Paul McCartney Performs at East Room of White House

A Beatle met the president when Sir Paul McCartney performed at the East Room of the White House on Wednesday night.

Photo: Paul McCartney Performs at East Room of White House

Accepting the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, Mr. McCartney used the occasion to applaud President Obama. "Getting this prize would be good enough," Mr. McCartney said. "But getting it from this president ..." He smiled.

He added that despite "difficult times" for the president, "you have billions of us who are rooting for you." Then, with the first lady in the front row, Mr. McCartney sang "a song I have been itching to do at the White House," he said. It was "Michelle."

A few minutes after the concert, Mr. McCartney returned to the microphone, thanking the Library of Congress and adding, "After the last eight years, it’s great to have a president who knows what a library is," The New York Times reports.

The 67-year-old McCartney was at the White House to receive the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, awarded by the Library of Congress. Receiving his award from US President Barack Obama, Sir Paul revealed himself to be as much a fan of the politician as the Commander-in-Chief was of him.

He said, "Mr President said that we're going through difficult times on a number of fronts but when I knew that I was coming here tonight, I knew that I had to say that even though we all know that you've got lots of difficult issues to deal with, I just want you to know that you have billions of us who are rooting for you," Spinner reports.