[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

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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

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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.