kissed by the enemy
“Bush awkwardly kissed Streisand’s cheek, and she clearly felt obliged to return the affection“
Barbra Streisand got an awkward kiss on the cheek from the president, and yes, she gave him a smooch back. Streisand, a vocal critic of President George W. Bush, was a guest Sunday at the White House before being honored at the Kennedy Center.
By John Charles Reedburg
BARBRA STREISAND is an outspoken critic of President Bush. She’s an active member of the Democratic Party, against the Iraq war, and seemingly convinced that Bush stole both the 2000 and 2004 elections. Nonetheless, she was named as a 2008 Kennedy Center honoree just in time for her award to be presented to her by President Bush himself.
During the ceremony, Bush awkwardly kissed Streisand’s cheek, and she clearly felt obliged to return the affection – though the irony of such a friendly gesture between these two was not lost on bystanders. Later this video of the smooch was played at a gala, and audience members like Morgan Freeman, Condoleeza Rice and First Lady Laura Bush dissolved into laughter.
Streisand said at the ceremony that “art transcends politics today,” and that she would have liked to receive the honor from President-elect Obama.
Another ironic bit: Streisand’s stepson is none other than Josh Brolin, who gave an uncanny portrayal of Bush in Oliver Stone’s film W. Apparently she was so against his decision to play the President that she refused to speak to Brolin.
“She said, ‘How much are you getting paid?’ I told her it was a very low fee. She said, ‘Then why are you doing it?” – Josh Brolin
The 2008 Kennedy Center honorees (L-R front row) singer Barbra Streisand, actor Morgan Freeman, dancer Twyla Tharp, (L-R back row) producer George Stevens, Jr., President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Michael M. Kaiser, musician Roger Daltry, musician Pete Townshend, musician George Jones, and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Stephen A. Schwarzman pose for the formal group photo following the Artist’s Dinner to honor the 2008 recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors at the U.S. Department of State December 6, 2008 in Washington, DC. The artists will be honored in a live show being taped December 7, 2008 from the Kennedy Center and will be broadcasted on December 30, 2008 on CBS.
