paths listening to your own voice. we salute communicate fors who shine the light on stories no one else was telling. a veteran of world war ii, ben bradlee brought the same intensity to journalism. since joining the "washington post" 65 years ago, he transformed that newspaper into one of the finest in the world. the post published the pentagon papers, exposed watergate, unleashed a new era of investigative journalism, holding america's leaders accountable and reminding us that our freedom as a nation rests on the freedom of the press. when ben retired it was put into a poem. oh rare ben bradlee his reign has ceased but his nation

standings, its strength increased. and i also indicated to ben, he can pull off those shirts, and i can't. [ laughter ] >> he always looks so cool 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 ] >> they didn't say i should be named susie, but they suggested i should change my name. [ laughter ] [ applause ] >> people can relate to susie that's what they said. it turned out, surprisingly that people can relate to oprah just fine. in more than 4500 episodes of her show, her message was always you can.

you can do, and you can be, and you can grow, and it can be better, and she was living proof, rising from a childhood of poverty and abuse to the pinnacle of the entertainment universe, but even with 40 emmies the distinction of being the first black female billionaire her greatest strength has always been her ability to find the best in ourselves. michelle and i consider ourselves fans and friends. and finally we salute public servants who have strengthened our nation. daniel was a humble man who didn't wear his medal of honor often. instead he liked to wear a pin he won as a teenage private.

danny always hon in order his family and his honor even when his country didn't always honor him. after being classified as an enemy alien, he joined a japanese-american unit. and as the second-longest serving senator in american history, inspired many including a funny looking kid growing up in hawaii who noticed that there was somebody in those hearings in washington who didn't like everybody else, so maybe i had a chance too. he taught all of us this country has a place for those willing serve. dick lugar, i will always be

thankful to dick for taking me under his wing, including travels to review some of his visionary work the destruction of cold war arsenals in the soviet union, which was absolutely critical to making us safer in the wake of the cold war. traveling with dick you get close to unexploded land mine, mortar shells, test tubes filled with anthrax and the plague. [ laughter ] >> but his legacy got rid of thousands of bomb shells that no longer threaten us. dick lugar's decency, his commitment to bipartisan problem

solving stand as a model of what public service ought to be. and last but never least we honor a leader who we still remember with such extraordinary fondness. he still remembers as a child waving good-bye to his mom as she went off to nursing school so she could provide for her family, and i think lifting up families like his own, became the story of bill clinton's life. he remembered what his mom had to do on behalf of him, and he wanted to make sure that he made life better and easier for so many people all across the country that were struggling in those same ways and had those same hopes and dreams. as a governor he transformed education. as president he proved with the

right choices you could grow the economy, lift people out of poverty, shrink our deficits and still invest in our families, health, schools, science, technology. in other words we can go farther when we look out for each other. and as we have all seen as president he was just getting started. he doesn't stop. he has helped lead relief efforts after the asian tsunami. his efforts have improved the lives of literally hundreds of millions of people, and of course i am most grateful for his patience during the endless travels of my secretary of state. [ laughter ] >> so i'm grateful bill, as well for the advice and counsel you have offered me on and off the

golf course. [ laughter ] >> and -- and most importantly for your live-saving work around the world which represents the very best in america. thank you so much president clinton. [ applause ] >> so these are the recipients of the 2013 presidential medal of freedom. these are the men and women who remind us all 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 not be more happy and more honored to participate in this ceremony here today. with that, what i would like to do is invite our honorees to just sit there and let all of us

stand and give you a big round of applause. [ applause ] >> hey! hey! [ applause ] >> all right. i guess we should actually give them the medals, though.

[ laughter ] >> so where are my -- here we go. lee, you want to hit it? >> presidential medal of freedom recipients ernie banks. [ laughter ] [ applause ] >> with an unmatched enthusiasm for america's past time, ernie banks slugged, sprinted and smiled his way into the record books. known as mr. cub, he played an extraordinary 19 seasons with the chicago cubs. he was named to 11 all-star teams, hit over 500 home runs, and won back-to-back most valuable player honors. ernie banks was elected to the baseball hall of fame in 1977

and will forever be known as one of the most dynamic power hitters and dynamic players of all time. [ applause ] [ laughter ] [ applause ] >> benjamin bradlee. [ applause ] >> a titan of journalism, benjamin bradlee is one of the most respected new s men of our

generation. testing the limits of a free press during his tenure as executive editor of the "washington post," he oversaw coverage of the watergate scandal and successfully challenged the federal government over the right to publish the pentagon papers. his passion for accuracy and unyielding pursuit of truth continue to set the standard for journalism. [ applause ] [ applause ] >> the honorable william j clinton.

[ applause ] >> among the finest publicer is vanths of our time, president clinton argued cases for the people of arkansas, served his state in the governor's mansion and guided our nation into a new century. bill clinton oversaw an era of challenge and change, prosperity and progress. his work continues to reflect his passionate unended commitment to improving the lives and livelihoods of people arrange the world in responding to needs both at home and abroad and as founder of the clinton foundation he has shown through creative cooperation among men and women of goodwill, we can solve even the most intractable problems. [ applause ]

[ cheers and applause ] >> irene inouye, accepting on behalf of her husband, the honorable daniel k inouye. [ applause ] >> a true patriot, daniel underthe power of leaders when united in common purpose to protect and promote the tenants we cherish as americans. as a member of the 442 regimental combat team, daniel helped free europe from the grasp of tyranny during world

war ii for which he received the medal of honor. representing the people of hawaii, he never lost sight of the ideals that biengd us across the 50 states. senator's reason and resolve help make our country what it is today, and for that we honor him. [ applause ] >> dr. daniel kahneman. [ applause ] >> daniel kahneman's ground breaking work earned him a nobel prize in economic signses. after escaping from nazi occupied france as a young boy,

he grow to understand the origins of people's beliefs, and working alongside dr. amos bearski, he used simple expeer meants to demonstrate how people make decisions under uncertain circumstances, and forever changed the way we view human judgment. [ applause ] >> the honorable richard g lugar. [ applause ] >> representing the state of indiana for over three decades in the united states senate, richard g lugar put country above party and self to forge

bipartisan consensus. out there his time in the senate, he offered effective solutions to our problems, advocating for the control of the nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction. working with senator sam nun, richard lugar established the threat reduction program one of our country's most successful national security initiatives helping to sustain american leadership and engage nations after decades of confrontation. he remains a strong voice on foreign policy issues, and his perspective will have brood influence for years to come. [ applause ]

>> loretta lynn. [ applause ] >> born a coal miner's daughter, loretta lynn has followed a bold path to become a legend in country music. a singer, song writer, and author, she has written dozens of chart-topping songs, and won numerous accolades, breaking barriers in country music and entertainment, she opened doors for women, not only by winning tremendous achievements and also by raising issues few dared to discuss. fearlessly telling her own stories, loretta lynn has brought a strong female voice to country music, and reveals the common truths about life as it is lived. [ applause ]

>> dr. mario molina. [ applause ] >> the curiosity and creativity that inspired mario molina to convert his family's bathroom into a laboratory as a child have driven him through decades of scientific research. born in mexico, his passion for chemistry brought him to the united states where his investigations lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of how the ozone is depleted. the impact of his discoveries

extents far beyond his field, fostering international awareness, as well as earning him the 1995 noble prize in chemistry. today dr. molina remains a global leader, continuing to study air qualify, climate change, and the environment that connects us all. [ applause ] >> tam o'shonessey accepting on behalf of her partner, dr. sally k ride. [ applause ] >> 30 years ago salary ride soared into space as the

youngest american and first women to wear the stars and stripes above the earth's atmosphere. she sought to keep america at the forefront of space exploration, as a role model she thought tirelessly to inspire young people, especially girls to become scientifically literate and pursue careers in science and technology. the tail of a quiet hero, sally ride's story demonstrates that the sky is no limit for those who dream of reaching for the stars. [ applause ] >> water nagel, accepting on

behalf of his partner, byar rustton. [ applause ] >> bayard rustin was a giant in the american civil rights movement, openly gay when many had to hide who they loved, his unwavering belief that we are all members of a single human family took him from his first freedom ride to the lbgt rights movement. thanks so his unparalleled skills as an organizer, progress that one seems impossible appear ros to have been inevitable. america honors bayard rustin as a fearless advocate for

america's most vulnerable citizens. [ applause ] >> arturo sandoval. [ applause ] >> arturo sandoval is one of the world's finest jazz musicians. born in cuba, he risked everything to share his gifts with the world, eventually defecting with help from his mentor and friend. in the decade since this musician has inspired audiences in every corner of the world. he remains one of the best ever to play. [ applause ]

>> lanay smith accepting on behalf of her husband, dean e smith. [ applause ] >> as head coach of the university of north carolina at chapel hill he lead his team to 11 final fours, two national titles and 879 victories, retiring as the winningest men's basketball coach in history. dean smith brought the same commitment to supporting his players off of the court. he helped more than 96% of his

lettermen graduate, and he taught players to overcome bigotry with courage and compassion. he will forever standing as one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history. [ applause ] >> gloria steinem. [ applause ] >> a trail-blazing writer and feminist organizer, gloria has been at the forefront for the fight for equality and social justice for more than four decades. instrumental to a brood range of issues and initiatives, to

pushing to women's self empowerment, and an end to sex trafficking, she has promoted lasting political and social change in america and abroad, through her reporting and speaking, she has shaped debates on the intersection of sex and race, brought critical problems to national attention, and forged new opportunities for women in media, gloria steinem moves us all to take up the cause for reaching for a more just tomorrow. [ applause ] >> reverend ct vivian.

[ applause ] >> equipped only with courage and an overwhelming commitment to social justice, the reverend was an activist on the march to equality. he was unafraid to take bold action in the face of fierce resistance. by pushing change through non-violent demonstration and advocacy, ct vivian established and lead numerous organizations to support underserved individuals and communities. his legacy of combatting injustice will shine as an example for generations to come. [ applause ]

>> patricia mcgowan wald. [ applause ] >> patricia mcgowan wald made history as the first woman appointed to the united states court of appeals for the district of columbia circuit. rising to chief judge of the court, she always strove to better understand the law and fairly apply it. after leaving federal service, judge wald help institute standards for justice and the rule of law at the international criminal tribunal for the former yugoslavia in the hague. she laid a foundation for countless women within the legal

profession, and helped unveil the humanity within the law. [ applause ] >> oprah g winfrey. [ applause ] >> oprah g winfrey is a global media icon. when she launched the oprah winfrey show in 1986, there were few women and even fewer women of color with a national platform to discuss the issues and events shaping our times, but over the 25 years that followed, oprah winfrey's innate

gift for tapping into our fervent hopes and deepest fears drew millions of viewers across every background. off screen, oprah winfrey has used her influence to support underserved communities and to lift up the lives of young people, especially young women around the world. in her story, we are reminded that no dream can be deferred when we refuse to let life's obstacles keep us down. [ applause ] >> and there you have this year's class of receiving the presidential medal of freedom. there are 16 in all. three of them no longer with us. one of them not present for the award ceremony today. that being dean smith, the legendary basketball coach. the president presenting this

award on the 50th year since its creation. later today the president will go to arlington where he will present a wreath at the gave of president john f. kennedy. it's now noon eastern standard time. these are the stories we're following for you. another healthcare official on the hot seat? the senate. set to speak as we speak. nuclear talks resuming in geneva, but iran's supreme leader saying his country will not accept back from its nuclear rights program. just two days before the anniversary of president kennedy's assassination, as you saw, president obama giving out awards that jfk created. ♪