thank you. that was great. >> thank you. good job. >> stop by and see me, ok? [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> you are watching c-span. created for you as a public service by america's cable companies. bill clinton presents tony blair with a liberty award metal. then a discussion on how u.s. presidents have dealt with the nation being in crisis. then, another chance to see the peace corps director marking the 50th anniversary of his

organization and why it is important in the 21st century. tony blair receives the liberty award metal. he is introduced by former president bill clinton at this event that took place earlier this fall at the national constitution center in philadelphia. it is a little more than an hour. [applause] >> it is these core values of a free society that we celebrate with the liberty medal presentation. values exemplified in the work of this year's honoree, tony blair as he helps to build pathways to freedom in a troubled world. caxias channeled the power of our shared democratic principles

and has turbocharged it with a personal commitment and determination to -- that defines everything he has ever done as a world leader and a private citizen. in places where others had given up hope, of tony blair has created a hope for better future. his work gives new meaning and alive to the timeless values of our common legal heritage. he has brought peace to troubled regions by extending the reach of freedom and democracy and helping people understand and embrace what makes them different. [applause] >> please welcome the president and chief executive officer of the national constitution center, david eisner. [applause]

and former president of the united states, william jefferson clinton. [applause] and the recipient of the 2010 liberty medal, former prime minister of the united kingdom, tony blair. [applause] >> thank you and welcome. i want to thank my fellow board members at the constitution

center and our president and ceo. thank you for your support. our chief park ranger, thank you for where you do. most of all, i want to thank my longtime friend and former prime minister -- my longtime the former premier ester. -- prime minister. as i think most of you know, the first time i had any hand in presenting this award was in my first year as president before this center was here. in 1993 on july 4. we give it to nelson mandela. we have had at least five winners of the nobel peace

prize win this award and many others who have done noble and good things. when he was prime minister, tony blair worked hard to modernize his country's economy and improve its performance for ordinary citizens. he worked to reform the uk's health, education, and social welfare systems so the advanced opportunities and responsibility and were effective. he led the uk on an impressive path to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving economic growth, and even after he left office, that legacy endured because we now that not would -- notwithstanding the downturn, the u.k. is one of four countries that will

certainly have the greenhouse gas limits established by the kia of the -- the kyoto protocol. he stood up for the freedom of his own citizens in supporting the government so of the personal -- closer to will and reflect their aspirations. he stood up for the people of northern ireland to build a common picture that was peaceful and constructive and without his efforts, it would haulnot have occurred. he stood with me when it was not stop another round of ethnic cleansing in 1999. [applause] when he stepped down from being

prime minister, after continuing the so-called special relationship between the u.s. and u.k., and working closely with my successor, president bush, tony asked me what i thought he should do. i said, you should -- you have been through so much and you have one these elections, there is this turmoil. you need to take some time off and hang around with your wife and kids and take six months and decide what you are going to do. he listened very intently as he always does, and completely ignored, it buys. [laughter] instead, he immediately accepted a request to become the representative of these so- called quartet, the four sponsors of the middle east

peace process, talking about how economic development can be used as an instrument of peace and progress in that troubled region. i must say that i am very grateful to have him working there, and i know he is making a difference because the american secretary of state told me so. [laughter] [applause] beyond the work in the middle east, he is advising african presidents in rwanda, sierra leone, and rwanda to build self- reliance, and attract investment through his african government's initiative and building the capacity of countries that need so desperately to be more prosperous to govern themselves and not be reliant others. his foundation is promoting

religion as a powerful force for good and reconciliation. i think this is profoundly important at a time when there is so much controversy still over this issue in america and around the world. tony blair believes that people of faith can be people of peace if they're willing to concede the possibility that once in awhile, they might be wrong and not every religious tenet can be turned into a political program. for that to, we are profoundly in his debt. he has demonstrated extraordinary political and substantive skills as a public leader as a leader of the opposition and as prime minister

and winning for labour a record number of elections. we had the great honor to work to build a global movement called the third way, which made it sound like we were lost. in fact, what we believed is that progress and should build a government and a partnership with the private sector and partnerships with each other, focused on the realities of the 21st century world, not the 20th century world. government should be about empowerment, creating the conditions and giving people the tools to chart their course and make the most of their lives. that it should be strong, but not overbearing. it should always advance the cause of liberty. since he left office, he has

done what i knew he would. too good.ntinued to b hillary and i are grateful we haven't friends with tony and his wife stilfor so long that we have seen his children grew up and we know him in a way that politicians do not always know which other. he deserves this award and in the rhythm of this program and in a few minutes, i will give it to him. i want you to a acknowledge that now. we're grateful he is in philadelphia in a crediblthe crf our liberty. [applause] i do think it is interesting

we're giving this award to the famously successful former prime minister of the united kingdom. in the city where we declared our independence from his country, where we decided that their common-law constitution was not good enough, and we have to have written one. after we fought a second war with them and they burned the white house after eating dolley madison's diner -- dolly madison's dinner. there is no free like a partnership between our countries. he is in the finest tradition of the partnership. i am grateful because he has been my personal friend, my candid adviser, my colleagues in

trying to build the politics that would bring us together when so much in the world drives us apart. and because he is devoting his time now to the cause of peace in the middle east which, if successful, would do more than any other single thing to drain the swamp of hatred in that region and undermine the siren song of terrorists all across the world. [applause] it is in recognition of his work as prime minister and afterward to put pee, reconciliation, and prosperity at the forront of life within the u.k. and far beyond its borders, to save the lives of

christians,, muslims, like, to bring people together in a world bent on driving them park apart -- them apart which has richly earned him this liberty medal. thank you very much. [applause] >> from abc news, christian amanpour. [applause] >> thank you. i am happy to be here with you. thank you, mr. president and mr. prime minier. distinguished ladies and gentlemen. it is great to be here to celebrate this tradition. as a journalist, i have covered all the world so many of the cris and interventions that president clinton outlined. the president and the prime

minister were leading at the time. doing that, i have seen a great deal of suffering, a great deal of famine, a great deal of the people who were forgotten. i have seen that it is often that conflict and bad news that does make the news. it is religious intolerance that commands our attention while tolerance and understanding often do not. human suffering touches our hearts and lives distraction while the absence of suffering merits often such little notice. there are times and places in the world where the opposite is true and i've been fortunate to cover that as well. where are return to peace and understanding and an end to conflict and an end to injustice, what we think of as normal life, is also news. it is good news, and this evening, we will look at a lot

of that. i am delighted to be here at this year's liberty medal ceremony. a ceremony that since 1989, has celebrated the freedoms of sunni -- that so many people enjoy. we are pleased to join in the cultural differences and people who have never experienced freedom. we're here to celebrate all of those people who now. this evening's first performer has been recognized for reaching out in the name of peace and understanding in the region that has known precious little of either. our region president clinton mentioned that tony blair is working hard in. there are in the middle of the latest arab-israeli peace negotiations. i will introduce a singer who

will sing for us this evening. it has lyrics in english, hebrew, and arabic. [applause] ♪ ♪ there were days i wish it were just all go away is no it would all just disappear ♪ ♪i feel i am losing touch

anything that makes sense ♪ ♪ where can we go from here to restoreomethigng my faith in the light ♪ [singing]

♪ why can't we go ♪ ging]n ♪ ♪ where can we go from here ♪ give me something to restore

my faith in the light ♪ tell me that we're here to stay ♪ something to restore my faith in the light is ♪ [applause] thank you. >> that was optimism, that was our district. please join me in thanking her one more time. [applause]

welcome to the national constitution center. i am david eisner. ceo and president. this is a great night for all of us. for me, tonight is the first liberty medal ceremonies since i became president. today happens to be the day that my family that moved here from bethesda, their first day in philadelphia. [applause] the founding fathers endured some pretty tough troubles on their way to independence hall, which is right there behind you. on the other hand, those fathers did not come here with four children and a dog. while preparing to host the leaders of the united states and great britain, and hing failed

spectacularly to help with the move, let me make up by asking you to join me in thanking my wonderful wife and our children . thank you for allowing me to become part of this wonderful center. i am glad you are here. my post for five years before coming to the center included running this and americorps. the national service program that was created by president clinton. taking on this position was irresistible because the center has, in my view, more potential than any organization in the u.s. to energize the active civic participation of american citizens.

not to mention the opportunity to work with president clinton on another great initiative of civil engagement. the national center is not just a history museum. about the people who came here more than 200 years ago to forge a document. it is a living tree to the power of people to shape society, and to change the future through their spirited participation. our vibrant, interactive exhibits reminds millions of visitors that we, the people have always been and we must continue to be the creators and the guardians of the liberty that enriches our lives and that makes america at all land where all people are free to succeed. a couple of hours ago, president clinton led the board meeting that focused on our long-term

plans. we are poised for the center to become the national leader. the center for information and debate about the constitutional and civic issues of our time. our country thrives on political discourse. we at the center are committed to playing a major role in broadening participation in that this course. in honoring that commitment, we recognize the metal as the crown jewel in our celebration of the freedoms on which this nation was founded. we describe those for whom this metal was intended as man and woman of courage and conviction. who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe. lech walesa was the first winner in 1989. the metal has been awarded to six recipients to, after

receiving it, went on to win the nobel prize. the men the world leaders we recognize all share a belief in the power of vigorous citizens to lift one another up, like presidents bill clinton and george h. w. bush, our 2006 recipients who presided over an unprecedented public outpouring of support for the victims after hurricane katrina and the tsunami in southeast asia. when we honor filmmaker steven spielberg, the musician and activist bono, and the discoverers of the structure of dna, we salute people whose work eliminates and unleashes human potential. this year's recipients of the metal embody the principles on which this award was

established and on which our constitution was ordained. former prime minister of the u.k. tony blair, as you have heard and will hear again, drove the peace process in northern ireland. he is a leader in the middle east peace process, including his participation as quartet representatives in the white house discussion only the week before last. he has provided valuable guidance and support in sierra leone and other parts of africa. his great work also illustrates that it is this serious sustained involvement of ordinary citizens that makes the difference between poverty and promise, between despair and democracy. and between hopelessness and hope. without the diague between the people of northern ireland and the u.k., an exercise in

civic responsibility, peace would have remained only a dream. welcome, mr. blair. tonight, we honor you for summoning so many to the recall of civic engagement and securing and extending the blessings of liberty around the world. thank you. [applause] >> and these words from the good friday agreement. with the participants in the multi-party negotiations believes the agreement we have negotiated offers a historic opportunity for a new beginning. the tragedies of the past have left a deep and profound the regrettable legacy of suffering. we must never forget those who have died or have been injured and their families. we can best honor them three fresh start in which we dedicate ourselves to the achievement of recoiliation, tolerance, and mutual trust and to the

protection and education of the human rights of all. the belfast agreement brought an end to 30 years of violence which had its roots in religious and political differences and go back several centuries. like the declaration of independence, the declaration of human rights, and others through history, those who read this agreement put it in writing to the principles they believe would form the foundation for new tradition and freedom. >> my father went across the border to buy suites because it was cheaper. that stopped because the trouble started. >> the history of the catholics in northern ireland goes back hundreds of years. the trouble started in 1968.

-- the troubles started in 1968. they fought for equality and basic issues. not unlike the civil rights movements of the 1960's in the u.s. these were rejected. that led to the start of violence by paramilitary groups and horrific violence and the deaths and 30,000 people injured. this was intended to look at is a resolution that was never tried to work. we believe [unintelligible] the good friday agreements looked at the standing issues that could possibly rise. the word -- there were thousands of prisonprisoners who were serg long sentences.

neither the groups or the political wings were going to leave the prisoners behind. we have to make a decision we would release the prisoners. there was a difficult decision. many of them had committed murder, mass murder. we have to make the judgment to release prisoners back into society. the majority never engaged in trouble again. a large proportion took an active role in building the peace in their communities. the agreement was the broad nature of it. public representatives would be elected and how they would proceed. none of the previous agreements tried to be as far-reaching. >> leaders have taken their biggest step toward giving their people a chance to live in peace. >> there is no substitute for trying to understand the other person's problems.

that can only come with time. we proved a sustained effort of negotiations, of patience and understanding, agaican build tr. people are prepared to move on and live in a new peaceful society. >> blair risked a lot to his reputation by talking to people he should not have been talking to. he found the courage to compromise. this is an underrated word, compromise. i think tony blair understands the word compromise better than most. is compromise that are about the peace so can really in ireland.

♪ on the first day of january, 1892 ♪ people through and ♪ from ireland ♪ ♪ ♪

[applause] ♪ ♪ [singing] ♪ let there be peace today and forever ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ let there be peace ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the irish tenors. >> that was great. in 2000, the cover of "the

economist" refer to address the hopeless continent. there were many who refuse to give up hope. people who saw diversity. not tomorrow, but by telling the bring to the channel. -- vitality. there are thousands forging roads literally and figuratively to raise about africa and bring hope to our region where none has existed for a long time. >> african, consonant torn by armed conflict. wars between countries, civil wars, ethnic attacks. often fueled by tyranny and greed. >> it was ravaged by war. a lot of problems and corruption. >> much of the world knows africa as a continent teeming with poverty, famine, and disease. there is another africa.

one moving out of the darkness. in need of a helping hand as it struggles toward the light. >> we have been trying to effect change in many sectors. the securities sector, the judiciary to my infrastructure. >> africa does have a chance to move on. some countries have them but not enough. >> diseases and recognized borders. we have the technology to stop malaria. we can stop the transition -- transmission of hiv/aids. >> some are reaching out, mobilizing others, and letting the path to a brighter future. >> you may have a great idea, but how do you translate it into reality? we're making sure the reality

here is being replicated. >> tony blair is building the foundation for private economy. and to help africans developed the know-how and self-reliance to keep running. the spirit and support that are helping africa turned the corner are evident in the work of organizations such as the attorney blair faith foundation, th african government's initiative, and the african progress panel. >> we have god-given vegetation that can support the good of many crops. we have our marine resources that have a huge potential and a serious investment like we're doing now will be able to raise the export potential. >> african countries are becoming major economic powers in the next decade. that will happen. it will help the global economy

enormously. a billion more producers and consumers, we really need them. we also need a peaceful africa for our own security. >> it is remarkable and we should be sharing -- shouting it from the rooftops. tony blair should be proud. there are 43 million more children in primary school today in africa than in 1999. that is an astonishing thing to be able to say. in large part due to a combination of improved governance. >> the leadership of these individuals and organizations has provided a rallying point for the future of africa. if africa is to succeed, it is ordinary citizens that must rally and help light her way along the pathway to freedom.

>> ladies and gentlemen, president clinton. >> it is my great honor to award the liberty medal to former prime minister and wonderful world citizen, and tony blair. -- world citizen tony blair. [applause] >> thank you very much. thank you.

thank you very much. thank you. thank you. please, everyone. thank you free much indeed. mr. president, mr. governor, mr. mayor. it is a tremendous privilege and honor to receive whole this liberty metal and to be with you this evening in philadelphia. i am so delighted to be in such distinguished company, not least and foremost, the master of politics, my friend, my partner, my good colleague, president clinton.

he and hillary were great friends to me and my family. if you allow me, a wonderful thing for me tonight not just to be here myself but to have my wife and my son and daughter along with me. [applause] when there is an award given at a place that commemorates the founding of the u.s. constitution, it can present certain presentational difficulties for british prime minister. i am sorry about what happened in the past.

one of the things you find as british prime minister wherever you go in the world, after time, when they tell you about the problems in their area, in almost reaches the point where you say it is the british to the that. it is the uniform -- unifying theme. you do know, for example, there were many british people, not the least and englishmen tom paine who played a great part in the constitution itself. you should know also that despite all that history those years ago, people look today not just in america but outside of america. the u.s. constitution and its

celebration of that great engine of human progress, the universal desire for liberty. it is your constitution for your country. when we look at it and when we read it, we feel a tremendous sense of pride in him an achievement. [applause] formby, the idea of liberty has always been more than just the idea of freedom. it has been about the starving of the human spirit -- striving of the human spirit. i think about starving when i am out in the middle east peace process. i was in jerusalem last night. sometimes i look at the issue of liberty and striding through

the eyes of those in the middle east -- strivinghrough the eyes of those in the middle east. the word israel, striving with god. when moses liberated the people of israel, let my people go, he did so, and in doing so, showed that liberty is not something passive. it is something active. when i spoke earlier about my speech, i said, would he like me to speak about? he said i do not know, but make it short. [laughter] i will give you just a few minutes, my seventh lessons of liberty.

the first is that every milestone on the road to liberty marks a struggle. liberty is not required by accident. it is won by endeavour. no people, no country, no nation has ever won their liberty except by striving. in creating liberty, there is opposition. there is even defeat, and occasionally despair along the way. liberty is about the overcoming. the second lesson is it comes from people who lead. my office in london is in john thes' old house, which is first campus -- ambassador to the u.s. through the court of st. james and the president. he was -- believed in god as

creator but put aside religious dogma. he and the work of others and the beliefs of others made a huge and in double imprint on your constitution. when we examine the history of liberty, we find is not some predetermined course of events, but ordinary human beings doing extraordinary things in a mid = world changing events. all people want to be free. not all people are free. all people want to be. you hear people say it is in their culture, it is in their history. liberty is not something they naturally want, or like, or desire. ask them.

usually, in my experience, when people have tasted freedom, they never want to go back to life in chains. the fourth, to be free is to be responsible for the freedom of others. and not just their democratic liberty. but freedom from want, famine, poverty, and disease. in the work in africa today, we're not just helping governments to help people. we are saying something fundamentally important about our attitude as part of the free world. what president clinton -- when president clinton founded the initiatives that this wonderful work in africa, he was making a statement, not just of moral conviction, but of a belief that those of us who have freedom have the responsibility, a duty

imposed to help others to the same freedoms we cherish and hold dear. it cannot be right that 1 million people die every year credibly from malaria. it is our duty to make sure they do not. in striving to do that, we also strive for liberty. the fifth lesson, liberty requires rules. their constitution -- your constitution, the rule of law, the rules that are predictable move fairly applied, not corrupt our laws about government. not government about law. where the global community has made a reality through information and technology, liberty requires we

respect the differences. in the middle et, i see every week that i am there was conflict based on difference can do. i know in the end, whether jew or christian or muslim or any other faith, there is a common humanity, and a common need for work humanity can achieve that unites us. i want to see a world and will strive for such a world in which people are free to follow their religion without fear or favor, and respect those of a different faith to themselves. [applause] when we in kosovo acted

together, we did so to liberate people who were muslim from oppression by a government that was of a christian country. we did not do it because the victims were muslim, or the power oppressing was from a christian country. we did it because we believed that whatever our faith, whatever our religious creed, we should be equal before god. the seventh, liberty need optimism. -- needs optimism. i met many pessimists and cynics and a few commentators. [laughter] no one ever achieved anything by being a cynic or a pessimist.

when i saw replayed the old footage of the ireland peace agreement, apart from the embarrassing fact of the aging process being visible, you did not laugh at that, actually. being visible for all to say, sometimes people ask me how did that happen? it happened -- [unintelligible] because people felt it could happen. though the history had been one of conflict and misery and suffering, it did not have to be like that. it could indeed change. that optimism of the human spirit is what drives progress and indeed, what drives liberty also.

what is it to be free? other than in that freedom, to be able to see the possibility and potential of a life lived to the full, a potential delivered to the fold. when i received this metal this evening, i received it with a sense of privilege and a deep sense of honor. i receive it in a spirit of hope and optimism for the future. i will finish with a story about the northern ireland peace process. and the extraordinary and indomitable spirit of the irish nation. during the course of the peace process, very often, we would have a breakdown in negotiations, and we would go way for a few weeks to iron out the difficulties.

on one of these occasions, my wife was expecting our youngest child, now 10 years old. there was one of the irish delegation that came and said, your wife is expecting. isn't that wonderful thing? i said it is. what do you think you will be calling the child? i said i am not sure. it is a boy, i will call it after my father. he said, isn't that wonderful? we finished and went away. my wife gave birth a few months later. we had another one of these negotiations. i see this guy across the room and he has a wonderful suntan. i do not know if you have been to northern ireland. a great place, but not necessarily the place you get a suntan. i say, where did you get that

suntanned? he said you are responsible. the conversation i had with you and your wife and the name of the child. i went down the next day and put 1,000 pounds at the bookmaker on the name of the child. [laughter] that is the spirit of optimism that give us the peace process. thank you very much indeed. it is a great pleasure to be with you. thank you. [applause] ♪

♪ ♪ when i am down and all my soul

is weary ♪ ♪ when troubles come and my heart is [unintelligible] until you come and sit a while with me ♪ hope when [unintelligible] ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪

an ♪

[applause] >> good night and thank you for attending the 2010 liberty medal ceremony.

♪

[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> still to come on c-span, a discussion on how the president's bill with crisis. after that, marking the 50th anniversary of the peace corps. and then another chance to see bill clinton presenting the liberty award metal to former british prime minister tony blair.

>> this week marked the 47 anniversary of the press -- of the assassination of president kennedy. we will talk to two former secret service agents whose job it was to protect the president on that date. the conspiracy theories about the assassination sunday night: c-span's "q&a". >> the house of doubles in four legislative work at 2:00 p.m. eastern. among the issues at the thanksgiving break, sanction for a former ways and means committee chairman charles rangel. federal funding for the remainder of the year and the expiring bush tax cuts. the senate also returns at 2:00 p.m. eastern. they will discuss food recalls and imports. paula the house here on c-span and e senate on c-span2.

>> now, a discussion on how u.s. presidents have dealt with the nation's crisis. republican democratic strategists talk about the difficulties facing national catastrophes. posted by the bipartisan policy council in new orleans, this is 1:10. >> thank you bipartisan policy center.

the democracy project is really important. we are actually doing something. young people are thinking about doing something. this is how you can help. you young people were very impressive. we are feeling a lot better about everything. you are asking the right questions and very smart ones. thank you very much. if you make us all so proud. the politicization of crisis is the last panel. it caps of the day's discussion, all of them about the various and pediments to the furtherance of democracy. i was interested to hear that the most quoted% to date was mark twain. it seems like we have been going through these lamentations for quite some time. we always