Pope John Paul II
For nearly 26 years as supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, he has been
one of the great voices for good in the world -- guiding the souls of the
faithful and sometimes guiding history, itself. From his days as a young
seminarian to this very hour, he's been a foe of tyranny, a minister of true
authority, and a person of great wisdom and kindness and moral courage. The
world is far different and far better because this son of Poland has occupied
the chair of Saint Peter.
Robert L. Bartley
Bob Bartley was a man of great intellect and conviction. And with those
qualities, for more than 30 years, he led the editorial staff of the Wall Street
Journal. The goodness of his values, the clarity of his thinking and the high
quality of his writing earned him the Pulitzer Prize in 1980. His belief in free
markets, and his faith in the wisdom of democracy is still seen in the writings
of the many journalists Bob Bartley encouraged. They and the nation are grateful
for his life's work, and we are honored to have Bob's wife, Edith, with us
today.
Dr. Vartan Gregorian
The life of Dr. Vartan Gregorian began in Iran, in a town called Tabriz. As a
boy, he loved books, and was blessed with a wonderful grandmother who encouraged
him and inspires him still. His great gift has been to share his love of
learning with others, as President of Brown University, President of the New
York Public Library, and now as President of the Carnegie Corporation. Along the
way, Dr. Gregorian has won the loyal friendship of many students and colleagues,
and he has received more than 50 honorary degrees. And today the nation honors
one of our most respected academic leaders.
Estee Lauder
The posthumous award to Estee Lauder recognizes the great American success story
that began with an immigrant family in Queens, New York. For this woman, born in
1908, rising to the top of the business world was not easy. Estee Lauder built a
global cosmetic company, she said, "not by dreaming, or hoping for it, but by
working for it." Hers became one of the most famous American names in the world.
And with this medal, America proudly remembers the great achievements of Estee
Lauder.
Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno has also found success in New York, having found her way there from
Puerto Rico. She first performed on stage as a young girl, and was on Broadway
by age 13. Rita is remembered by many for her Oscar-winning performance in West
Side Story. But the years since have been filled with memorable performances by
a lady of incredible talent and style, energy and beauty. To a collection that
includes the Oscar, the Tony, the Emmy and the Grammy, Rita Moreno may now add
the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and we give this honor with affection and
appreciation.
Gilbert Melville Grosvenor
On a January night in 1888, a group of men, meeting not far from the White
House, founded the National Geographic Society. In the years since, the society
has flourished, thanks, in large part, to a family named Grosvenor. Gilbert
Melville Grosvenor is the fifth generation of his family to hold the title,
President of the Society. As chairman of the Society's board of trustees, and
earlier as president, he has maintained the excellent standards and reputation
that we rightly associate with the National Geographic. Gil has also furthered
the Society's mission of protecting land and wildlife, teaching young people
about geography and instilling in readers a respect for other cultures and
nations of the world. We honor him today for his good stewardship of a great
American institution.
Walter Wriston
Walter Wriston is unable to attend this afternoon, but is represented here by
his daughter, Catherine, and his brother-in-law, Robert. More than 60 years ago,
Walter Wriston worked here in Washington at the Department of State, Mr.
Secretary. After serving his country further as an Army officer in World War II,
he set out to find work in New York. Plenty of jobs were available in banking,
but Walter said banking was at the top of his list of everything dull. In the
decades that followed, while rising to the leadership of Citibank and Citicorp,
Walter Wriston made the industry a lot more interesting, ushering in an era of
unprecedented innovation and improved service. He saw the trends of the future,
and he started a few of his own -- first among them, electronic banking. We
honor him for his great foresight, his principled corporate leadership, and we
thank him for all he has done to extend the opportunities of our free enterprise
system.
Norm Podhoretz
Norm Podhoretz ranks among the most prominent American editors of the 20th
century. And he's doing pretty well in the 21st. Never a man to tailor his
opinions to please others, Mr. Podhoretz has always written and spoken with
directness and honesty. Sometimes speaking the truth has carried a cost. Yet,
over the years, he has only gained in stature among his fellow writers and
thinkers. Today we pay tribute to this fierce intellectual man and his fine
writing and his great love for our country.
Edward William Brooke III
The story is told that on election night, 1962, President John F. Kennedy heard
that his home state had just elected a black man as attorney general. The
President said, "That's the biggest news in the country." Bigger news would
follow in the career of Edward William Brooke III. Within four years, this
decorated Army veteran would become the first African American ever elected by
popular vote to the United States Senate. And when he came to the Senate, he was
coming home. He was the youngest child of Helen and Edward Brooke, Jr. He was
raised right here in Washington. And here he learned the values that led him to
a lifetime of service. Twenty-five years after leaving office, Senator Brooke is
remembered for the high intellect and superb judgment he brought to the Senate.
And across our nation, the Senator is still admired as an historic figure, a man
of honor, and one of America's most distinguished public servants.
Dr. Arnall Patz
Dr. Arnall Patz will always be known as the man who has given to uncounted men,
women and children the gift of sight. As a 32 year old ophthalmologist, Dr. Patz
was the first to understand that the practice of giving high levels of oxygen to
premature infants was causing an epidemic of blindness in babies. For more than
a half-century his name has been the gold standard in the field of researching
the causes and treatment of eye disease. One of the first awards Dr. Patz
received was presented many years ago by Helen Keller. Today, with the Medal of
Freedom, this great healer receives the thanks of our entire nation.
Gordon B. Hinckley
Millions of Americans reserve a special respect for Gordon B. Hinckley, who
still works every day as President of the Mormon Church, and who, on this very
day, turns 94 years old. Mr. Hinckley is the grandson of Mormon pioneers and has
given devoted service to his church since 1935. He's always shown the heart of a
servant, and the gifts of a leader. Through his discipline and faithfulness, he
has proven a worthy successor to the many fine leaders before him. His church
has given him its highest position of trust, and today this wise and patriotic
man receives his country's highest civil honor.
Doris Day
Doris Day is a special presence in American life . . . She has shown the breadth
of her talent in television and the movies. She starred on screen with leading
men from Jimmy Stewart to Ronald Reagan, from Rock Hudson to James Garner. It
was a good day for America when Doris Marianne von Kappelhoff of Evanston, Ohio
decided to become an entertainer. It was a good day for our fellow creatures
when she gave her good heart to the cause of animal welfare. Doris Day is one of
the greats, and America will always love its sweetheart.
Arnold Palmer
For all who love the game of golf, and for those who love to see it played,
there has never been a sight in the game quite like Arnold Palmer walking down
the fairway toward the 18th green. The announcer Vin Scully once said, "In a
sport that was high society, Arnold Palmer made it 'High Noon.'" For more than
50 years, over thousands of miles of fairway, and in 92 professional
championships, Arnold has given his all, playing with style and a daring that
changed the game of golf. He drew millions of fans, and every big crowd we see
at a golf tournament today started with Arnie's Army. The father who had taught
him to play golf at Latrobe Country Club would be very proud today of Arnold
Daniel Palmer.
George Tenet
After a long career in the legislative and executive branches of
government, George was tapped by President Bill Clinton to run the
agency he loved. His challenges at the CIA were many. George acted
quickly and aggressively to rebuild the Agency's capabilities. He made
the recruitment of new talent a top priority.
Early in his tenure as DCI, George Tenet was one of the first to recognize and
address the growing threat to America from radical terrorist networks.
Immediately after the attacks of September the 11th, George was ready
with a plan to strike back at al Qaeda and to topple the Taliban . . . A colleague once said that "George
has the intellect of a scholar and the demeanor of a longshoreman." His tireless
efforts have brought justice to America's enemies and greater security to the
American people. And today, we honor a fine public servant and patriot in George
John Tenet.
General Tommy Franks
America rewards talent, intelligence, and hard work, and the career of
Tommy Franks is living proof . . . Tommy Franks served in
Germany and Korea, at the Pentagon, and at the Army War College. He served in
the Persian Gulf War. He served in Vietnam where he was wounded twice. Yet his
greatest challenges and his greatest service came after the attacks on September
the 11th. As the commander of CENTCOM, Tommy Franks held responsibility for
defending American interests in some of the most remote and difficult terrain in
the world. It's a job that requires the toughness of a general, the foresight of
a strategist, the tact of a diplomat, and the skill of a good manager. Tommy
Franks led the forces that fought and won two wars in the defense of the world's
security, and helped liberate more than 50 million people from two of the worst
tyrannies in the world . . . General, the American people thank you for your
courage, your leadership, and your lifetime of service in the cause of freedom
and security. To the lists of medals and honors and awards you have already
earned, I am proud to add the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Jerry Bremer
Jerry Bremer is a diplomat, a philanthropist, a businessman, and a fashion
pioneer . . . Jerry will be remembered for his superb work in laying the
foundations of a new democracy in the Middle East . . . When America and our
coalition needed a seasoned diplomat and a manager to help the people of Iraq
emerge from decades of oppression, I knew where to turn. For 14 months, Jerry
Bremer worked day and night, in difficult, dangerous conditions, to stabilize
the country, to help its people rebuild, and to establish a political process
that would lead to justice and liberty. The job was demanding, requiring
personal courage, calmness under fire and hundreds of decisions every day . . .
Jerry, Iraq is free today and you helped make it so. And a free Iraq will help
make generations of Americans more secure. Our nation will always be grateful to
Ambassador Jerry Bremer and his good work.
Other
Recipients | Presidential Civilian
Medals Information |
