Bush Speechwriter makes claim of why JK Rowling did not get Presidential Medal

[Saddle Bronc 124]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8282356.stm

JK Rowling denied top US honour

Harry Potter author JK Rowling missed out on a top honour because some US politicians believed she "encouraged witchcraft", it has been claimed.

Matt Latimer, former speech writer for President George W Bush, said that some members of his administration believed her books promoted sorcery.

As a result, she was never presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The claims appear in Latimer's new book called Speechless: Tales of a White House Survivor.

He wrote that "narrow thinking" led White House officials to object to giving Rowling the civilian honour.

The award acknowledges contributions to US national interest, world peace or cultural endeavours.

The only category fitting is that of "cultural endeavour"--the judgement on what constitutes such being made in and by a country considered to lack culture

Past literary recipients of the award include John Steinbeck and Harper Lee.

Others denied the privilege under the Bush administration included Senator Edward Kennedy, who died in August this year.

Latimer claimed, in his book, that the veteran politician and health care activist was excluded because he was deemed to be too liberal.

Since Peso Jorge wasn't exactly the model of conservatism himself, I'll say Latimer's claim is bakvas; more likely due to Kennedy's doing much to block judicial appointments (as he had also done 1981-1989)