Image Credit: YURI GRIPAS/AFP/Getty ImagesPaul McCartney’s performance at the White House last night turned into an all-star jam session — and a presidential one, at that. He was there to accept the third ever Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, which has previously been awarded to Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder. The New York Times has a full run-down of Macca’s set, which included singing “Michelle” to First Lady Michelle Obama (cute!), along with several other Beatles and solo hits.
Perhaps the best part of all came when McCartney closed the show with “Hey Jude,” accompanied by many of the other artists who had paid tribute to him during the evening. The line-up included, among others, Elvis Costello, Jack White, Emmylou Harris, Dave Grohl, Herbie Hancock, Faith Hill, Jerry Seinfeld (?!), and President Barack Obama himself. Hit the jump to see the leader of the free world getting into the spirit with a few enthusiastic na-na-na-nas. (Clip via Pitchfork.)
Some critics seem to find Obama’s participation in the singalong unbefitting of his office, but come on. Who among us could resist singing along to the end of “Hey Jude” when Sir Paul himself is in the building? Certainly not I.
(Follow the Music Mix on Twitter: @EWMusicMix.)
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Aw that made me smile! That is one my absolute favorite songs. (Although what was Kevin Jonas doing there?)
Drill Baby Drill is the anthem of the Republican Party, yet when there is a disaster they blame it on the President. Hypocrites never cease to amaze me.
I guess the President should just go around mourning the death of the Gulf? Then you’ll hear that he’s depressing people!
I’ve never seen any President get this much grief, even before he does his job. It can’t be racism. No that would be too easy. Maybe they don’t like him because he’s skinny? No that can’t be it. People are so stupid. If he were White, they wouldn’t have a problem with any of his policies.
Obviously Joseph you were asleep the past eight years.
Good to see Nobama singing while the people of Louisiana are suffering due to that oil spill. Reminds one of Nero fiddling while Rome burned.
Shut up Teabagger!
Classic response from an enlightened group of people. Sometimes I think people are giving O too hard of a time, but he really just doesn’t get it.
YOU shut up dirtbagger. Nobama hasn’t as of yet taken away freedom of speech. I’m sure that he’s working on it however.
Can you imagine if Bush was singing while the worst disaster in history happened? President Obama has sadly shown more emotion during this clip than what’s been going on here in the Gulf.
The Daily Show yesterday showed a montage of Obama at worthless meetings with special interest groups over the past month combined with clips of him saying he will not rest until the oil gush is stopped. Add this sing-along to that list.
Look, this disaster is absolutely appalling, but what exactly is Obama supposed to do every minute of every day to resolve it? He can provide leadership, he can be involved in the key decisions, but him sitting in a room thinking about how awful it is 24/7 won’t make any difference to the situation. This spill is going to be continuing for months, and in the meantime he has other responsibilities. The rest of the country has not gone into a state of mourning – so it wouldn’t be appropriate for the President to do it alone. There are events he has accepted invitations to that he is expected to attend out of courtesy and as part of his duties as a Head of State. That’s how it works.
Dude, do you even know what a “teabagger” is?
the people of Louisiana welcomed those oil companies with welcoming arms. they were behind the politics of the oil business all the way, and when it breaks down, they start whining about it? man up! you wanted oil, now you got it all over your damn gulf.
Ian, uhm, that oil is going to start affecting a lot more than “their” gulf.
agreed, but notice that my point was about the populations whining about the oil, not how widespread the consequences will be.
So Louisiana deserved the oil spill??? Did they deserve Katrina too?
This is a crisis and if you are saying that they are “whining” over the oil spill…well I think they have a right! The oil is destroying their way of life, the crabs, fishing, crawfish, all of the seafood that Lousiana is famous for are being destroyed! And Obama waited 40 days before getting down there, didn’t allow the first containment methods that would have destroyed 95% of the oil and won’t get back to Jindal on putting up sand barriers to protect the marshlands.
And according to you Louisiana is “whining?”
Where’s Kanye when you need him?
“Obama doesn’t care about black beaches.”
(black meaning covered in oil, if you didnt pick that up…)
Nerwen, there are a few ways in which “deserve” can be used here.
through their actions and words, yes, they deserved the consequences of their actions.
morally, do they deserve all of the hardship and pain? no. no one deserves to suffer as much as the ANIMALS have, not the humans.
“And Obama waited 40 days before getting down there, didn’t allow the first containment methods that would have destroyed 95% of the oil and won’t get back to Jindal on putting up sand barriers to protect the marshlands.”
blah, don’t bring Obama into this. he had nothing to do with the oil companies moving in, or the oil spill occurring.
Louisiana isn’t whining. these guys on the message boards are. big difference.
LMAO at “Obama doesn’t care about black beaches.” Funniest thing I’ve read today… and I don’t even agree with it! Still funny though.
IAn G probably was out in the forefront condemning Bush about Katrina. He reads the Huffington Post and is wise enough to say we “deserve” to get hit by the Oil Spill. Um, even that Toyota Prius hybrid you drive still needs oil Ian.
I don’t own a car. I ride a bike.
I was 11 when George Bush was elected President, i didn’t care about his term (though that doesn’t mean i’m uneducated about his period in office).
Katrina was the fault of Louisiana officials who, likewise decided that the oil companies should come in clean of laws, who decided that the levies in New Orleans need no further inspection. I want to live in New Orleans one day. But I don’t blame the man in the white house for a state government’s problem.
“welcomed with welcoming arms”
Enough said.
Yes, and I’m sure since the oil spill you have stayed holed up inside all day crying and praying. Get a life.
What a buffoon. Teabaggers are out of touch with reality. Hopefully they’ll run “Palin/Paul 2012″ and we can all laugh.
yes, because obama should be down their straining the water himself with you, right Barry? Hope you don’t get your swimsuit dirty!
Shut the hell up Barry
Make me.
an oil spill occurred in your state because of the state’s idiotic population. are you not shut up yet? what needs to happen? duct tape and tasers?
Nobama? I thought the Republicans wer the party of No. You people are so stupid.
This coming from a person who can’t spell were.
Wait, a president not responding appropriatly to a mass crisis?! In Louisiana none the less!? That sounds impossible, and I’m positive its never happened before…oh wait. I’m sure it was tough to wake Bush from his “nap” during Katrina. WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY DIED, NOT JUST FISH AND SEAGULLS.
Ok, I’m an Obama supporter, but seriously bad timing, dude!
I could not agree with you MORE!! Are you kidding?? We have a complete disaster in the gulf and he is having a lovefest with Paul McCartney?! Give me a break!! I am ashamed of BOTH of them!!!
I find it very disappointing and rather ridiculous. Timing is everything sometimes.
There is never a time when the president doesn’t have a lot on his plate the fact that he takes time to relax is just going to make him better at his job.
Well, it certainly couldn’t make him worse at his job!
Stevie Wonder, Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Grohl, and Barack Obama… great video.
Yeah, the blind leading the blind.
Hmmm glad to see Obama having a good time, he’s been having a VERY good time since the oil spill. He’s played golf six times, played basketball, chatted with Bono and now sung a few songs.
Meanwhile my family in Louisiana is watching the oil coming onto the shore wondering how they will survive the crisis that is destroying their livilihood.
Hope and Change
Obama could swim down to the spill and plug it himself and you’d still complain he wasn’t doing enough.
The oil spill will allow the appointed Messiah to finally walk on water.
The day Obama swims down to the spill and plugs it himself is the day I support him…until then I will point out how he is making a muck of things with his inaction because that IS what he is doing. This is NOT Fox News talking, this is Chris Matthews from MSNBC, Kirsten Powers, Pat Gunnery and a whole host of Obamafans that are shaking their heads trying to figure out what is going on with our president
Nerwen, why don’t you move to the Moon and set up the first government of the Supreme Tit-Bags?
I heard they’re bringing Desmond in a submarine, so he can get down there and plug it.
Maybe you should blame the people responsible. Contrary to poular belief everything is NOT Obama’s fault. Keep drinking that Fox News Kool Aid. Meanwhile, BP sits back and points fingers at everyone else for THEIR MISTAKE. Yeah you’re right. Obama is an evil mastermind who purposely didn’t allow containment of the oil spill so he could curse Louisiana. I’m sure he is home twirling his moustache as we speak.
The Oil spill is in federal waters, BP needs to get permission from the federal government to do what they need to stop the spill…it IS Obama’s problem
PS: I don’t watch Fox News but you can pretend that I do if it makes you feel any better
BP doesn’t own the oil rig, TransAmerica does. are you watching the Simpsons for your news?
No it doesn’t matter who owns the rig, I was talking about how it was federal WATERS, the waters are contaminated and BP can pay for the clean up but in federal waters they need federal permission to clean up and contain it, i.e. they need to talk to Obama first.
PS: I don’t watch the Simpsons either
We need a little more of that “na na na na” spirit in our world these days. I think it’s pretty awesome, oil spill or not.
Some “na na na na” and a few million golf balls might “plug the damn hole.” Aren’t you late for your dope smoking party?
I hope i’m not late! Let’s get this dope to smokin’!
Since when does becoming the president mean you have to be stern and never smile or laugh all day long? Are there problems facing the US and the world right now? Yes. There are ALWAYS problems facing our country and the world. There has never been a day when there hasn’t been a horrible situation to some extent happening here and/or abroad. I guess that means that life stops and no one can laugh, smile, or enjoy anything until all problems are solved. Life goes on in spite of problems. Deal with it. Enjoying and singing along to the performance of a legend is hardly a crime, and I don’t see how that is unbefitting a President. However, I’m sure people will be calling for an impeachment any second…people are absolutely ridiculous sometimes.
AMEN!
Well said!
Thats right.
Well said!
Since that was the attitude that people took when George Bush was in office.
I would waste my piss on either one of them if they were on fire.
Today’s question: “Daddy have you fixed the hole yet?”
Answer: “No honey, I’m still an a$$hole.”
today’s question: Was Barry abused as a child by his father?
Answer: You don’t want to know the answer.
No, I want to know since you feel that you know so much about me. Ian…sounds like either a British or Irish name. Go hang out with all those do gooders like Bono & McCartney who make their money here but don’t contribute anything but complain about America.
That could not be more lame.
You know, I didn’t vote for Obama, but people started giving him a hard time a few months into his term. The man never said he would solve everything right away. He said the opposite. Go back and listen to his election night speech..he said ‘we may not be able to fix things in one year or even one term’ but he was confident the problems would be solved. He inherited a mess, has had more junk happen in his first year than I can remember happening to any president in my lifetime. People put him on a pedestal. He’s not a miracle worker. That’s what’s wrong with people. Everybody wants it NOW. That’s how we all got into this mess. Give him a break and time to do stuff.
Thank you!!!
I still can’t believe he missed the White House Memorial Day ceremony because he was on vacation. Well, that’s the kind of president you voted for. What a shame.
uh dominic, is it? he was at Lincoln Memorial that day. Did you get the Memo?
He was & the heavens opened up on him. GOD rained all over Hussein.
Obama has taken 26 days off during his first year in office for “vacation.” GW Bush took 69 in his first year.
Some people will criticize Obama no matter what he does or doesn’t do, and I don’t know why you people don’t realize that your complaints fall on deaf ears. No one is going to take your criticism seriously if it’s constant and irrational.
Its really not that big of a deal. He went last year.
Its also not unprecedented. George H.W Bush never went during his presidency, and he was a Navy hero.
Its really not that serious.
And as cookie cutter as this BP oil spill seems on the surface 9like really? Its been almost a month guys!), its most likely not. I truly dont think Obama going into obscurity and going all “Beautiful Mind” on us with ideas would help either. I understand all the worries and truly sympathize, but its gonna get fixed sooner or later.
And I doubt this is because Obama’s black or whatever. People were just as upset at Bush during Katrina.
He was home in Chicago at our veteran cemetery delivering a speech and laying a wreath for the war dead buried here. Vacation, I don’t think so.
I WAS a supporter, but this is too much, families are suffering, animals are dying, businesses will no doubt have long lasting trama. Really, bad timing and poor judgement.
It is good to see the President having fun..well done! Why on earth people expect him to be God to fix every problem. He is NOT an engineer, he is the President and he is doing everything possible you whingers who complain about everything. You’re sad case..go and see yourself in the mirror!
Obama’s the One who claimed “This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal,” about himself being elected president. He has only himself (and his numb-brained minions) to blame for the criticism.
He’s a politician just like everyone else. You can’t always expect them to do everything they say. I didn’t. And I semi-support Obama. People are the ones who treat him like hes the second coming. He’s just another president who happens to be black.
Oh, good grief. Must we always get into hatred spewing. The only comments should be about the clip, which I loved.