THE PRESIDENT: Good morning! (Applause.) Good morning,everybody! Everybody,please have aseat. Have a seat.
Well, on behalf of Michelle andmyself, welcome to the White House. Thisis one of myfavorite events every year, especially special this year, as Ilook at this extraordinary group ofindividuals and our opportunity to honorthem with our nation’s highest civilian honor -- thePresidential Medal ofFreedom.
And this year, it’s just a littlemore special because this marks the 50th anniversary ofPresident Kennedyestablishing this award. We’re honored,by the way, today to have with us oneof my favorite people -- Ethel Kennedy --and a pretty good basketball player, PresidentKennedy’s grandson, Jack. (Applause.)
This medal has been bestowed onmore than 500 deserving people. Tonight,I’m lookingforward to joining some of these honorees, as well as members ofthe Kennedy family, as we paytribute to these 50 years of excellence. And this morning, we’re honored to add 16 newnamesto this distinguished list.
Today, we salute fiercecompetitors who became true champions. In the sweltering heat of aChicago summer, Ernie Banks walked into theCubs locker room and didn’t like what he saw. “Everybody was sitting around, heads down, depressed,” he recalled. So Ernie piped up andsaid, “Boy, what agreat day! Let’s play two!” (Laughter.) That’s “Mr. Cub” -- a man who cameup through the Negro Leagues, making$7 a day, and became the first black player to suit up forthe Cubs and one ofthe greatest hitters of all time. And inthe process, Ernie became known asmuch for his 512 home runs as for his cheerand his optimism and his eternal faith thatsomeday the Cubs would go all theway. (Laughter.)
And that's serious belief. (Laughter.) That is something that even a White Sox fan like mecan respect. (Laughter.) But he is just a wonderful man and a great icon of my hometown.
Speaking of sports, Dean Smith isone of the winningest coaches in college basketballhistory, but his successesgo far beyond Xs and Os. Even as he won78 percent of his games, hegraduated 96 percent of his players. The first coach to use multiple defenses in agame, hewas the pioneer who popularized the idea of “pointing to the passer”-- after a basket, playersshould point to the teammate who passed them theball. And with his first national titleon theline, he did have the good sense to give the ball to a 19-year-old kidnamed Michael Jordan. (Laughter.) Although they used to joke that the onlyperson who ever held Michael under 20 wasDean Smith. (Laughter.)
While Coach Smith couldn’t joinus today due to an illness that he’s facing withextraordinary courage, we alsohonor his courage in helping to change our country -- herecruited the firstblack scholarship athlete to North Carolina and helped to integratearestaurant and a neighborhood in Chapel Hill. That's the kind of character that he representedon and off the court.
We salute innovators who pushedthe limits of science, changing how we see the world --and ourselves. And growing up, Sally Ride read about thespace program in the newspaperalmost every day, and she thought this was “thecoolest thing around.” When she was aPhDcandidate at Stanford she saw an ad for astronauts in the student newspaperand she seizedthe opportunity. As thefirst American woman in space, Sally didn’t just break thestratospheric glassceiling, she blasted through it. Andwhen she came back to Earth, shedevoted her life to helping girls excel infields like math, science and engineering. “Young girlsneed to see role models,” she said, “you can’t be what youcan’t see.” Today, our daughters --includingMalia and Sasha -- can set their sights a little bit higher because Sally Rideshowedthem the way.
Now, all of us have moments whenwe look back and wonder, “What the heck was Ithinking?” I have that -- (laughter) -- quite abit. Psychologist Daniel Kahneman hasmade thatsimple question his life’s work. In a storied career in Israel and America, he basically inventedthestudy of human decision-making. He’shelped us to understand everything from behavioraleconomics to “Does living inCalifornia make people happy?” It’s aninteresting question. He’salso beencalled an expert on irrational behavior -- so I'm sure that he could shed somelight onWashington. (Laughter.)
But what truly sets Daniel apartis his curiosity. Guided by his beliefthat people are“endlessly complicated and interesting,” at 79 he’s stilldiscovering new insights into how wethink and learn, not just so we understandeach other, but so we can work and live togethermore effectively.
Dr. Mario Molina’s love of sciencestarted as a young boy in Mexico City, in a homemadelaboratory in a bathroomat home. And that passion for discoveryled Mario to become one ofthe most respected chemists of his era. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize -- orthe NobelPrize, rather, not only for his path-breaking research, but also forhis insistence that when weignore dangerous carbon emissions we riskdestroying the ozone layer and endangering ourplanet. And thanks to Mario’s work, the world cametogether to address a common threat, andtoday, inspired by his example, we’reworking to leave our planet safer and cleaner for futuregenerations.
We also have to salute musicians,who bring such joy to our lives. LorettaLynn was 19 thefirst time she won the big -- she won big at the localfair. Her canned vegetables broughthome17 blue ribbons -- (laughter) -- and made her “Canner of the Year.”(Laughter.) Now, that’simpressive. (Laughter.)
For a girl from Butcher Hollow,Kentucky, that was fame. Fortunately forall of us, shedecided to try her hand at things other than canning. Her first guitar cost $17, and with itthiscoal miner’s daughter gave voice to a generation, singing what no one wanted totalk aboutand saying what no one wanted to think about. And now, over 50 years after she cut herfirstrecord -- and canned her first vegetables -- (laughter) -- Loretta Lynnstill reigns as the rule-breaking, record-setting queen of country music.
As a young man in Cuba, ArturoSandoval loved jazz so much it landed him in jail. It wasthe Cold War, and the only radiostation where he could hear jazz was the Voice of America,which was dangerousto listen to. But Arturo listenedanyway. Later, he defected to theUnitedStates knowing he might never see his parents or beloved homeland again. “Withoutfreedom,” he said, “there is nolife.” And today, Arturo is an Americancitizen and one of the mostcelebrated trumpet players in the world. “There isn’t any place on Earth where thepeopledon’t know about jazz,” he says, and that’s true in part becausemusicians like him havesacrificed so much to play it.
We salute pioneers who pushed ournation towards greater justice and equality. A Baptistminister, C.T. Vivian was one of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’sclosest advisors. “Martin taught us,”hesays, “that it’s in the action that we find out who we really are.” And time and again,Reverend Vivian was amongthe first to be in the action: In 1947,joining a sit-in to integrate anIllinois restaurant; one of the first FreedomRiders; in Selma, on the courthouse steps toregister blacks to vote, for whichhe was beaten, bloodied and jailed. RosaParks said of him, “Even after things had supposedly been taken care of and wehad our rights, he was still outthere, inspiring the next generation,including me,” helping kids go to college with a programthat would becomeUpward Bound. And at 89 years old,Reverend Vivian is still out there, still inthe action, pushing us closer toour founding ideals.
Now, early in the morning the dayof the March on Washington, the National Mall was farfrom full and some in thepress were beginning to wonder if the event would be a failure. Butthe march’s chief organizer, BayardRustin, didn’t panic. As the story goes,he looked down at apiece of paper, looked back up, and reassured reportersthat everything was right on schedule.The only thing those reporters didn’t know was that the paper he washolding was blank. (Laughter.) He didn’t know how it was going to work out,but Bayard had an unshakableoptimism, nerves of steel, and, most importantly,a faith that if the cause is just and people areorganized, nothing can standin our way.
So, for decades, this greatleader, often at Dr. King’s side, was denied his rightful place inhistorybecause he was openly gay. No medal canchange that, but today, we honor BayardRustin’s memory by taking our place inhis march towards true equality, no matter who we areor who we love. (Applause.)
Speaking of game-changers,disrupters, there was a young girl names Gloria Steinem whoarrived in New Yorkto make her mark as a journalist, and magazines only wanted to writearticleslike “How to Cook without Really Cooking for Men.” (Laughter.) Gloria noticed things likethat. (Laughter.) She’s been called a “championnoticer.” She’s alert to all the ways,large andsmall, that women had been and, in some cases, continue to be treatedunfairly just becausethey’re women.
As a writer, a speaker, anactivist, she awakened a vast and often skeptical public toproblems likedomestic violence, the lack of affordable child care, unfair hiringpractices. Andbecause of her work,across America and around the world, more women are afforded the respectandopportunities that they deserve. But shealso changed how women thought aboutthemselves. And Gloria continues to pour her heart intoteaching and mentoring. Her one pieceofadvice to young girls is -- I love this -- “Do not listen to my advice. Listen to the voice insideyou and follow that.”
When Patricia Wald’s law firmasked if she’d come back after having her first child, she saidshe’d like sometime off to focus on her family -- devoted almost 10 years to raisingfivechildren. But Patricia never lost theitch to practice law. So while herhusband watched thekids at home, she’d hit the library on weekends. At the age 40, she went back to thecourtroomto show the “young kids” a thing or two. As the first female judge on the D.C. Circuit,Patricia was a topcandidate for Attorney General. Afterleaving the bench, her idea of retirementwas to go to The Hague to presideover the trials of war criminals. Patricia says she hopesenough women will become judges that “it’s notworth celebrating” anymore. But today,wecelebrate her. And along with Gloria,she shows there are all kinds of paths listening to yourown voice.
We salute communicators whoshined a light on stories no one else was telling. A veteran ofWorld War II and more than adozen Pacific battles, Ben Bradlee brought the same intensityand dedication tojournalism. Since joining The WashingtonPost 65 years ago, he transformedthat newspaper into one of the finest in theworld. With Ben in charge, the Postpublished thePentagon Papers, revealing the true history of America’sinvolvement in Vietnam; exposedWatergate; unleashed a new era of investigativejournalism, holding America’s leadersaccountable and reminding us that ourfreedom as a nation rests on our freedom of the press.When Ben retired, Senator Daniel PatrickMoynihan put the admiration of many into a poem: “O rare Ben Bradlee/His reign has ceased/Buthis nation stands/Its strength increased.”
And I also indicated to Ben hecan pull off those shirts and I can't. (Laughter.) He alwayslooks socool in them. (Laughter.)
Early in Oprah Winfrey’s career,her bosses told her she should change her name to Susie. (Laughter.) I have to pause here to say I got the same advice. (Laughter and applause.) Theydidn't say I should be named “Susie,”but they suggested I should change my name. (Laughter.)People can relate toSusie, that's what they said. It turnedout, surprisingly, that people couldrelate to Oprah just fine.
In more than 4,500 episodes ofher show, her message was always, “You can.” “You can doand you can be and you can grow and it can be better.” And she was living proof, rising fromachildhood of poverty and abuse to the pinnacle of the entertainmentuniverse. But even with40 Emmys, thedistinction of being the first black female billionaire, Oprah’s greateststrengthhas always been her ability to help us discover the best inourselves. Michelle and Icountourselves among her many devoted fans and friends. As one of those fans wrote, “I didn’tknow Ihad a light in me until Oprah told me it was there.” What a great gift.
And, finally, we salute publicservants who’ve strengthened our nation. Daniel Inouye wasa humble man and didn’t wear his Medal of Honor veryoften. Instead, he liked to wear apinrepresenting the Good Conduct Medal he earned as a teenage private. “To behave yourselftakes special effort,” hesaid, “and I did not want to dishonor my family.” Danny always honoredhis family and hiscountry, even when his country didn’t always honor him.
After being classified as an “enemyalien,” Danny joined a Japanese American unit thatbecame one of the mostdecorated in World War II. And as thesecond-longest serving senatorin American history, he showed a generation ofyoung people -- including one kid with a funnyname growing up in Hawaii whonoticed that there was somebody during some of those hearingsin Washingtonthat didn't look like everybody else, which meant maybe I had a chance todosomething important, too. He taught allof us that no matter what you look like or where youcome from, this countryhas a place for everybody who’s willing to serve and work hard.
A proud Hoosier, Dick Lugar hasserved America for more than half a century, from a youngNavy lieutenant to arespected leader in the United States Senate. I’ll always be thankful to Dickfor taking me -- a new, junior senator-- under his wing, including travels together to reviewsome of his visionarywork, the destruction of Cold War arsenals in the former Soviet Union --something that doesn’t get a lot of publicnotice, but was absolutely critical to making us saferin the wake of the ColdWar.
Now, I should say, traveling withDick you get close to unexploded landmines, mortar shells,test tubes filledwith anthrax and the plague. (Laughter.) His legacy, though, is the thousandsofmissiles and bombers and submarines and warheads that no longer threaten usbecause of hisextraordinary work. Andour nation and our world are safer because of this statesman. And in atime ofunrelenting partisanship, Dick Lugar’s decency, his commitment tobipartisanproblem-solving, stand as a model of what public service ought to be.
Now, last, but never least, wehonor a leader who we still remember with suchextraordinary fondness. He still remembers as a child waving goodbyeto his mom -- tears inher eyes -- as she went off to nursing school so shecould provide for her family. And Ithinklifting up families like his own became the story of Bill Clinton’slife. He remembered what hismom had todo on behalf of him and he wanted to make sure that he made life better andeasierfor so many people all across the country that were struggling in thosesame ways and had thosesame hopes and dreams. So as a governor, he transformed education so more kids couldpursuethose dreams. As President, he provedthat, with the right choices, you could grow theeconomy, lift people out ofpoverty. We could shrink our deficitsand still invest in our families,our health, our schools, science,technology. In other words, we can gofarther when we look outfor each other.
And as we’ve all seen, asPresident, he was just getting started. He doesn’t stop. He’s helpedleadrelief efforts after the Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the Haiti earthquake. Hisfoundation and global initiative havehelped to save or improve the lives of literally hundredsof millions ofpeople. And, of course, I am mostgrateful for his patience during the endlesstravels of my Secretary ofState. (Laughter.)
So I’m grateful, Bill, as wellfor the advice and counsel that you’ve offered me on and offthe golfcourse. (Laughter.) And most importantly, for your lifesavingwork around the world,which represents what’s the very best in America. So thank you so much, President Clinton. (Applause.)
So these are the recipients ofthe 2019 Presidential Medal of Freedom. These are the menand women who in their extraordinary lives remind usall of the beauty of the human spirit,the values that define us as Americans,the potential that lives inside of all of us. I could notbe more happy and more honored to participate in thisceremony here today.
With that, what I would like todo is invite our honorees to just sit there and let all of usstand and giveyou a big round of applause. (Applause.)
I guess we should actually givethem the medals, though. (Laughter.) Where are my --herewe go. Lee, you want to hit it?
MILITARY AIDE: Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients.
Ernie Banks. (Applause.) With an unmatched enthusiasm for America’s pastime, ErnieBanks slugged,sprinted and smiled his way into the record books. Known to fans as “Mr. Cub,”he played anextraordinary 19 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, during which he was named to11All-Star teams, hit over 500 home runs, and won back-to-back Most ValuablePlayer honors.Ernie Banks was electedto the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977, and he will forever be known asone ofthe finest power hitters and most dynamic players of all time. (Applause.)
Benjamin CrowninshieldBradlee. (Applause.) A titan of journalism, BenjaminCrowninshieldBradlee is one of the most respected newsmen of his generation. After servingour nation in World War II, BenBradlee went on to defend liberty here at home. Testing thelimits of a freepress during his tenure as executive editor of The Washington Post, heoversawcoverage of the Watergate scandal and successfully challenged the federalgovernmentover the right to publish the Pentagon Papers. His passion foraccuracy and unyielding pursuitof truth continue to set the standard forjournalism. (Applause.)
The Honorable William J.Clinton. (Applause.) Among the finest public servants of ourtime,President William J. Clinton argued cases for the people of Arkansas, servedhis state in theGovernor’s Mansion, and guided our nation into a newcentury. As the 42nd President oftheUnited States, Bill Clinton oversaw an era of challenge and change, prosperityand progress.His work after leavingpublic office continues to reflect his passionate, unendingcommitment toimproving the lives and livelihoods of people around the world. In respondingto needs both at home andabroad, and as founder of the Clinton Foundation, he has shown thatthroughcreative cooperation among women and men of goodwill, we can solve eventhemost intractable problems. (Applause.)
Irene Hirano Inouye, accepting onbehalf of her husband, the Honorable Daniel K. Inouye. (Applause.) A true patriot and dedicated public servant, Daniel K. Inouye understoodthepower of leaders when united in common purpose to protect and promote thetenets wecherish as Americans. As amember of the revered 442nd Regimental Combat Team, DanielInouye helped freeEurope from the grasp of tyranny during World War II, for which he receivedtheMedal of Honor. Representing the peopleof Hawaii from the moment the islands joined theUnion, he never lost sight ofthe ideals that bind us across the 50 states. Senator Inouye’sreason and resolve helped make our country what it is today,and for that, we honor him. (Applause.)
Dr. Daniel Kahneman. (Applause.) Daniel Kahneman’s groundbreaking work earned him aNobel Prize inEconomic Sciences for his research developing prospect theory. After escapingfrom Nazi-occupied France as ayoung boy and later joining the Israel Defense Forces, Dr.Kahneman grewinterested in understanding the origins of people’s beliefs. Combiningpsychology and economic analysis,and working alongside Dr. Amos Tversky, Dr. Kahnemanused simple experiments todemonstrate how people make decisions under uncertaincircumstances, and heforever changed the way we view human judgment. (Applause.)
The Honorable Richard G.Lugar. (Applause.) Representing the State of Indiana for overthreedecades in the United States Senate, Richard G. Lugar put country aboveparty and self toforge bipartisan consensus. Throughout his time in the Senate, he offered effective solutionsto ournational and international problems, advocating for the control of nuclear armsand otherweapons of mass destruction. Working with Senator Sam Nunn, Richard Lugar establishedthe Nunn-LugarCooperative Threat Reduction Program, one of our country’s mostsuccessfulnational security initiatives, helping to sustain American leadership andengagenations in collaboration after decades of confrontation. He remains a strong voice on foreignpolicyissues, and his informed perspective will have broad influence for years tocome. (Applause.)
Loretta Lynn. (Applause.) Born a coal miner’s daughter, Loretta Lynn has followed a boldpath tobecome a legend in country music. Asinger, songwriter, and author, she has writtendozens of chart-topping songs,released scores of albums, and won numerous accolades.Breaking barriers in country music andentertainment, she opened doors for women not only bywinning tremendousachievements, but also by raising issues few dared to discuss. Fearlesslytelling her own stories withcandor and humor, Loretta Lynn has brought a strong female voiceto mainstreammusic, captured the emotions of women and men alike, and revealed thecommontruths about life as it is lived. (Applause.)
Dr. Mario Molina. (Applause.) The curiosity and creativity that inspired Mario Molina toconvert hisfamily’s bathroom into a laboratory as a child have driven him through decadesofscientific research. Born in Mexico,Dr. Molina’s passion for chemistry brought him to the UnitedStates, where hisinvestigations of chlorofluorocarbons led to breakthroughs in ourunderstandingof how they deplete the ozone layer. Theimpact of his discoveries extends farbeyond his field, affecting environmentalpolicy and fostering international awareness, as wellas earning him the 1995Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Today, Dr.Molina remains a global leader,continuing to study air quality, climatechange, and the environment that connects us all. (Applause.)
Tam O’Shaughnessy accepting onbehalf of her life partner, Dr. Sally K. Ride. (Applause.)Thirty years ago, Dr.Sally K. Ride soared into space as the youngest American and first womantowear the Stars and Stripes above Earth’s atmosphere. As an astronaut, she sought to keepAmericaat the forefront of space exploration. As a role model, she fought tirelessly to inspireyoung people --especially girls -- to become scientifically literate and to pursue careersinscience, technology, engineering, and math. At the end of her life, she became aninspiration for those battlingpancreatic cancer, and for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, andtransgendercommunity. The tale of a quiet hero,Sally Ride’s story demonstrates that the sky isno limit for those who dream ofreaching for the stars. (Applause.)
Walter Naegle accepting on behalfof his partner, Bayard Rustin. (Applause.) Bayard Rustinwas agiant in the American Civil Rights Movement. Openly gay at a time when many had tohide who they loved, hisunwavering belief that we are all equal members of a “single humanfamily” tookhim from his first Freedom Ride to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenderrightsmovement. Thanks to hisunparalleled skills as an organizer, progress that once seemedimpossibleappears, in retrospect, to have been inevitable. Fifty years after the March onWashington heorganized, America honors Bayard Rustin as one of its greatest architectsforsocial change and a fearless advocate for its most vulnerable citizens. (Applause.)
Arturo Sandoval. (Applause.) Arturo Sandoval is one of the world’s finest jazz musicians.Born into poverty in Cuba and held back byhis government, he risked everything to share hisgifts with the world --eventually defecting with help from Dizzy Gillespie, his mentorandfriend. In the decades since, thisastonishing trumpeter, pianist, and composer hasinspired audiences in everycorner of the world and awakened a new generation of greatperformers. He remains one of the best ever to play. (Applause.)
Linnea Smith, accepting on behalfof her husband, Dean E. Smith. (Applause.) Dean E.Smith spent36 seasons taking college basketball to new heights. As head coach at theUniversity of NorthCarolina at Chapel Hill, he led his team to 11 Final Fours, two nationaltitles,and 879 victories, retiring as the winningest men’s college basketballcoach in history. DeanSmith brought thesame commitment to supporting his players off the court. He helped morethan 96 percent of hislettermen graduate. And in an era ofdeep division, he taught players toovercome bigotry with courage andcompassion. He will forever stand as oneof the greatestcoaches in college basketball history. (Applause.)
Gloria Steiner. (Applause.) A trailblazing writer and feminist organizer, Gloria Steinem hasbeen atthe forefront of the fight for equality and social justice for more than fourdecades.Instrumental to a broad rangeof initiatives and issues, from establishing Ms. Magazine and TakeOurDaughters to Work Day, to pushing for women’s self-empowerment and an end tosextrafficking. She has promotedlasting political and social change in America and abroad.Through her reporting and speaking, she hasshaped debates on the intersection of sex and race,brought critical problemsto national attention, and forged new opportunities for women inmedia. Gloria Steinem continues to move us all totake up the cause of reaching for a more justtomorrow. (Applause.)
Reverend C.T. Vivian. (Applause.) Equipped only with courage and an overwhelmingcommitment to socialjustice, the Reverend C.T. Vivian was a stalwart activist on the marchtowardracial equality. Whether at a lunchcounter, on a Freedom Ride, or behind the bars of aprison cell, he wasunafraid to take bold action in the face of fierce resistance. By pushingchange through nonviolentdemonstration and advocacy, C.T. Vivian established and lednumerousorganizations to support underserved individuals and communities. His legacy ofcombating injustice will shineas an example for generations to come. (Applause.)
Patricia McGowan Wald. (Applause.) Patricia McGowan Wald made history as the first womanappointed to theUnited States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Rising toChief Judge of the Court, shealways strove to better understand the law and fairly apply it.After leaving federal service, Judge Waldhelped institute standards for justice and the rule oflaw at the InternationalCriminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague. Hailed as amodel judge, she laid afoundation for countless women within the legal profession and helpedunveilthe humanity within the law. (Applause.)
Oprah G. Winfrey. (Applause.) Oprah G. Winfrey is a global media icon. When she launchedThe Oprah Winfrey Show in 1986, there were few women-- and even fewer women of color --with a national platform to discuss theissues and events shaping our times. Butover the 25years that followed, Oprah Winfrey’s innate gift for tapping intoour most fervent hopes anddeepest fears drew millions of viewers across everybackground, making her show the highest-rated talk show in televisionhistory. Off screen, Oprah Winfrey hasused her influence to supportunderserved communities and to lift up the livesof young people -- especially young women --around the world. In her story, we are reminded that no dreamcan be deferred when we refuseto let life’s obstacles keep us down. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: The Medal of Freedom honorees -- please. (Applause.)
Well, that concludes the formalpart of today’s ceremony. I want tothank all of you forbeing here. Obviously,we are deeply indebted to those who we honor here today. And we’regoing to have an opportunity totake some pictures with the honorees and their familymembers.
The rest of you, I understand thefood here is pretty good. (Laughter.) SoI hope you enjoythe reception, and I hope we carry away from this a reminderof what JFK understood to be theessence of the American spirit -- that it’srepresented here. And some of us may belesstalented, but we all have the opportunity to serve and to open people’shearts and minds inour smaller orbits. So I hope everybody has been as inspired, as I have been, participatingandbeing with these people here today.
Thank you very much,everybody. (Applause.)