Who does Paul McCartney think he is—John Lennon?

Here’s what “Sir” Paul McCartney said (watch video) after receiving the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at the Library of Congress and then performing at the White House:

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

I am shocked by this. McCartney has always been known for his social graces, his avoidance of public nastiness. Even when others—such as John Lennon after the split-up of the Beatles—were savaging him, he avoided any tit for tat. For him gratuitously to insult the previous president of the United States when at the White House performing for the current president, is about as classless an act as one could imagine. It’s a violation of the spirit of music, which is for everyone, not just for partisan Democrats. If he doesn’t retract and apologize for this despicable cheap shot, he will have lowered himself in my estimation.

Here is coverage and a more complete video at Mediaite. In the video, that great conservative Joe Scarborough reacts to the McCartney insult, and the strongest criticism he can summon is, “Was this necessary?”

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Bob B. writes:

Thanks for the McCartney post. I agree with you. I guess Sir Paul, knight of the realm, found it so “cool ” being there he just had to bow the knee.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at June 03, 2010 02:15 PM | Send