Spells Cost Rowling a Medal, Book Says

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She could conjure an entire world out of thin air, but apparently Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling couldn't catch a break in the Bush White House, according to reports about a new book by a former Bush speechwriter last Thursday that Rowling was denied a Presidential Medal of Freedom because her books "encouraged witchcraft," according to Matt Latimer's 'Speech-less: Tales of a White House SurvivorThe blog quotes from page 201 in the book: "This was the same sort of narrow thinking that led people in the White House to actually object to giving the author J.K. Rowling a presidential medal because the Harry Potter books encouraged witchcraft." Fox News, in a report published Monday, notes that Rowling's magical series numbers among former first lady Laura Bush's favorites. "It was like finding a great mystery writer and having that whole body of work to read at once. I really loved them," she said in 2003. Rowling's seven-volume Harry Potter series follows an orphaned hero through his teenage years as he and his friends battle to save their magical world, which exists in tandem with the non-magical "muggle" world. The series has sold more than 400 million copies world-wide, according to the BBC. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor, according to the White House. It recognizes "individuals who make an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors." Recipients do not have to be U.S. citizens. This summer, those honored included tennis player Billie Jean King, Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland and current human rights activist, and the late Sen. Edward Kennedy. Now Harry potter got my kids to read they read all the books as a matter of fact we read them out loud to each other so I hope this isn't true