expanding exports and he certainly commends those working towards finding a compromise. >> there are a couple of restrictions one of which involve ending export subsidies to airline makers. is there any concern? >> i don't vi v any specifics on the legislation. >> is the president going to support charley rang l's reelection? >> sure. i haven't been asked it before. i'll have to get back to you on that. >> just to get clear. you said you opposed state efforts to take away rights in north carolina to gays that can't marry now. what is the reason to oppose

now? >> that's my understanding. >> my other question is marriage a civil liberty? >> you'd have to ask civil libertarians or lawyers. we believe -- the president believes strongly that lgbt americans should enjoy the same legal rights and he opposes efforts to deny rights to lgbt americans and discriminate against them. >> it's pretty rare when somebody runs for office on getting ready to change my mind. and you have really savaged mitt romney for changing his mind. i'm wondering if you don't run some risk of looking kind of too clever. >> i don't have an update for you on the president's personal views. he described them in response to a question. this has got an great deal of coverage in the past.

that's the answer he has. i don't have a new answer for you. >> what would you say is the definition of evolving? you said so many times it has to mean something specific. >> the president said his views on this are evolving. >> is he getting ready to change? >> not necessarily. that's at a personal level. his views on lgbt rights are case krystal clear. this administration has taken actions that are unparalleled to support those rights. he will continue to that i can those actions because he thinks it's the right thing to do. >> if everybody in this room is going to ask you questions -- >> everybody in this room is reacting that folks often too do one story that takes off and they run down the field and takes after it. they are reacting to comments on a sunday show.

nothing has change d in the president's confirm commitment. i have no information. it's the same position. it's not the position of the white house. >> why did you guys send out statements to clarify? >> because the vice president's statements were being misinterpreted by some so there was an effort to clarify. that's where the president is. april? >> now i have the ball. >> policy positions haven't changed, jake. and his support for lgbt rights is unprecedented and compares favorability to anyone else out there in the political arena who is advocating for these rights. and he'll continue to support them. >> april, now i'm going to take the ball and run down the field with it. i want to dissect the revolution. >> i'm not going to, april. >> you're not going to. can you say yai or nee when i try to work it out?

here's the deal. before we heard that it was he was having a hard time marrying issues of his faith and rights. is that where the evolution issue is a hold up? >> the next time the president has a news conference, if you want to ask him that, you're welcome to. i don't have an update for you on the president's personal views. >> i'm not finished. going back to what steve asked about, does the president at least want to support a democrat for that seat? >> yes, april, but i have to take that question. >> will you post that answer? >> sure. >> did the president know yesterday that the vice president was comfortable with men marrying men? is this something they discussed? >> i don't have a read out for

you of conversations they have had on this issue. i don't have a read out on personal conversations they have had. andre? >> thanks. do i understand correctly that the russian president has the same indication before that the french president has? >> i don't know that we made any announcement. the president looks forward to meeting with president putin. the national security advisor met with president putin when he was in moscow as well as -- >> we're going to leave the white house briefing and go live to the council's annual awards dinner held here in washington. some include england's prince harry who along with his brother william created a foundation that supports military men and women. this is live coverage on c-span 3. >> with or without you.

>> ladies and gentlemen, if you could take your seats and politely close your mouths, we'll start the program. >> thank you very much. thank you so much. for proving once again that washington audiences are the most polite and respectful audiences in the world. thank you so much. ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the atlantic council, it's chairman senator chuck hagel and president and ceo fred count. good evening and welcome to the

atlantic council's 2012 annual awards dinner. >> this is our fourth time as em sees as this event and we keep coming back because we believe in the organization and its mission and also because we love fred. >> and of course, you. and you're so lovable right now. so lovable and so respectful. >> maybe we should have pray. >> let us pray. that doesn't work here. you know, that mission of course, of the atlantic council is to constantly renew and refresh the atlantic community.

>> the mission of the atlantic council is to renew the atlantic community and its partnerships around the world. and to take on a host of global challenges. and we have so many of them. iranian nukes, afghanistan, the euro zone crisis and containment -- >> of our secret service personnel. that's why we are fortunate that the atlantic council has never been stronger in its half century history and its nine programs and centers have never been more relevant. this event marks the culmination of the council's 50th

anniversary, which began last year at this time when we honored vice president joe biden, mutar kent and admiral jim. >> and yet tonight it's more about the next 50 years than the last half century. our award dees this evening demonstrate the global reach of this council and they are carefully chosen to represent excellence in their field, plus they have a deep track record of commitment to the transatlantic community and of course, to the world. >> tonight we will honor united nations secretary general vanking moon with the leadership award. prince henry of waels will be honored as well. >> the men and women of the u.s. armed forces will also be honored for distinguished

military leadership. for distinguished business leadership and ann soefy for distinguished artistic leadership. >> and our award dees are awarded by a high level and global audience. we have nearly 800 guests from over 62 countries including the former president of poland and the former prime ministers of pakistan and spain, 47 ambassadors to the united states, 22 chief executives of global companies and countless members of the u.s./europe governmen governments. welcome to you all. >> and also to your mom and dad. >> and my parents also are here. please point to my parents. i'm going to find you. >> it's now my great pleasure to

introduce our distinguished dinner cochairs who are with us tonight and we ask you hold your applause to the end. and co-chairs please stand so we can recognize your amazing contributions. >> robert abernathy, victor choo, thomas m. culligan, thomas enders, steve boyden gray, baja hariry, frank hahn, h. johnson, george lund, alexander mu chef, steven a. shoresman, s.d.shubula, rob spire, and michael f. walsh. [ applause ]

>> now to begin this evening, our old friend, not old, but good -- >> he's kind of old. >> atlantic council chairman senator chuck hagel. he's one of the men who constantly remind us what's best about washington. [ applause ] from serving his country in vietnam to the united states senate, he also serves as co-chairman of the president's intelligence advisory board. as co-chair of the china 100,000 strong initiative and is member of the secretary of defense's policy board. >> ladies and gentlemen, our friend and great leader, senator chuck hagel. [ applause ]

>> thank you. i am grateful. this is old chuck. i am here on behalf of the board of directors of the atlantic council to thank you, to acknowledge what each of you continue to do for the atlantic council. you make a better world for all of us. that is the essence of why we recognize those tonight that joe and mica have already acknowledged because they represent what is best in mankind and they represent contributions to mankind that are made in different ways. that is much of who we are after

50 years at the atlantic council. everyone in this audience knows that we are all living at a time of global course correction. it is going to require strengthening our coalitions of common interests. it is going to require developing alliances of cooperation. and it's going to require building new platforms of partnership. these honorees tonight all recognize that and they all are building toward that. i want to also on behalf of the board of directors in this institution recognize fred kemp and his marvellous staff and all who work so hard on behalf of this institution and what it stands for and what it believes in and how it affects our world. to each of you, thank you.

last comment. not unlike anyone or any other institution in the world, we are all playing for the future. that means our young people. that means helping shape and frame their future, their understa understanding, and helping them anchor that through the transatlantic alliance is part of that. but that importance of the transatlantic alliance at this time in the world is not at the exclusion -- cannot be at the exclusion of our other partners all over the world. the transatlantic alliance is special. it has a special role to play. but that too is in partnership with other nations and other peoples. ladies and gentlemen, enjoy the evening. thank you very much. [ applause ]

>> so i'm told that my republican brother ian is here somewhere off this way and my parents are in the middle at one of the central tables. mom and dad, can you stand up? yes. there they are. mom looks beautiful. and dad was on the show this morning. efs extremely well behaved. >> he was well behaved. that's not always the case. of course, the first time the doctor came on our show, i decided to debate him on middle east politics. and his response after a very well thought out argument was, you know you are stunningly superficial. >> i warned you not to have him on. >> and i didn't listen.

stl having said that, that was affection. trust me. >> so ladies and gentlemen, now it's our pleasure to introduce to you the president and the ceo of the atlantic council. in the past five years, he's presided over enormous growth and accomplishment. from a successful career at "the wall street journal" where he was a prize-winning columnist and editor, to now he's the author of four books. in fact, mica predicted last year that fred's book was going to be a best seller immediately, and as usual, she was right. >> as usual, i was 100% correct. so ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming atlantic council president, ceo, and national best-selling author, fred kemp. [ applause ]

>> thanks. the check is in the mail. this is the fourth year joe and mica have done this and it's because you in the audience demanded. in fact, let me read an e-mail i received from one atlantic council international advisory board member when i announced that this year that perhaps they would not be emcees. please give all the time to mica. don't worry about joe. seriously, tv doesn't offer a lot of bipartisan, smart, must-watched programs of your sort. mica and joe, you're really doing us a service.

it's a great match for the bipartisan compelling work we try to do in the national transatlantic and global interest. we have a great line up for you this evening and truly global. so what do you get when you take a british royal soldier and philanthropist, a dutch visionary, and a south korean global leader? you get the 2012 transatlantic dinner. we're also here to recognize the 1.5 million active men and women of the u.s. formed forces for their sacrifices, dedication and service. [ applause ] >> we have about four dozen enlisted men and women joining us this evening. i won't name them all, but sitting among the others we have

the coast guard. i would like them to stand. the enlisted person of the year petty officer dean johnston, the air force's wing airman of the year sergeant stacey settles, the marine corps joint staff noncommissioned officer of the year jessica davila, all members of the navy ceremonial guard drill team and five members of the army's third infantry and the senior military fellows of the atlantic council. all men and women in the audience. please rise now and be recognized. [ applause ]

>> i thank senator hagel for saluting our atlantic council directors and staff, senior yell fel lows and interns for a remarkable performance. but i would like them all to stand because you're the ones who do the work. you're the best team in washington at what you do. thank you so much for your work. last year and this is is just a year's time, the council launched the center for the middle east, which already has a leading voice on the historic upheaval sweeping the middle east and north africa.

one of the greatest challenges facing the transarthritic community today. i want to salute the founder of that who is in our audience tonight, baja hariri. please stand. thank you. last december the council honored our board chairman for his unparalleled life of leadership and achievement at a dinner to raise support for the council's center on international security. it's a significant enlargement in size and ambition of our existing international security program. our campaign is still underway and we're more than half way to our $25 million million goal. we'll officially launch the center this year. i would like to ask the following stand to name them. chair general jim jones and his vice chair george lund. you should be standing because these people are here to take

your checks. inless than two week's time, the program will host a young leaders summit on the sidelines of the nato summit in chicago and announce the launch of an emerging leadership network housed within the new center. that's one thing he's known for is mentoring. so we're going to do it as well. this is all part of the council's goal of building networks among the next generation from around the world to ensure the nature of the transatlantic alliance and its global friends. and prince harry, you have inspired us by your foundation and we will also expand our work because that's a national security issue. finally, the council is looking beyond the nato summit to these

fall's presidential elections. in your bag, you'll find a report just released "the task ahead" which features memos for the next president. hats off to project co-chairs senior advisor. this is just a taste of the extraordinary accomplishments over the last year and none of it would be possible without your support and the involvement of our board members, international advisory members and individual members. thank you very much. [ applause ] >> let's turn now to the 2012 leadership awards. the first presentation this evening is for distinguished artistic leadership and to

introduce the 2012 award dee, we'd like to invite to the stage a man who has dedicated his life to artistic leadership and vision. during a career that spans six decades, sir andre priva has achieved a reputation as one of the most versatile musicians in the world. he's received many awards and honors for his lifetime of outstanding musical accomplishments as a conductor and composer. >> he's the winner of four academy awards for his filmwork and ten grammy awards for his recordings including a lifetime achievement award from the recording academy. sir andre has been honored with both the austrian and german cross of merit and the glen gold prize. he's a recipient of the lifetime achievement award from the kennedy center, but also from the london sim to knee

orchestra. he's enriched the lives of thousands of listeners and fellow musicians including the recipient of this year's distinguished artistic leadership award. >> also he was formerly married to an honoree, which gives us hope to the rest of us. ladies and gentlemen, sir andre preven. >> thank you. it's nice for me to be here in order to say a few words. because in the first place, i'm wildly prejudice and that should be as it is. and also i'm not alone in that. i think most musicians are

wildly prejudice in their favor because there's nobody like her. absolutely nobody. she's one of the great, great musicians of our time. and it's one of the favorite pastimes of musicians to play the game amongst themselves about who is the best pianist, who is the best soprano or cellist. there's always a bitter argument about that, but it doesn't work with violinist because you would have to change the question. you'd have to say who is the best violinist after. she is better than that. she's a real musician. and she has done so much for music, for young people, for contemporary composers, for all kinds of people. and i know that in the book in the program, there are some very

famous stories about her how she went to play when she was, i think, 16 or something and how he gave her a debut with the fill wphilharmonic philharmonic. but also what you didn't e know, she played me a recording a violin solo of the famous killer piece which really is one of the most famous and daunting pieces that exist. and when i question her about who was this, she not only admitted that it was she, but she made it when she was 9 years old. and the noise you hear are parents throwing themselves down the -- but she's quite

extraordinary. she has enormous curiosity about music. she felt she didn't know about chamber music a few years ago and went straight into it hook, line, and sinker and is now one of the busiest music players in the world. she's played chamber music with almost all the people who further it and who love it. also she's curious about all kinds of music. i remember very well that there is a book of bach of 360 odd corals. he wrote them when he was an organist in the german church, one for every sunday. they are of an irresistible beauty. and we used to get up on a sunday and sight read them a few