Merle Haggard and President Obama
Country music legend Merle Haggard, who met U.S. President Barack Obama earlier this month, found him to be “very different” from the way he is portrayed in the media.
“Not conceited. He’s very humble about being the president of the United States, especially in comparison to some presidents we’ve had who come across like they don’t need anybody’s help” – the Politico quoted him as saying in an interview with Rolling Stone.
Haggard met Obama at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, where he was feted alongside Sir Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey, among others, for enhancing the country’s cultural life.
“I think he knows he’s in over his head. Anybody with any sense who takes that job and thinks they can handle it must be an idiot” – he said.
Haggard said it was “really almost criminal” how Obama was portrayed in the media.
“There seems to be no shame or anything. They call him all kinds of names all day long, saying he’s doing certain things that he’s not” – he said.
- Merle Haggard.
The country singer said he was “very surprised” to find Obama “very humble.”
“He had a nice handshake” – he said. “His wife was very cordial to the guests and especially me. They made a special effort to make me feel welcome.”
Haggard said he exchanged a light moment with the president when he told Obama: “You and I have something in common: our wives are both taller than we are.”
“He said ‘No! She’s got on 3-inch heels! And she is not that tall’” – Haggard recalled. “He was like me. He grabbed that real quick.”
But during the Kennedy Center event, Haggard said he especially enjoyed meeting former President Bill Clinton.
Asked whether he thinks Clinton is a “big fan” – Haggard said, “Well, he said he was, and he never lied to me.”
Haggard, Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey, Bill T. Jones and Jerry Herman were all honored on December 5 for enhancing the country’s cultural life.
Country music fans, we’ve got some great news for you.
Merle Haggard was one of five individuals honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington D.C. on December 10 (it aired on December 28, on CBS), and he made sure to make the most of the night. Haggard was honored by his friends Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson at the event, where they decided to work together on a supertrio project for 2011.
Haggard and Nelson were already plannning to collaborate on an album when they decided they also wanted Kristofferson to be a part of it. The trio will hit the studio soon to begin working on the album. Haggard tells Rolling Stone: “We talked about the three of us doing it. I’m sure if we’re healthy and live to do it, we’ll do it.”
Have the three country music icons decided on a title yet? “We thought about the title: the Musketeers… because there’s the three of us” – he says. “We’ll come up with some little way of describing ourselves, I guess, and put it together into a show.”