the extremists in iran" - seriously, how naive can you be?
"A timetable to exit Afghanistan" that causes our allies to question our resolve, demoralizes the military, and emboldens our enemies.
"Securing commitments for foreign troops to bolster the mission in Afghanistan" that otals, what, a few thousand? Are those even combat troops, or just support?
"Bringing emerging nations to the table to negotiate global warming commitments" that STILL won't include India and China for this scientific hoax. Climategate anyone?
Yep, keep drinking that koolaid.
Posted by: hail Zero-bama | December 7, 2009 1:31 PM
I wonder if BO's favorite Mel Brooks scene is the Blazing Saddle's seen where Cleavon Little has a gun pointed at his own head?
Posted by: Terry | December 7, 2009 8:51 PM
Banderman says that the Tribune is liberal? I don't live in Chicago and I still know that it is a notorious conservative mouthpiece. Also, Banderman, "Obama's Honor Springstein" is nonsensical, so go back to 5th grade.
Posted by: Robert Ingerson | December 7, 2009 9:54 PM
Well I would say I am as stupid as everyone else responding to this. Instead of everyone complaining about different things why not all US citizens get together and back the person that was voted in as our President. That way we could advise him of the simplicity of change that makes sense for everyone.
Let's do what the people want and not the politicians.
If only he would really listen to the heartbeat of the country.
I am so sick and tired of everyone blaming everyone. This is no way to get things done.
Posted by: Linda Prosk | December 30, 2009 7:30 PM