It´s the Kardashian presidency. Cheap and tawdry is the best we can expect.

Obama picked entertainers who would appeal to his low-information voters.

Surprised Barry and Mooch didn´t show up in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Accompanied by Anthony Weiner and Huma.

In this day & age of our history, that is "High Culture" At least they didn´t screech, spit & grab their crotch.

To Obama voters this was high culture. When I was in 2nd grade we were taught to dance the Minuet. That was at a public school. The teacher spent a lot of time making sure we did it properly. Today she´d probably be fired for not teaching the Dougie. Who needs all these dead Europeans with their literature, fine art and music. We got Snoop Dog.

High culture? Not in this Presidency. Marian Anderson sang the Nat´l Anthem at President Eisenhower´s 2nd inauguration. The way it should be sung.

Let me add criticism of the whole poetry thing. And not just that Barry ignores the poet laureate (that´s right, we have one) in favor of his latest thrill in special classes...

I mean that the poetry thing is stupid. The orator at the inauguration is (should be) the president. Plain and simple.

You want to have a poet speak at one of the dinners...fine.

But at the inauguration...no good. Even Robert Frost was no good. There, I said it. And Democrats will not get it. Not since JFK did the thing.

While I understand the author´s point, I think it´s a little uninformed to think that many of the pop vocalists of today do not work to hone their craft. To assume that your musical choice (classical, opera) renders you more cultured or professional than say, a jazz, blues, or even rock musician shows a pofound ignorance of the arts. I can´t speak to Beyonce or Ms. Clarkson, but many pop, rock, and jazz performers work hard to develop their skills, musically or vocally.

I will admit that many of the genres aren´t necessarily well represented by the tops in their field. Beyonce has turned out to be an odious, smug human being and I´m defending people like Snoop Dogg or Eminem. However, I´m sure Mariah Carey, Winford Marsallis, and even Dave Grohl work hard to be better at their craft.

Correction: I´m NOT defending Snoop Dogg or Eminem.

Fat fingers...

You have to have culture to know there´s a high and a low version. You also, as the leader of a country, should go with what is appropriate for your people to feel proud. All that is missing here, sigh.

#5, I remember learning to waltz and polka in grade school. What a change of culture in one generation we see today.

I watched very little of the inauguration & kept turning to the Food Network but when I saw Zero had picked Beyonce for his "base" I angrily changed channel immediatey. As for Kelly Clarkson I thought she was wonderful,sang all stanzas of that patriotic song & I read that before the election she backed Romney. Was very surprised he picked her - but she is a patriotic Texas young woman. I even wrote Lamar Alexander a strong email about the fact that we were not an African,Asian or Mexican country but an Anglo Saxon culture which most Americans have forgotten. II Chronicles 7:14

I watched none of the inauguration. But I saw one image that I will not forget as long as I live. It was Michelle Obama at lunch with her elbows on the table, shoveling food into her mouth while rolling her eyes at House Speaker Boehner.

When it comes to the national anthem my feeling is that it should not be a ´performance´ for some singer, but instead the audience should all be asked to join in singing. It is still done that way in a few venues, and it is so powerful and meaningful. I´m probably in the minority but that´s ok with me.

The only culture lefties have, they take medication for.

Yes. Very well said, Mona Charen. Thank you.

High culture and the Obamas mentioned in the same article?