WHAT BUDGET WOES? President Obama last night at the White House party featuring soul legend Booker T. (left) and other stars. (
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WASHINGTON — The “sequestration” budget cuts may have halted public tours of the White House — but they didn’t stop President Obama from partying the night away at a celebrity-filled private concert in the executive mansion last night, with taxpayers footing part of the bill.
The president, his wife and two daughters lived it up with superstars such as Justin Timberlake, Queen Latifah, Cyndi Lauper and Al Green, for the 10th installment of the “In Performance at the White House’’ series since Obama took office.
Last night’s event — featuring a large makeshift stage in the White House’s East Room — was dedicated to Memphis soul music.
It was produced and partly paid for by public TV station WETA in DC, as it has been since 2009.
Taxpayers picked up the cost of security and other related expenses. The White House didn’t respond to a question about how much taxpayers were on the hook.
As Obama entered the room, the night’s music director, Booker T. Jones of the 1960s R&B funk band Booker T & the MG’s, played his hit “Green Onions.”
“It’s now my second term, so rather than ‘Hail to the Chief,’ we’re going with that from here on out — a little change in tradition,” Obama said to laughs from the crowd of invited guests.
“Tonight I am speaking not just as a president, but as one of America’s best-known Al Green impersonators,” he said to more laughs, referencing his impromptu rendition of Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” at a campaign fund-raiser last year at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.
Green, one of Obama’s favorite singers, had been scheduled to perform last night but canceled at the last minute because of a back injury, the White House said.
But Obama turned serious when talking about the influence of Memphis music on America, particularly during its civil-rights struggle.
He pointed out that Jones and musician Steve Cropper, who was in attendance, were part of one of that city’s first integrated bands.
“They weren’t allowed to go to school together. They weren’t always allowed to travel or eat together,” the president said. “But no one could stop them from playing music together.”
“And that was the spirit of their music — the sound of Soulsville USA, a music that, at its core, is about the pain of being alone, the power of human connection and the importance of treating each other right,” Obama said.
“After all, this is the music that asked us to try a little tenderness. It’s the music that put Mr. Big Stuff in his place. And it’s the music that challenged us to accept new ways of thinking with four timeless words: ‘Can you dig it?’ ”
The White House performance will be broadcast next Tuesday on PBS.