(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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Witness once again how the tone has changed in Washington.
McCartney's remarks about the past President is unfortunate & illiterate in his part. My high regard for you Mr.englishman is now in the gutter.
Overhyped musician, and typical liberal moron.
Unfortunatley, Obama makes George W, look like George Washington. Obama is incompetant, ill-willed, and a typical chicago machine politician. He just says pretty words and the obamabots worship.
And it would be nice, after the last 6 weeks, if we we wouldn't let incompetent British oil companies to drill in our back yard so there profits can go to England either.
You know, it is one thing for us voting American's to say things about our leaders, but for a sitting President to allow this to happen in the house of the American people by a foreign citizen again (like Calderone) is garbage.
Have the man apologize for telling stating his opinion??
I DON'T THINK SO!!
Unlike most Republicans, he did not 'misspeak'! [Rule: Avoid the word 'lie". It has such a negative connotation!]
As a Republican for 40 years I say that Bush was the dumbest freakin' President - ever!! Re-elected after four year term. What were you people thinking??!!?? He was an eight-year-long disaster.
Your kids and grandkids will be dealing with his stupidity, arrogance, and errors for decades!
Truth hurts
This from the loyal subject of a drunken, chain smoking, bankrupt, access selling Duchess...what did we expect?
It is you Mr. Boehner that should apologize to the American people for doing nothing about anything.
BAWWWW... Boehner sure knows how to cry alot. Boohoo, etc.
As much as I agree with McCartney's sentiment, the comment was out of place for the occasion. This trend of politicizing everything is getting tiresome.
Jerk! President Bush has a high IQ, he just speaks with a Texas drawl. SO WHAT? It is better tha a president who talks eliquently and.......................
Boehner is the biggest tool in the shed. If he is asking for an apology, make sure he insists on an apology from Glenn Beck, who said Pres Obama was setting up concentration camps, Rush Limbaugh, who compared President Obama to Adolf Hitler, and that whackadoo Michelle Bachman just for being a general, schizophrenic nuisance. Ask for those apologies first, Boehner. God hates you.
ROFLOL! I DID feel sorry for Bush the other day, though. I head his library burned down and he wasn't finished with one of the comic books.
Get over it, Mr. fake suntan!
I disagree with McCarthney's comments.
However, I believe in freedom of speech.
get over it, i thought it was humorous innocent remark
Yeah, Bush did soooo much. The kids that are graduating from my school can fill in bubbles on an answer sheet til the cows come home, but ask them to solve a real-life problem and they stare at you like dogs watching Jeopardy. NCLB is a farce, doesn't work and never will. Never have 100% of any group attained 100% of anything. Some people are can master physics, some play French horn, some write poetry. We have to accept that we are all different with different abilities. The ones graduating today have serious issues with problem solving and abstract thinking thanks to teaching to the test and standardized testing. McCartney is right. Bush was educations worst nightmare!
I don't understand why celebrities often seem compelled to make political wise cracks at the most inopportune times. No class? Definitely. The need for everyone to appear to have a (poor) sense of humor? Sure. I am definitely no fan of the Bush dynasty, but comments such as McCartney's are just plain rude, considering all the other poingnant things he could have said (about the achievement itself!).
Enlightened by acid. Yeah, we should take Paul seriously. Just another burnout from the 60's. Stick to music and entertainment Paul.
Coming for a British guy probably not. He just want's his life back.
i like McCartney, he just calls them as he sees them. and he's right!
Oh please, it's called humor, which we need in these times. Find something real to be up in arms about.
What about the Tea Party people and what they are saying about President Obama? Oh, I forgot, you call that Freedom of Speech.
I agree. Shut up and sing Paul. You're an outsider and have no right to criticize our government.
Classy job there Paul, the Nation tries to bestow an honor upon you and all you have in you is to go back to your old Beatles class clown routine.
Sad.