Bob Dylan awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

What we have here is a solemn White House ceremony in which Bob Dylan, resplendent in pitch-black aviator shades and rocking nervously from side to side, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor bestowed upon a civilian. Imagine one of the people who bought Dylan's first album 50 years ago being suddenly transported to this scene. I'm not sure any aspect of it would make sense to them, but there's something endearingly awesome about it today.

Other recipients today included novelist Toni Morrison and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. With the arguable exception of Aretha Franklin in 2005, Dylan is the first rock and roller to receive the distinction.