from my analysis, i think he has a stronger base. i think that narrowing his coalition, again, will not win. the organization of voting, they're generally in the first round. in the second round, it will be a problem. you need, for a legitimate president, more turnout and a broader support. that is the challenge morsi is facing. he can woo voters more easily than morsi. trying to monopolize the political [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012]

>> the mitt romney victory in the texas primary gives him enough delegates to capture the republican presidential nomination. yesterday, he campaigned in las vegas and that is next on c- span. after that, the white house medal of freedom ceremony and on this morning's "washington journal" the discussion on the presidential race and we will talk with the washington post reporter. "washington journal" each

morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. deputy defense secretary ashton carter will talk about budget priorities and the possible effect of budget cuts in january that the white house and congress agreed to last year. live coverage is at 10:45 eastern here on c-span. later, a discussion on the 2008 financial crisis with a former chief economist. live coverage from the cato institute is at noon, eastern. mitt romney wrapped up the republican nomination with a winning yesterday's texas presidential primary. he campaigned in colorado and nevada and later in the day, called a campaign rally at a furniture company in las vegas. this is about 15 minutes.

[applause] >> good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. it is my distinct pleasure to introduce the next president of united states. let's give a big nevada thank you to our governor and congressman for their leadership. [applause]

it's a real privilege to work with them. they are great leaders for our state and listening to the comments of the congressman and a lieutenant governor, nevada is on the move. we can do a lot better. we met with these business onerous, part of the nevada family and as we talked with them, something that struck me that one of them said was that we have had to put our dreams on hold. because we have had to put our dreams on hold, we cannot hire. we cannot put people to work and there is a reason for that. that is what is happening in the white house. we need a leader. we need someone who has actually run a business. [cheers and applause] we need an answer. we need somebody who is not going to regulate us out of business. we need somebody who will not spend on to we fall over a

cliff. we need somebody who will not tax us into oblivion. i have had the great privilege to meet governor romney many years ago when we served together on a homeland security advisory commission. i'm sure you recall that, governor. at that time, i was struck with a man of compassion, a man of passion, a man of leadership, a man who wants to get something done. he is the right person at the right time, ladies and gentlemen, i present you governor mitt romney, the next president of the united states. [cheers and applause] >> thank you. thank-you.

president obama made a lot of hopes and 2000 -- middle of promises in 2008 and made you think that things would get good. he has been a big disappointment, hasn't he? as a matter of fact, he came into the white house and told people not to bother to go to las vegas for conventions and meetings. that did not help, did it? if i become the next president of united states, will remind people that i come to las vegas, i love it here. come to las vegas and spend. [cheers and applause] sometimes i just don't think he understands what it takes to help people. i know he wants to help study does not know what he has to do. i was speaking with one of these

business owners owns a couple of restaurants in town. he said he would like to change the constitution. he said he would like to have a provision in the constitution that in addition to the age of the president and the citizenship of the president and the birthplace of the president being set by the constitution, i would like also to say that the president has to spend at least three years working in business before he can become president of united states. [cheers and applause] you see then he or she would understand that the policies they are putting in place have to encourage small-business, make it easier for business to grow. they would understand that they say something negative about las vegas, it means that businesses and government agencies will come here. that would mean the people who have jobs in hotels will lose those jobs. means people who have jobs servicing those hotels like

this a furniture rental operation will lose jobs. it looks -- means that restaurants that rely on people of those jobs will lose jobs as well and it becomes a cascade of losses. we need to have residents to understand how this economy works day to day, small business, middle sized business, big business. i do and i want to use that experience to get us to work again. [cheers and applause] it goes beyond just what's happened here in las vegas. it goes across all of nevada. and across the whole country because decision after decision delta people in the business world that are hiring people, this was an administration that did not like business very much. they were hostile to small business in particular. big business can handle regulations. i know sometimes our friends in

washington say that you guys who are working to hold on to regulation are trying to help big business. big business does just fine with regulation. i was with a person runs a big bank in new york and he said they have hundreds of lawyers, hundreds of lawyers working to implement the dodd-frank law. i wondered what happened to community banks and i have spoken to community bankers across the country and they don't have hundreds of lawyers. one community bank spoke with said they have more compliance officers than they have long officers. they say the burdens of regulation are so extensive they are having a hard time getting by. instead of making more loans to help small businesses grow, they have pulled back. this dodd-frank regulation has not helped enterprise get going, it has slowed it down. of course, there is obama care, do you like that one? [boo]

neither do small businesses. we spoke about 10 small business owners and three of them indicated that obama care was one of the reasons they decided not to open more businesses and hire more people. they don't understand what it will do to them. one said he is in the black rhino with his two businesses but that it obama care goods into effect, he will not be able to stay in business. because of the additional cost to place upon him. this understanding of the fact that obama care will make it harder for small businesses to hire and growth is something i don't and president understands. i do and that's why i will mature on day one we put a stop to obama care. [cheers and applause] i did not ask debbie summers,

where are you? i did not ask her about her own tax bill. i did not want to get that personal. did you know that most small businesses and middle sized businesses don't pay corporate taxes? they pay taxes as individuals. their businesses treated like it is their own personal income so they pay the personal income tax rate. when the president proposes, as he has, raising the personal income tax rates took from 35% at the margin to 40%, it means less money for people like debbie to be able to invest in new furniture and neutrons and new customers and new sales people. it means fewer jobs. that's why raising taxes is the wrong way to go. i if your objective is to get people working again. my goal is to limit deductions and exemptions for people at the

high and so we can keep the revenue coming into washington could get those tax rates down so small business can hire people. my priority and our national priority has to be putting americans to work and ideas and i will get the job done. [cheers and applause] there is something else business relies upon. that is energy. to run a small business, you have to be able to plug those devices into the wall. some small businesses use a lot of energy and others use less. those that use a lot of benefit dramatically if the price of energy is reasonable we are fortunate in this country to have some extraordinary resources in abundance. they happen to be oil, gas, natural gas, and coal. the president said he is for all of the above, comes to energy. i thought that was interesting because he does not like oil or

coal or gas. he has made it harder to take advantage of mining for gold or to take advantage of our natural gas resources by putting more regulators into the frakiing business or put a moratorium on drilling in the gulf and not drilling on the continental shelf or alaska. how can it be that he says he is for all of the above? he is for all the energy becomes from above the ground. not from the energy that comes from below the ground. [cheers and applause] if the leg jobs like i like jobs, if you're like a growing economy like i like a growing economy, if you like people going back to work with higher wages and salaries like i do, you will take advantage not just of the yen as it comes from above the ground but also the evidence comes from below the ground. we will get america energy-

security of spending money overseas. [cheers and applause] america will have a choice on november 6 and nevada will make it loud and clear clear that you want to make sure we have a president that does not want to take america on the path to europe. you want a president that will keep americans holding true to the principles that made us the great nation we are for it once -- one person i spoke with came from outside this country. he came here and said people around the world for generations have looked at this country as the land of opportunity. that is what has drawn people here. free people, pursuing their dreams freely, building enterprises that employ one another and that is what has made america the power house we have become.

this president does not understand that because he has not lived that. instead, on almost every dimension, he has made it harder for our economy to come back and put people to work. i understand it because i have lived it. i have met with people day in and day out that teach me the experience as they have had until the enterprises that employ people toward i want those experiences to grow and expand because i want more jobs for your kids and for you and i want higher incomes. it all started with the founders. they said some extraordinary things when they wrote the declaration of independence. they said we were and vowed not by the state for the government with our rights but instead by the creator and by virtue of that choice -- [cheers and applause] they establish the fact that in america, the government is not the sovereign -- this edisons, the people we are the sovereign

in this country. and among our rights, were life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. we would be free in america to pursue our dreams. these last 3.5 years have not been good for the trimmers. we just heard -- has not been good for the dreamers. dreamers have had to put their her dreams on hold. that's what people are having hard times. i want to get in dreamers out there putting their dreams on the front burner again, starting enterprises, putting people to work. [cheers and applause] i know just what i will do to do it. i happen to believe that we are just at the doorway. it would take the right course and turned away from this path toward europe, if we instead turned back to the principles that made us who we are, you will see a resurgence in the american economy that will surprise the world and put americans to work in ways that will ensure [cheers and

our future.ur applause [cheers and applause] i will do different things and then present obama. instead of obama care, i will get rid of it. instead of saying no to energy, i will say yes to energy resources. instead of trillion dollar deficit that scared the dickens out of our future, will make sure that we finally get america on track to a balanced budget. that is the only moral thing we can do. [cheers and applause] i will do our best to get our tax is down for all our people so we can put people to work and regulators will see their job not just as cracking down on the bad guys -- and that is important -- you have to have regulations and laws for the economy to work -- but you also have to have the people in government see workers and small business people and entrepreneurs as their friends, as their allies.

we're not the enemy of government. we are the customer of government. they should start treating us like customers because the customer knows best and i understand that if i am at 1600 pennsylvania ave. [cheers and applause] it's entirely possible that late in the evening of november 6, the nation will be wondering what will happen in nevada. >> you can do it. >> exactly, that's a good strong voice. i am counting on you guys to go out there and make sure you elect a president who tells people to come to las vegas, not to stay away from las vegas. [cheers and applause] who gets as on the track to have a strong and vibrant economy again and to believe

fundamentally in the extraordinary and exceptional role of america. we're one day after memorial day and it was a very touching day for me yesterday. i was able to be with a number of veterans in san diego, a very big military town and a number of the veterans there were from the second world war. one of the veterans because told a story about the fact that he was a look at on the uss tennessee on the day of pearl harbor. he said his eyes locked into the eyes of the fighter of the japanese plane as it came in dropping its armament on their ships. this soldier was wounded and went on for 33 years to serve in the united states navy. we have him stand and be recognized by the audience and others i introduced in the same way as the told the stories. this is the land of extraordinary heroes, heroes are people who live for something greater than themselves. they do it in ways that are

beyond the bounds of normal human experience. we have it -- we have a lot of years to serve in our u.s. military. for those who serve, please raise your hand, the recognize. look at that! [cheers and applause] halite the charge in the eyes of the greatest generation is doing a bit as we lose those men and women and they become older. that light to the world we need very badly. is our time to grab the torch and holding aloft. it is a sort of represents freedom and opportunity. it is a towards that represents the greatness of america and the greatness of people around the world who seek a good things. that torch is not just america's but it is our duty and honor to hold the torch aloft.

it is my conviction that we must do so and we will do so and hauled aloft high for the people of the world to say. let's keep america strong and get back to work. let's have a president that knows what it takes to get america to work. thank you, guys. you are the best. thank you. thank you. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> with his victory in texas, mitt romney has cleanse the american -- the republican nomination. for more information on the presidential race, go to our

campaign web page and what campaign speeches again updated schedules c-span.org/campaign 2012. >> sunday on"q &a," >> the problem with walter cronkite it which is that every season as an avuncular man but there is another side of him that want to be the best. he was obsessed with ratings and people -- and beating the huntley and brinkley report every night and was the fiercest competitor i have ever written about and i have written about presidents and generals and his desire to be the best was very pronounced. >> best selling author douglas brinkley, sunday at 8:00 eastern here on c-span. >> on "washington journal"

author jay cost. he will that foments reform and a loss is a j.p. morgan -- and the losses at j.p. morgan and will be joined by eight new york daily news columnist. "washington journal" is live every day at 7:00 eastern. president obama hosted the presidential medal of freedom ceremony at the white house. the honorees include former secretary of state madeleine albright, former astronaut john glenn, as well as musician bob dylan. the medal of freedom is america's highest civilian award and was created by executive order in 1963 by president john kennedy. this is about 35 minutes.

>> thank you. thank you very much. everybody, please have a seat, and welcome to the white house. it is an extraordinary pleasure to be here with all of you to present this year's medals of freedom. and i have to say, just looking around the room, this is a packed house, which is a testament to how cool this group is. everybody wanted to check them out. this is the highest civilian honor this country can bestow, which is ironic, because nobody sets out to win it. no one ever picks up a guitar, or fights a disease, or starts a movement, thinking, "you know what, if i keep this up, in 2012, i could get a medal in the white house from a guy named barack obama." that wasn't in the plan. but that's exactly what makes this award so special. every one of today's honorees is blessed with an extraordinary amount of talent. all of them are driven. but, yes, we could fill this room many times over with people who are talented and driven. what sets these men and women apart is the incredible impact they have had on so many people -- not in short, blinding bursts, but steadily, over the course of a lifetime. together, the honorees on this stage, and the ones who

couldn't be here, have moved us with their words, they have inspired us with their actions. they've enriched our lives and they've changed our lives for the better. some of them are household names, others have labored quietly out of the public eye. most of them may never fully appreciate the difference they've made or the influence that they've had, but that's where our job comes in. it's our job to help let them know how extraordinary their impact has been on our lives. and so today we present this amazing group with one more accolade for a life well led, and that's the presidential medal of freedom. so i'm going to take an opportunity -- i hope you guys don't mind -- to brag about each of you, starting with madeleine albright. usually, madeleine does the

talking. once in a while, she lets her jewelry do the talking. when saddam hussein called her a "snake," she wore a serpent on her lapel the next time she visited baghdad. when slobodan milosevic referred to her as a "goat," a new pin appeared in her collection. as the first woman to serve as america's top diplomat, madeleine's courage and toughness helped bring peace to the balkans and paved the way for progress in some of the most unstable corners of the world. and as an immigrant herself -- the granddaughter of holocaust victims who fled her native czechoslovakia as a child -- madeleine brought a unique perspective to the job. this is one of my favorite stories. once, at a naturalization ceremony, an ethiopian man came up to her and said, "only in america can a refugee meet the secretary of state." and she replied, "only in

america can a refugee become the secretary of state." we're extraordinarily honored to have madeleine here. and obviously, i think it's fair to say i speak for one of your successors who is so appreciative of the work you did and the path that you laid. it was a scorching hot day in 1963, and mississippi was on the verge of a massacre. the funeral procession for medgar evers had just disbanded, and a group of marchers was throwing rocks at a line of equally defiant and heavily-armed policemen. and suddenly, a white man in shirtsleeves, hands raised, walked towards the protestors and talked them into going home peacefully. and that man was john doar. he was the face of the justice department in the south. he was proof that the federal government was listening. and over the years, john

escorted james meredith to the university of mississippi. he walked alongside the selma- to-montgomery march. he laid the groundwork for the civil rights act of 1964 and the voting rights act of 1965. in the words of john lewis, "he gave [civil rights workers] a reason not to give up on those in power." and he did it by never giving up on them. and i think it's fair to say that i might not be here had it not been for his work. bob dylan started out singing other people's songs. but, as he says, "there came a point where i had to write what i wanted to say, because what i wanted to say, nobody else was writing." so born in hibbing, minnesota -- a town, he says, where "you couldn't be a rebel -- it was too cold" bob moved to new york at age 19. by the time he was 23, bob's

voice, with its weight, its unique, gravelly power was redefining not just what music sounded like, but the message it carried and how it made people feel. today, everybody from bruce springsteen to u2 owes bob a debt of gratitude. there is not a bigger giant in the history of american music. all these years later, he's still chasing that sound, still searching for a little bit of truth. and i have to say that i am a really big fan. in the 1960s, more than 2 million people died from smallpox every year. just over a decade later, that number was zero -- 2 million to zero, thanks, in part, to dr. bill foege. as a young medical missionary working in nigeria, bill helped develop a vaccination strategy that would later be used to

eliminate smallpox from the face of the earth. and when that war was won, he moved on to other diseases, always trying to figure out what works. in one remote nigerian village, after vaccinating 2,000 people in a single day, bill asked the local chief how he had gotten so many people to show up. and the chief explained that he had told everyone to come see -- to "come to the village and see the tallest man in the world." today, that world owes that really tall man a great debt of gratitude. on the morning that john glenn blasted off into space, america stood still. and for half an hour, the phones stopped ringing in chicago police headquarters, and new york subway drivers offered a play-by-play account over the loudspeakers. president kennedy interrupted a breakfast with congressional leaders and joined 100 million tv viewers to hear the famous

words, "godspeed, john glenn." the first american to orbit the earth, john glenn became a hero in every sense of the word, but he didn't stop there serving his country. as a senator, he found new ways to make a difference. and on his second trip into space at age 77, he defied the odds once again. but he reminds everybody, don't tell him he's lived a historic life. he says, "are living." he'll say, "don't put it in the past tense." he's still got a lot of stuff going on. gordon hirabayashi knew what it was like to stand alone. as a student at the university of washington, gordon was one of only three japanese americans to defy the executive order that forced thousands of families to leave their homes, their jobs, and their civil rights behind and move to

internment camps during world war ii. he took his case all the way to the supreme court, and he lost. and it would be another 40 years before that decision was reversed, giving asian americans everywhere a small measure of justice. in gordon's words, "it takes a crisis to tell us that unless citizens are willing to standup for the [constitution], it's not worth the paper it's written on." and this country is better off because of citizens like him who are willing to stand up. similarly, when cesar chavez sat dolores huerta down at his kitchen table and told her they should start a union, she thought he was joking. she was a single mother of seven children, so she obviously didn't have a lot of free time. but dolores had been an elementary school teacher and remembered seeing children come to school hungry and without

shoes. so in the end, she agreed -- and workers everywhere are glad that she did. without any negotiating experience, dolores helped lead a worldwide grape boycott that forced growers to agree to some of the country's first farm worker contracts. and ever since, she has fought to give more people a seat at the table." don't wait to be invited," she says, "step in there." and on a personal note, dolores was very gracious when i told her i had stolen her slogan, "si, se puede." yes, we can. knowing her, i'm pleased that she let me off easy because dolores does not play. for years, jan karski's students at georgetown university knew he was a great professor, what they didn't realize was he was also a hero. fluent in four languages, possessed of a photographic memory, jan served as a courier

for the polish resistance during the darkest days of world war ii. before one trip across enemy lines, resistance fighters told him that jews were being murdered on a massive scale, and smuggled him into the warsaw ghetto and a polish death camp to see for himself. jan took that information to president franklin roosevelt, giving one of the first accounts of the holocaust and imploring to the world to take action. it was decades before jan was ready to tell his story. by then, he said, "i don't need courage anymore. so i teach compassion." growing up in georgia in the late 1800s, juliette gordon low was not exactly typical. she flew airplanes. she went swimming. she experimented with electricity for fun. and she recognized early on that in order to keep up with

the changing times, women would have to be prepared. so at age 52, after meeting the founder of the boy scouts in england, juliette came home and called her cousin and said, "i've got something for the girls of savannah, and all of america, and all the world. and we're going to start it tonight!" a century later, almost 60 million girl scouts have gained leadership skills and self-confidence through the organization that she founded. they include ceos, astronauts, my own secretary of state. and from the very beginning, they have also included girls of different races and faiths and abilities, just the way that juliette would have wanted it. toni morrison -- she is used to a little distraction. as a single mother working at a publishing company by day, she would carve out a little time in the evening to write, often with her two sons pulling on her hair and tugging at her earrings. once, a baby spit up on her

tablet so she wrote around it. circumstances may not have been ideal, but the words that came out were magical. toni morrison's prose brings us that kind of moral and emotional intensity that few writers ever attempt. from "song of solomon" to "beloved," toni reaches us deeply, using a tone that is lyrical, precise, distinct, and inclusive. she believes that language "arcs toward the place where meaning might lie." the rest of us are lucky to be following along for the ride. during oral argument, justice john paul stevens often began his line of questioning with a polite, "may i interrupt?" or "may i ask a question?" you can imagine the lawyers would say, "okay" after which he would, just as politely, force a lawyer to stop dancing around and focus on the most

important issues in the case. and that was his signature style, modest, insightful, well-prepared, razor-sharp. he is the third-longest serving justice in the history of the court. and justice stevens applied, throughout his career, his clear and graceful manner to the defense of individual rights and the rule of law, always favoring a pragmatic solution over an ideological one. ever humble, he would happily comply when unsuspecting tourists asked him to take their picture in front of the court. and at his vacation home in florida, he was john from arlington, better known for his world-class bridge game than his world-changing judicial opinions. even in his final days on the bench, justice stevens insisted he was still "learning on the job." but in the end, we are the ones who have learned from him. when a doctor first told pat summitt she suffered from

dementia, she almost punched him. when a second doctor advised her to retire, she responded, "do you know who you're dealing with here?" obviously, they did not. as pat says, "i can fix a tractor, mow hay, plow a field, chop tobacco, fire a barn, and call the cows. but what i'm really known for is winning." in 38 years at tennessee, she racked up eight national championships and more than 1,000 wins -- understand, this is more than any college coach, male or female, in the history of the ncaa. and more importantly, every player that went through her program has either graduated or is on her way to a degree. that's why anybody who feels sorry for pat will find themselves on the receiving end of that famous glare, or she might punch you. she's still getting up every day and doing what she does

best, which is teaching." the players," she says, "are my best medicine." our final honoree is not here -- shimon peres, the president of israel, who has done more for the cause of peace in the middle east than just about anybody alive. i'll be hosting president peres for a dinner here at the white house next month, and we'll be presenting him with his medal and honoring his incredible contributions to the state of israel and the world at that time. so i'm looking forward to welcoming him. and if it's all right with you, i will save my best lines about him for that occasion. so these are the recipients of the 2012 medals of freedom. and just on a personal note, i had a chance to see everybody in the back. what's wonderful about these events for me is so many of these people are my heroes individually. i know how they impacted my

life. i remember reading "song of solomon" when i was a kid and not just trying to figure out how to write, but also how to be and how to think. and i remember in college listening to bob dylan and my world opening up because he captured something that -- about this country that was so vital. and i think about dolores huerta, reading about her when i was starting off as an organizer. everybody on this stage has marked my life in profound ways. and i was telling -- somebody like pat summitt -- when i think about my two daughters, who are tall and gifted, and knowing that because of folks like coach summitt they're standing up straight and diving

after loose balls and feeling confident and strong, then i understand that the impact that these people have had extends beyond me. it will continue for generations to come. what an extraordinary honor to be able to say thank you to all of them for the great work that they have done on behalf of this country and on behalf of the world. so it is now my great honor to present them with a small token of our appreciation. [applause] >> presidential medal of freedom citations, madeleine korbel albright. madeleine korbel albright broke barriers and left an indelible

mark on the world as the first female secretary of state in the united states' history. through her consummate diplomacy and steadfast democratic ideals, secretary albright advanced peace in the middle east, nuclear arms control, justice in the balkans, and human rights around the world. with unwavering leadership and continued engagement with the global community, she continues her noble pursuit of freedom and dignity for all people. >> i think this goes very well with your broach. [the medal is presented] [applause] >> john doar. as african americans strove for

justice, john doar led federal efforts to defend equality and enforce civil rights. risking his life to confront the injustices around him, he prevented a violent riot, obtained convictions for the killings of civil rights activists, and stood by the first african american student at the university of mississippi on his first day of class. during pivotal moments in the civil rights movement and in the troubled times of the watergate scandal, john doar fought to protect the core values of liberty, equality and democracy that have made america a leader among nations. [applause] [the medal is presented]

>> bill foege. >> he is pretty tall. >> a distinguished physician and epidemiologist, bill foege helped lead a campaign to eradicate smallpox that stands among medicine's greatest success stories. at the centers for disease control and prevention, the carter center, and the bill and melinda gates foundation, he has taken on humanity's most intractable public health challenges from infectious diseases to child survival and development. bill foege has driven decades of progress to safeguard the well-being of all, and he has inspired a generation of leaders in the fight for a healthier world. [applause]

[the medal is presented] john glenn has set a peerless example through his service to our nation. as a marine corps pilot and the first american to orbit the earth, he sparked our passions for ingenuity and adventure and lifted humanity's ambitions into the expanses of space. in the united states senate, he worked tirelessly to ensure all americans had the opportunity to reach for limitless dreams. whether by advancing legislation to limit the spread of nuclear weapons or by becoming the oldest person ever to visit space, john glenn's example has moved us all to look to new horizons with drive and

optimism. [applause] [the medal is presented] susan carnahan, accepting on behalf of her husband gordon kiyoshi hirabayashi. in his open defiance of discrimination against japanese americans during world war ii, gordon kiyoshi hirabayashi demanded our nation live up to its founding principles. imprisoned for ignoring curfew and refusing to register for internment camps, he took his case to the supreme court, which ruled against him in 1943. refusing to abandon his belief in an america that stands for fundamental human rights, he pursued justice until his

conviction was overturned in 1987. gordon hirabayashi's legacy reminds us that patriotism is rooted not in ethnicity, but in our shared ideals. and his example will forever call on us to defend the liberty of all our citizens. [applause] [the medal is presented] dolores clara fernandez huerta. one of america's great labor and civil rights icons, dolores clara fernandez huerta has devoted her life to advocating for marginalized communities. alongside cesar chavez, she co- founded the united farm workers of america and fought to secure

basic rights for migrant workers and their families, helping save thousands from neglect and abuse. dolores huerta has never lost faith in the power of community organizing, and through the dolores huerta foundation, she continues to train and mentor new activists to walk the streets into history. [applause] [the medal is presented] adam daniel rotfeld, former polish foreign minister accepting on behalf of jan karski. as a young officer in the polish underground, jan karski was among the first to relay

accounts of the holocaust to the world. a witness to atrocity in the warsaw ghetto and the nazi izbica transit camp, he repeatedly crossed enemy line to document the face of genocide, and courageously voiced tragic truths all the way to president roosevelt. jan karski illuminated one of the darkest chapters of history, and his heroic intervention on behalf of the innocent will never be forgotten. [applause] [the medal is presented] richard platt, accepting on behalf of his great aunt, juliette gordon low. an artist, athlete and trailblazer for america's daughters, juliette gordon low founded an organization to teach young women self-reliance

and resourcefulness. a century later, during the "year of the girl," the girl scouts' more than 3 million members are leaders in their communities and are translating new skills into successful careers. americans of all backgrounds continue to draw inspiration from juliette gordon low's remarkable vision, and we celebrate her dedication to empowering girls everywhere. [applause] [medal is presented] toni morrison. the first african american woman to win a nobel prize, toni morrison is one of our nation's most distinguished storytellers.

she has captivated readers through lyrical prose that depicts the complexities of a people and challenges our concepts of race and gender. her works are hallmarks of the american literary tradition, and the united states proudly honors her for her nursing of souls and strengthening the character of our union. [applause] [the medal is presented] john paul stevens. from the navy to the bench, john paul stevens has devoted

himself to service to our nation. after earning a bronze star in world war ii, stevens returned home to pursue a career in law. as an attorney, he became a leading practitioner of anti- trust law. and as a supreme court justice, he dedicated his long and distinguished tenure to applying our constitution with fidelity and independence. his integrity, humility, and steadfast commitment to the rule of law have fortified the noble vision of our nation's founders. [applause] [the medal is presented] pat summitt.

pat summitt is an unparalleled figure in collegiate sports. over 38 seasons, she proudly led the university of tennessee lady volunteers to 32 sec tournament and regular season championships and eight national titles, becoming the all-time winningest coach in ncaa basketball history. on the court, coach summitt inspired young women across our country to shoot even higher in pursuit of their dreams. off the court, she has inspired us all by turning her personal struggle into a public campaign to combat alzheimer's disease. pat summitt's strength and character exemplify all that is best about athletics in america. [applause] [the medal is presented]

bob dylan. a modern-day troubadour, bob dylan established himself as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. the rich poetry of his lyrics opened up new possibilities for popular song and inspired generations. his melodies have brought ancient traditions into the modern age. more than 50 years after his career began, bob dylan remains an eminent voice in our national conversation and around the world. [applause]

[the medal is presented] >> can everybody please stand and give a rousing applause to our medal of freedom winners? you don't have to stand. [applause] [applause] [applause]

well, we could not be prouder of all of them. we could not be more grateful to all of them. you have had an impact on all of us, and i know that you will continue to have an impact on all of us. so thank you for being here. thank you for putting yourself through white house ceremonies which are always full of all kinds of protocol. fortunately, we also have a reception afterwards. i hear the food around here is pretty good. so i look forward to all of you having a chance to stay and mingle, and again, thank you again, to all of you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats until the president and the medal

recipients have departed. ♪ [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> i believe in every book a ride, go there. in green bay, go live there. go live and hot springs and find out what it is like for bill clinton. i had never been to vietnam before. how could i write about it without going to the battlefield? i had to go. >> in his book, this author

wrote about two major turning points in the vietnam war and the other one in the u.s. watches interview on line at the cspan video library. over the past four years, he has been researching his latest book on barack obama. with him sunday on june 17 on book-tv. >> is a look at what we are covering this morning. asjhton carter will talk about defense priorities from the american enterprise institute at 10:45 eastern. on c-span 2, the congressional black caucus host a conference on voting rights and new state voting laws. live coverage starts at 9:00 eastern and attorney general eric holder is scheduled to speak at the conference at 10:00 eastern. on c-span 3, a discussion on international proposals to international proposals to regulate