(CNN) – House Minority Leader John Boehner is demanding an apology from music legend Paul McCartney after the Beatle took a slap at President Bush during a recent White House ceremony.
President Obama on Wednesday awarded McCartney the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song – a lifetime achievement award given by the Library of Congress. Upon receiving the award, McCartney deadpanned, "After the last eight years, it's great to have a president who knows what a library is."
The comments generated laughter and cheers from the audience in the East Room, but Boehner said the remark showed a "lack of grace and respect."
"Like millions of other Americans, I have always had a good impression of Paul McCartney and thought of him as a classy guy, but I was surprised and disappointed by the lack of grace and respect he displayed at the White House," the Ohio Republican said in a statement provided to CNN. "I hope he'll apologize to the American people for his conduct which demeaned him, the White House and President Obama."
Boehner spokesman Kevin Smith added the comments were "particularly offensive" because "the [former] president and first lady (who is actually a librarian) did so much for literacy."
McCartney's comments came at the end of the ceremony and Obama did not reference them.
Presenting the award, Obama said it was given "on behalf of a grateful nation, grateful that a young Englishman shared his dreams with us."
From CNN Politics
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Funny how our President, who obviously fancies himself some sort of royalty, sits on his throne, being personally entertained, while "his kingdom" burns.
Shame on him. Please, vote him out!!!!
Why should Paul McCartney apologize for stating a fact!
Rep Boehner is without a doubt the most partisan of all the GOPites in Congress...He continually defends the indefensable...Bush, by his own admission, does not read...All Mccarthy did was remind people that Americans have an Intellegent President after 8 years of that Buffoon
OK, that's it. I want an apology from Boehner. I want him to apologize to all of us for his second class treatment of our democracy. He and his bully co workers (Cantor....idiot) have stonewalled every effort President Obama has made to correct the mistakes made by Bush. Boehner is a laughable piece of a man who would not know the truth (or a joke) if it hit him in the face. Maybe the tanning bed has tanned his brain but that is not the fault of the american people. He needs to crawl back under his rock and stay there until the people of his district grow some balls and get rid of him.
Paul McCartney is a class act who knows what he said was spot on truth, there is never room to apologize fro telling the truth.
What would Boehner know of grace and respect? No apology necessary Mr. McCartney.
Why doesn't Boehner ask for apologies from all those who ahve refered to this president as a terrorist? That clown from South Carolina called him a raghead. Oh, I'm sorry. He's a republican. Do as I say, not as I do. Hey Boner, if you are that sensitive and thinned skin, you shouldn't be in politics.
Laura did a lot to advance literacy while occupying the White House. She read bedtime stories to George each night.
I guess Paul thought he didn't have to be classy since he's a "big star." Class can't be bought.
Apology's well lets start with the GOP, the remarks you have made in the last year about this President have showed "Lack of Grace and and Lack of Respect" and the remarks from the GOP (Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Colter and not to forget the Stupid Wilson that called Obama a Lier........ and all the Tea Baggers and their Racists remarks......after all I haven't see any Republicans standing up and calling any of these people out on their LACK OF GRACE AND LACK OF RESPECT..........Boehner is a stupid FOOL
Does this mean we can demand an apology from people like Glenn Beck and most of FOX news who doesnt address President Obama as the President but only as Barrak Obama? If you dont know what I'm talking about then watch there shows if you can stand to. They never address him as the President but only as Barrak Obama. Talking about a lack of respect for the office.
I can understand why the Congressman from Ohio is upset by Paul McCartney's remark. The truth hurts! I wish he had directed some of his distain towards the policies of the last 8 years which lead us to where we are now but he didn't!
Boehner needs to check his history (a President who reads books upside down?) – McCartney is right; America does itself proud to have intelligence represented at the White House instead of the knee-JERK, don't believe in science, rewrite history mentality of the previous occupants of the office. It is not demeaning to speak truth to power. After the barrage of insults continually thrown at this White House by Boehner and his Republican colleagues, he has NO room to be asking for an apology from anyone.
There isn't room enough to ask for all the apologies that Boehner owes the rest of this country. He is the last person that should be asking for an apology for anything. He's done nothing for the last two years but insult the entire thinking world..
When a man is right, he's right. And McCartney sure had that right. I doubt if Bush got past Dick & Jane.
John Boehner is a pompous, arogant fool!
This supposed leader and his House Republican rabble wouldn't even censure or reprimand one of their own for calling the president a liar on national TV and now he expects an apology from McCartney?
Three word for you Mr. I-wanna-be-Speaker ... sit and spin.
Boehner doesn't know The Declaration of Independence from The Bill of Rights. Would someone please replay the tape showing Boehner holding up he Declaration of Independence while quoting from The Bill of Rights then we'll see how quick Boehner will ask for any apology, he's pathetic.
Coming from the same people who slander Obama on a daily basis.
Good Luck Boner,Would you want an apology if he said that about clinton?I think not.I think it's funny.How would you like to be the one guy Paul Mcartney calls a Dumbarse.Paul Mcartney has influenced more people in this WORLD than John Boner has seen.The last person Paul would ever have to apologize to is Boner.What an ego boner has.Hey boner hold your breath.
The orange man does all he can to keep the media attention – kinda like sara failin.
I want an apology from the orange man's parents for giving birth to this hater.
I agree with Boehner. McCartney disrespected the office of the presidency.
The truth often impedes Boehner's holier-than-thou attitude. A bit more humility on his part wouldn't hurt. While Laura Bush is an interesting and informed woman, alas, her husband is just a weanie.
This is just another example of someone putting down America and Obama supporting him.
I cannot stand liberals who think they know everything about politics when they do not have a clue.
George Bush should be commended for what he did for our country. He presided in a time when millions of people wanted nothing but destruction for all Americans. Yes, even destruction for you liberals. What he did was have our country infiltrate Al-Queda in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries and weaken their organizations incredibly. If you don't believe me, look at the last few terrorist attempts. They were unstructured (thank god!). Kudos to our armed forces these past 10 years, we cannot thank you enough.
President Bush did a great job, and he did it with limiting handouts to all you liberals who do not want to go to work but would rather sit home, collect unemployment, collect welfare, and collect free insurance. You are bringing this country down.
And yes, EqualPolitics4All means the end of having the USA as a nanny country. We should all be treated equal meaning we should reduce drastically the amount of people living off of the government.
Paul McCartney, GET A CLUE!
I hate when people make fun of Bush for being stupid
I usually find they are stupid themselves
Bush is an evil man, do not call him stupid, call him Evil
Unfortunately for you, Mr. Boehner, only politicians give fake apologies that don't mean anything. Get over it.
Boehner should apolige to us all. Poorest excuse for a leader that I have seen in many a moon.