    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [June 23, 2004]
    [Pages 1118-1121]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom
    June 23, 2004

        The President. Welcome to the White House. Laura and I are delighted to see all of you, especially the
    men and women we honor today and their families. We're glad you're here.
        This afternoon I have the privilege of presenting our Nation's
    highest civil award. The Presidential Medal of Freedom recognizes
    achievement in public service, in science and education, entertainment,
    the arts, athletics, business, and other fields. As the citations will
    indicate, each of the men and women has led of life of accomplishment
    and distinction and holds special respect among the people of the United
    States.
        One of this year's recipients is a world leader who is known,
    respected, and loved as perhaps no other figure of our time. Three weeks
    ago it was my honor to visit Vatican City and present the Medal of
    Freedom to Pope John Paul II. We're honored
    that His Holiness is represented here today by Archbishop
    Montalvo. We're also pleased that the
    Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal McCarrick, is with us.
        For nearly 26 years as supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church,
    he has been one of the great voices for
    good in

    [[Page 1119]]

    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.
        The Medal of Freedom was also presented last December to Robert L.
    Bartley, shortly before his death at age 66. I had the honor of
    informing Robert L. Bartley that he had won this great award by
    telephone. 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.
        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.
        Ambassador Ron Lauder and Leonard
    Lauder are here to receive the Medal of
    Freedom on behalf of their mother, who passed away in April. 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 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.
        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 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

    [[Page 1120]]

    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. [Laughter] 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 today 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 ranks among the most
    prominent American editors of the 20th century. And he's doing pretty
    well in the 21st. [Laughter] 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.
        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 4 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 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.
        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 could not be with us this morning,
    but this beautiful lady is a special presence in American life. I called
    her yesterday and told her she would be missed. I told her to watch C-
    SPAN--[laughter]--just in case I said something nice about her.
    [Laughter] Even when Harry Truman lived in the White House, all of
    America

    [[Page 1121]]

    knew the name of the girl who sang ``Sentimental Journey'' over the
    radio.
        In the years since, she has kept her fans and
    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.
        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.' '' [Laughter] 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.
        And now I ask the military aide to read the Medal of Freedom
    Citations.

    [At this point, Maj. Steven T. Fischer, USA, Army Aide to the President,
    read the citations, and the President presented the medals.]

        The President. Thank you again for coming. Congratulations.
    Laura and I now ask you to join us at a reception
    to honor these remarkable Americans and, of course, His Holy
    Father. God bless you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 4:13 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo,
    Apostolic Nuncio to the United States of America; and Theodore E.
    Cardinal McCarrick, Archbishop of Washington.