 Hello there. Hi. Finally, we've met you. Well, good to see you. Nice to see you. Hello. Nice to see you. Thank you. I'm Ginger. Hello. It's back up so you can all get in here. This is my granddaughter, Katie. Hello there. Hello there. Does it break it? She's in the queue. My daughter, Barbara. Hello. Now I can see you. Hello. Nice to see you. Nice to see you. Nice to see you. Nice to see you. Nice to see you. Hello. Nice to see you. Nice to see you. Nice to see you. Nice to see you. I understand that you met Doug Morrow. Oh, yes, Morrow. Yes, I did. Well, I just wanted to say something to thank you. You know Doug. Oh, yes. I know him. And he's a historian. He's probably got a lot of interest. Do we have a question? Yes. Sure. Okay. Nice to see you. Oh, that's wonderful. She's writing the book. Yeah. That's wonderful. I think that one was better. Yes, of course. It is. Okay. It is. Oh, no. Not like that. I'd like to follow through. Yes. I'm interested. Yes, you are. Thank you. Thank you, sir. We went to the spirit. He was trained as a lawyer. Yes. But he volunteered. I was to the next. Okay, everybody look over this question. Everybody look at the top, please. I don't know. I don't know. Okay, thank you. Thank you, sir. I knew one of my brothers left. Mother, I really want one of my children. We're just going to say hello. That's a while back. Same with her. Yes. Well, I think that's it. You want to please that in the arch top. Well, thank you. Well, the doctor told me that you had to watch cholesterol. Why don't I get operated on now for something else? Oh! The doctor said that's the most sensible thing I've ever heard a patient say. So they did the open heart surgery in the bypass and within the first year, finally, he was about time about my conversion. Yeah. About the pros of that. And in the complete training for the mission, I was told that he had a weightlessness surgery. I understand that on that trip, he was the only one who could be a second. I think that's right. That's right. That's right. That's right. That's right. He feels that it's time that somebody that a real company in the United States is spinning. I think that's a good idea. I'll talk to him about that. Ready? He's going to do that. He's going to do that. Thank you. Appreciate it. Great. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Well, thank you all for being here. Nancy and I want to welcome you all to the White House for this happy occasion. On days like this and at lunches like this, I find myself looking up and thinking what a wonderful job I have. We're here today to present the Medal of Freedom to seven Americans. This medal is the highest civilian honor our nation can bestow. And I've always thought it highly significant that we call it not the Medal of Talent or the Medal of Valor or the Medal of Courage or Genius, but the Medal of Freedom. I think that says a lot about our values and what we honor and what we love. Freedom is important to all of us. As someone who's spent many years making speeches, I've quoted many definitions of freedom. Some very moving and eloquent. But I've always liked George Orwell's blunt and unadorned statement. He said freedom is the right to say no. There's something kind of happily rebellious about that definition. And I thought of it this morning because I decided this year's recipients of the Medal of Freedom are distinguished by this. You're a group of happy rebels. In your careers and in the way you've lived your lives, you've all said no. A most emphatic no. To mediocrity. To averageness. To timidity. You've said no to the rules of the game and the regulations of the day. You've said no to the conventional wisdom. No to the merely adequate. Limits and limitations on yourselves and others. But it's probably true that there's little point to freedom unless it's accompanied by a big yes. And each of you has uttered a resounding Whitman-esque yes to many things. To excellence and risk and reach. To courage and the untried and the supposedly impossible. You've rebelled against the artificial and embraced the authentic. You've achieved a great deal and your creativity itself has been life affirming. For creation is a profoundly faithful act missed me. An act that says I trust in the future and I trust in life itself. You're all originals. You've all made America better. A better place and you've made it seem a better place in the eyes of the people of the world. And this today is just our way of saying thanks. And without further ado I'm going to read the citations for the medals now and award them to the recipients. Walter Hubert Annenberg Following a brilliant career in publishing and pioneering the use of television for educational purposes Walter Hubert Annenberg was in 1969 appointed ambassador to the court of St. James where he served with extraordinary diligence bringing the governments and people of the United States and United Kingdom closer together Since returning to private life Walter Annenberg has devoted himself to the development of higher education and has provided support to countless institutions. Today our nation repays his lifetime of achievement with its gratitude. Walter We're pleased and proud. Earl Henry Blake A soldier of the gridiron Colonel Earl Red Blake led the West Point team he coached to the history books. He rallied the Black Knights from a record of devastating defeats and carried them on to some of their greatest victories winning the esteem of his cadet players and the admiration of his vanquished rivals. One of America's great coaches he brought a winning spirit to his team honored to his branch of service and pride to his nation. And Red here you go and well deserved. Barry Morris Goldwater Well, soldier and statesman Barry Morris Goldwater stood at the center of American history. Respected by both ally and adversary Barry Goldwater's celebrated candor and patriotism have made him an American legend. Hailed as a prophet before his time selfless in the service of his nation Barry Goldwater has earned the unbounded affection and admiration of his countrymen and the enduring gratitude for all future generations of America. And here you go Mr. Conservatives and Helen Hayes I can't resist pointing out that Helen was married to a happy rebel named Charlie MacArthur a wonderful playwright and a man of natural style and Helen today I was remembering your story knowing just a minute but to make you listen to a story when she first set eyes on Charlie it was at a party where he was eating from a bag of peanuts he looked at her and asked if she liked some peanuts and as he poured them into her hand he said I wish they were emeralds and years later as a famous and celebrated playwright he bought Helen what she'd asked for as an anniversary gift a handful of jewels and as he poured the emeralds into her hand you know what he said I wish they were peanuts Helen Hayes MacArthur they are admired but fewer beloved and fewer still are both but Helen Hayes is and has been for almost all the years of this century both peerless actress, peerless star she has excelled on stage, screen and television playing everything from virtuous young Angenous to Victorian Queens Helen Hayes is that rare thing a true original she is also demonstrably a great actress and a great soul Helen General Matthew B. Ridgway when a soldier rising sword in hand reaches to protect an idea, freedom liberty, human kindness the world is for a moment hushed greatness is often born in quiet, in stillness and so it was that night in June of 1944 when General Matthew B. Ridgway prayed the words Joshua I will not fail thee nor forsake thee D-Day saved a continent and so a world and Ridgway helped save D-Day Heroes come when they are needed great men step forward when courage seems in short supply World War II was such a time and there was Ridgway General thank you and God bless you not anymore for over half a century as a journalist, author and teacher Vermont Royster illuminated the political and economic life of our times his common sense exploded the pretensions of quote expert opinion unquote and his compelling eloquence warned of the evils of society loosed from its moorings in faith the voice of the American people can be heard in his prose open, proud and free Vermont congratulations to you and to the rest of New England Albert Bruce Sabin when as a boy Albert Bruce Sabin came to the United States from Russia and no one could have known that he would number among the most prominent immigrants of our century from an early age Sabin devoted his life to medicine and by the 1950s his research had resulted in a breakthrough years since the Sabin vaccine has helped to make dramatic advances against the scourge of poliomyelitis this medal is awarded to Dr. Sabin on behalf of a proud nation and a grateful world doctor thank you there's nothing to add to achievements such as these and no praise that can add any more lustre to these great names may I say to you simply to all of you thank you just for being doing what you've done and what you do thank you all God bless you