At a White House event to recognize achievements in the arts and humanities on March 21, President Joe Biden offered another hint that he may seek a second term in 2024.
One of the recipients of the 2021 National Humanities Medal was author Colson Whitehead, who had received the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2017 and 2020, one of only four people to win the honor twice.
In presenting the medal, the president noted Whitehead’s previous back-to-back wins and quipped, “Pretty good, man! I’m kind of looking for back-to-back myself.”
The remark drew laughter from the crowd assembled in the East Room to see Biden award the 2021 National Medal of Arts to 12 people and organizations that included musicians Bruce Springsteen, Gladys Knight, and Jose Feliciano; and actresses Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Mindy Kaling.
Author Amy Tan, who wrote “Joy Luck Club,” and Ann Patchett, whose works include “The Dutch House”—a finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction—were among other recipients of the 2021 National Humanities Medal.
“General Washington wrote, and I quote, ‘The arts and sciences [are] essential to the prosperity of the State and … the ornament and happiness of human life,’” Biden said.
“We’re a nation—a great nation—in large part because of the power of the arts and humanities that’s stamped into the DNA of America.”
The event was marked by moments of light-hearted humor.
In opening remarks, Biden lauded fashion designer Vera Wang, who also received a 2021 National Medal of Arts.
“When I open the closet, I see you all the time,” he said, referring to First Lady Jill Biden’s wardrobe.
When talking about Springsteen, Biden said, “I just want you to know, Bruce, there was a lawsuit that was between the governor of Delaware and the governor of New Jersey, and it’s now a matter of law. Delaware owns the Delaware River to the high-water mark in New Jersey. So, for all I know, I can claim you as part of Delaware.”
He listed Springsteen’s accolades, which include the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, a Kennedy Center Honor in 2009, an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and multiple Grammys and Golden Globes.
Considered one of the most prolific songwriters of all time, Springsteen released his first album, “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.,” in 1973. He has sold more than 150 million albums worldwide over five decades.
Biden joked about Springsteen’s “first performance as a teenager at the local Elks lodge” in Freehold, New Jersey.
Several of the award recipients have links to Biden.
Louis-Dreyfus is best known by many for her role as Elaine in the iconic TV show “Seinfeld.” The actress also starred in HBO TV’s “Veep,” which debuted when Biden was vice president. Louis-Dreyfus spoke at the Democratic National Convention when Biden was nominated in 2020.
Writer Richard Blanco, who also received a 2021 National Humanities Medal, read his poem “One Today” when President Barack Obama was inaugurated in 2013.
Kaling gained professional acclaim for her role in “The Office,” which was set in Biden’s hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The medals represent Biden’s first awards for the arts and humanities, which were delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. The president also surprised Sir Elton John with a National Humanities medal after he performed at the White House last September.
“The work of our honorees is as diverse as the nation that celebrates with them today,” Biden said. “But common threads weave them together in many ways in the very fabric of America: the pursuit of excellence, the drive to create, the yearning to connect, and the boldness to be truthtellers, bridge builders, and change seekers.
“Above all, you’re masters of your craft,” Biden said. “You’re masters of your craft.”
