Merle Haggard, who likes Obama, compliments him by saying, 'I think he knows he's in over his head'

Country music legend Merle Haggard was at the White House this month to receive a Kennedy Center Honor, an award presented by the president of the United States that recognizes a lifetime achievement in the performing arts

Not bad for an ex-con from Kern County best known for his monster hit "Okie from Muskogee."

While talking with Rolling Stone, Haggard, who had previously met Richard Nixon and (then-governor) Ronald Reagan, seemed troubled with the media's representation of President Barack Obama.

"It was also nice to meet Obama and find him very different from the media makeout," Haggard told the magazine. "It's really almost criminal what they do with our president. 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. It's just a big old political game that I don't want to be part of. There are people spending their lives putting him down. I'm sure some of it's true and some of it's not. I was very surprised to find the man very humble and he had a nice handshake. His wife was very cordial to the guests and especially me. They made a special effort to make me feel welcome. It was not at all the way the media described him to be."

 

But the most interesting comment appeared to be a back-handed compliment. When asked about Obama's biggest misconception, Haggard, 73, said, "He's 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. 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."

Obama has recently been criticized by some for praising the owner of the Philadephia Eagles for giving Michael Vick a second chance after he served time in prison for abusing dogs. Perhaps honoring Haggard, who was arrested 17 times as a child and wrote "Okie" after being released from San Quentin Prison when he was 30, planted a seed in Obama's head about what can happen to people once they have truly rehabilitated from crime.

"In a day and age when so many country singers claim to be rambling, gambling outlaws, Merle actually is one," Obama said of Haggard at the ceremony Dec. 5.  "He hopped his first freight train at the age of 10, and was locked up some 17 times as a boy -- pulling off almost as many escapes. 

"Later," the president continued, "after becoming a bona fide country star, Merle met Johnny Cash, and mentioned that he had seen Cash perform years earlier at San Quentin Prison. 'That's funny,' Cash said, 'because I don't remember you being in the show.' And Merle had to explain to the Man in Black that he hadn't been in the show, he had been in the audience."

Nobody tell Tucker Carlson.

-- Tony Pierce
twitter.com/busblog

Photo: Kennedy Center honoree Merle Haggard and his wife pose on the red carpet in Washington on Dec. 5. Credit: Nicholas Kammi /AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[blackone]

He is right. The maestro is right. You'd have to be a FOOL, and Deluded, not to respect the immensity of the job of President.
AND LEAVE IT TO THE YELLOW JOURNALISTS TO DISTORT HIS EVERY WORD.
I enjoy the plain-spoken men and women of Country.

[James Stebar]

I think the media should learn a little respect for the President. I see the media calling our president Obama in stead of President Obama. That really is disrespectful of our President.

[Linda]

Congradulations Mr. Haggard! Love your music.

[mike warren]

Do you think the prez was taking a well deserved shot at Toby Keith saying "In a day and age when so many country singers claim to be rambling, gambling outlaws, Merle actually is one" ? Just a thought.

[bandit]

Romanticizing and dismissing criminality is kind of a hobby of the President and his accolyte Gov. Deval Patrick.

[Jame E]

So the president's supporters are just as thin skinned or more thin skinned than he? I submit that if you feel that PRESIDENT OBAMA is getting a raw deal in the press that you go back and read ANY newspaper account of President Bush and put the word Obama in place of the word Bush. You shall be enlightened. You will learn what Bush had to put with and how he was able to persevere without blaming anyone else for all the problems of the world.

You will also learn what class is for that is the way President Bush handled those who did not give him an inch in any way shape or form.

[deserttrek]

Merle must be getting senile. obama is socialist trash and has not earned respect. Merle go away and enjoy the rest of your life.

[West]

Don't worry, Merle, we know he's in over his head, too. Not exactly a secret.

[Dave]

For the "respect the President " crowd, I don't recall this coming from the right when Bush was President. I will also put a dollar on the table submitting that the current "respect the President" crowd were some among the BusHitler crowd during the previous administration. Any takers?

NB. The article states Haggard met "(then governor) Ronald Regan" (sic), it should have been "(then governor) Ronald Reagan. Let's respect the President shall we?

Just sayin'...

[Bird]

"I think the media should learn a little respect for the President."

Yeah, like W was given, right?

[CalGirl2]

Oh Merle, Merle, did you really say, "anybody with any sense who takes that job and thinks they can handle it, is an idiot"? If you don't think you can handle being the president of the US, you shouldn't run in the first place.
Amazing how the libs continuously make excuses for our Mr. President. President Obama hasn't received anymore insults or attacks in the media, than any other politician. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. The way the media attacked Sarah Palin pales in comparison. The woman is still standing.

[coggieguy]

Treating Merle's comments the way I regard all celebrity pronouncements ....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[John]

Why is it an amusing anecdote that this guy was a juvenile deliquent and criminal? Just because Obama broke the law by doing coke and smoking weed, now we are all invited by The President of the United States to chortle at youthful crime?

That might be appropriate for a late night tv host, but not for the supreme executor of the laws of the US. Maybe that explains why he thinks illegal immigration is just a big joke too.

[Deserttrek]

dear writer,

Too bad my comment regarding merle and obama did not make it. it shows you are a bigot and a fool. nothing new at the la times

[dj spellchecka]

"Anybody with any sense who takes that job and thinks they can handle it must be an idiot." Therefore, Obama's not an idiot. Not so sure about your headline writer, though,

[Evan]

lern 2 reed

[john]

Too bad I didnt hear one person give GOD the credit for their talent.Yes paul we know you got yesterday in a dream,no its not "magic".Thats why your "gifted", youve been given a gift.All through history most great artists recognized that .Yeah its ok to be proud Paul, ex beatle etc.., love your music.Just look at nature and youll see the greatest artist.Are you too proud to admit that?In the hereafter you may be asked" I never heard you mention my name in your songs?"

[Georgiaboy61@live.com]

Merle Haggard apparently has bought, hook-line-and-sinker, Obama's charm - but perhaps Mr. Haggard should take a moment and look what the chief executive's policies are doing to this nation. Several posts have commented on the media calling Mr. Obama by his name rather than the title of the office he occupies. The media - for eight long years - enjoyed making every kind of slur imagineable about George W. Bush, who is a decent and honorable man. That included assassination fantasies and all manner of disrespect. In this writer's opinion, Obama does not deserve the respect his office would normally entitle him to, because of his blatant disregard for the law, and the many deceptions he committed to get where he is - i.e., he is a corrupt, amoral liar who saw nothing wrong with people stealing votes in his name and accepting tens of millions of illegal campaign contributions, etc. The electorate are under no obligation to respect such a man, and this voter will not. He wants my respect, let him resign and apologise sincerely to our nation - then, and only then, will we talk about respect.

[neelie]

I am BEYOND tired of all the people criticizing Merle Haggard for what he says and for things that happened in his youth! I would imagine that the great majority of these people sitting in judgment of him know NOTHING about his life and his career and his music except for "Okie From Muskogee" which was done tongue in cheek when he wrote it in 1969.

[Disgusted American]

Anyone with a brain cell knows Obama is in over his head.

[B.J. Stokes]

Merle Haggard was in San Quintin from 1957 until 1960. Johnny Cash's appearance at San Quintin was in 1969. Nice little story but the numbers don't add up.

[Sara B.]

Wonderful interview. I'd like to hear more from Mr. Haggard. He's right about a lot of things, especially the press, especially the Fox News press. Thinking people should think about their agenda.

[Tracy]

BJ Stokes: "Merle Haggard was in San Quintin from 1957 until 1960. Johnny Cash's appearance at San Quintin was in 1969. Nice little story but the numbers don't add up."

Wrong - Cash performed at San Quentin on January 1, 1958.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/inmate-merle-haggard-hears-johnny-cash-play-san-quentin-state-prison

Get your facts right next time.