| Politico | - |
President
Barack Obama took the stage Wednesday with former President Bill
Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and a string of scholars, communicators and
sports stars as he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to a
wide-ranging group of Americans.
President Obama awards Medals of Freedom to Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey
President Barack Obama took the stage Wednesday with former
President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and a string of scholars,
communicators and sports stars as he awarded the Presidential Medal of
Freedom to a wide-ranging group of Americans.
With former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton watching from the front row, Obama honored the 42nd president for showing that “we could shrink our deficits and still invest in our families, our health, our schools, science, technology,” he said at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.
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(TRANSCRIPT, VIDEO: Obama's Medal of Freedom ceremony remarks)
As Obama awarded Clinton his medal, the two briefly chatted and smiled, before the former president took on a more serious expression as his citation was read by an announcer. As the ceremony started, Vice President Joe Biden crossed over to Hillary Clinton and planted a kiss on her cheek. No discussion of 2016 was audible.
In all, Obama awarded medals to 16 people, including former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, feminist Gloria Steinem, country singer Loretta Lynn and former Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.). Some of the medals were awarded posthumously, including ones given to Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hi.), astronaut Sally Ride and civil rights activist Bayard Rustin.
Recounting Ride’s decision to become an astronaut, Obama joked: “All of us have moments when we look back and wonder, what the heck was I thinking? I have that quite a bit.”
The president also told the story of Winfrey being encouraged to change her name to “Suzy” to make her more relateable to the public. “I got the same advice,” Obama quipped.
(PHOTOS: 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony)
John F. Kennedy established the current Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963, and the first set of medals were awarded by Lyndon Johnson on Dec. 6, 1963, just three weeks after Kennedy’s death.
Soon after the ceremony, the president, first lady Michelle Obama and the Clintons will join members of the Kennedy family at the late president’s grave in Arlington National Cemetery to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony.
In the evening, the Obamas will honor the Medal of Freedom awardees at a dinner at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
The other honorees are: “Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks; Nobel-winning psychologist and Princeton professor Daniel Kahneman; Nobel-winning chemist Mario Molina; jazz musician Arturo Sandoval; former University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith; civil rights activist Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian; and former D.C. Circuit judge Patricia Wald, who now serves on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.
With former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton watching from the front row, Obama honored the 42nd president for showing that “we could shrink our deficits and still invest in our families, our health, our schools, science, technology,” he said at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House.
Continue Reading
“And, as we have all seen, as president he was just
getting started,” Obama added, in a nod to the work that Clinton has
done through his foundation and other initiatives in the dozen years
since he left the White House.
“Of course I am most grateful for his patience during the endless
travels of my secretary of state,” he continued. “I’m grateful, Bill, as
well, for the advice and council you offered me on and off the golf
course, and most importantly for your lifesaving work around the world,
which represents the very best in America.”(TRANSCRIPT, VIDEO: Obama's Medal of Freedom ceremony remarks)
As Obama awarded Clinton his medal, the two briefly chatted and smiled, before the former president took on a more serious expression as his citation was read by an announcer. As the ceremony started, Vice President Joe Biden crossed over to Hillary Clinton and planted a kiss on her cheek. No discussion of 2016 was audible.
In all, Obama awarded medals to 16 people, including former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, feminist Gloria Steinem, country singer Loretta Lynn and former Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.). Some of the medals were awarded posthumously, including ones given to Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hi.), astronaut Sally Ride and civil rights activist Bayard Rustin.
Recounting Ride’s decision to become an astronaut, Obama joked: “All of us have moments when we look back and wonder, what the heck was I thinking? I have that quite a bit.”
The president also told the story of Winfrey being encouraged to change her name to “Suzy” to make her more relateable to the public. “I got the same advice,” Obama quipped.
(PHOTOS: 2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony)
John F. Kennedy established the current Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963, and the first set of medals were awarded by Lyndon Johnson on Dec. 6, 1963, just three weeks after Kennedy’s death.
Soon after the ceremony, the president, first lady Michelle Obama and the Clintons will join members of the Kennedy family at the late president’s grave in Arlington National Cemetery to participate in a wreath-laying ceremony.
In the evening, the Obamas will honor the Medal of Freedom awardees at a dinner at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
The other honorees are: “Mr. Cub” Ernie Banks; Nobel-winning psychologist and Princeton professor Daniel Kahneman; Nobel-winning chemist Mario Molina; jazz musician Arturo Sandoval; former University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith; civil rights activist Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian; and former D.C. Circuit judge Patricia Wald, who now serves on the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board.
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