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President Obama, with first lady Michelle Obama, waves as he arrives at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors in Washington Sunday after making an address to the nation.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: AP)
WASHINGTON<span style="color: Red;">*</span>— President Obama made at least three wardrobe changes Sunday night in his attempt to balance a national, televised address on terrorism with a previously scheduled Kennedy Center Honors celebration.
At a 5:15 p.m. reception in the East Room earlier Sunday evening, a tuxedo-clad Obama honored singer-songwriter<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Carole King, filmmaker<span style="color: Red;">*</span>George Lucas, actress and singer<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Rita Moreno, conductor<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Seiji Ozawa, and actress and Broadway performer<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Cicely Tyson. (The Eagles were also supposed to be honored, but backed out because of singer Glenn Frey's poor health.)
"Tonight, we honor five artists who helped tell the story of the first American century through music, theater, and film -– and by doing so, helped to shape it, helped to inspire it, helped to fortify our best instincts about ourselves," Obama said in introducing the honorees<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to a star-studded audience that also included<span style="color: Red;">*</span>director<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Steven Spielberg, comedian Stephen Colbert, actor Tyler Perry, actress Julie Andrews, actress<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Kerry Washington, playwright<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Lin Manuel Miranda, director Martin Scorsese, musician<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Herbie Hancock, singer Janelle Monae, actress<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Rosie Perez and singer Usher.
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors reception in the East Room of the White House Sunday.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, AP)
After the reception, Obama had two hours to make changes to his address<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to the nation of the threat of terrorism,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>change<span style="color: Red;">*</span>into a dark business suit. He entered the Oval Office precisely at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, took a sip of water,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and began speaking<span style="color: Red;">*</span>exactly<span style="color: Red;">*</span>90 seconds later.
The cameras turned off following the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>13-minute speech,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>"Clear? All right. OK. Thank you guys," Obama said, and quickly exited the Oval Office for the change back into his tuxedo. A<span style="color: Red;">*</span>four-minute motorcade ride took him<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>just a mile away from the White House.
President Obama is seen through the window of the Oval Office delivering a rare, prime-time address to the nation about the ongoing terror crisis.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo, EPA)
When the White House first announced his prime-time speech Saturday night, it took the 7:15 p.m. Kennedy Center appearance off the schedule. But it was reinstated on Sunday, and Obama<span style="color: Red;">*</span>arrived at the performance during an intermission, 22 minutes after finishing the speech.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The president was accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, who was wearing<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a blue-and-black<span style="color: Red;">*</span>gown by designer Oscar de la Renta.
By tradition, the Kennedy Center honorees sit with the President and the First Lady to enjoy a performance in their honor. The 38th annual event event is one of the highlights of the Washington social calendar, and will be broadcast on the CBS Network on Dec. 29.
The Obamas returned to the White House at 10:31<span style="color: Red;">*</span>p.m.
And on Monday, it's more of the same. Obama will have meetings in the Oval Office<span style="color: Red;">*</span>— including a national security briefing at 10 a.m.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>— before hosting the Congressional Ball at the White House.
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