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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsStanding Ovation for Obama at His Last Kennedy Center Honors
Much More at: ABCNEWS
The longest, loudest standing ovation of the Kennedy Center Honors gala wasn't reserved for Al Pacino, Mavis Staples or the Eagles. Instead, it went to the man sitting to their left, attending his eighth and most likely his last honors presentation: President Barack Obama.
While politics were absent from the tributes to the performers who were recognized for influencing American culture Sunday night, the arts community's affection for Obama and its nervousness about President-elect Donald Trump was palpable in the Kennedy Center Opera House.
The president and first lady Michelle Obama were introduced last, after Pacino and his fellow honorees: gospel singer Staples; pianist Martha Argerich; singer-songwriter James Taylor; and Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmidt and Joe Walsh, the surviving members of the Eagles.
After a sustained ovation, host Stephen Colbert greeted the crowd of Washington insiders as "endangered swamp-dwellers," referencing Trump's "drain the swamp" campaign pledge. He joked that Obama would need to receive the honor to attend again and that "unlike the Nobel Peace Prize, they don't just give these away."
The Kennedy Center Honors are in their 39th year, a period that has included six presidents three Republicans, three Democrats and all have taken time to welcome the recipients. But the 2016 election was noteworthy for the way A-list performers lined up behind Obama and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, while Trump had relatively few celebrity endorsements.
Although the president has no say in who receives the awards, Colbert joked that next year's honorees would include Scott Baio, Gary Busey and Meat Loaf.
"For the past eight years, the White House has given us a leader who's passionate, intelligent and dignified," Colbert said, and the crowd rose for another prolonged ovation, prompting Obama to stand and wave.
"Sir, I don't even know why you stood up. I was talking about Michelle," Colbert said....
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Standing Ovation for Obama at His Last Kennedy Center Honors (Original Post)
Stellar
Dec 2016
OP
tanyev
(42,644 posts)1. "Sir, I don't even know why you stood up. I was talking about Michelle"
I love Colbert!
lamp_shade
(14,850 posts)2. Pictures....
Stellar
(5,644 posts)6. Thank you!
I hoped to see videos but I guess those reporters were out following Trump and his Deplorables around.
a kennedy
(29,739 posts)3. Will this be shown again on TV?? eom
Stellar
(5,644 posts)7. Tuesday, 12/27/16
The Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast on CBS on Dec. 27 at 9 p.m. The center also announced a new contract with CBS to air the annual honors gala through 2025.
a kennedy
(29,739 posts)10. Thank you. eom
Stellar
(5,644 posts)9. Found a video!
a kennedy
(29,739 posts)11. Thanks..... eom
Paladin
(28,280 posts)4. I wonder if Trump will last long enough to bestow these honors.
And if he does, I wonder if he'll approve of all the honorees. Colbert probably has it right: Baio, Busey and Loaf.
greatauntoftriplets
(175,763 posts)8. Don't forget Ted Nugent.