host: let's hear from shawn in blacksburg, new york, line for republicans. good morning, sean. caller: good morning. guest: morning. caller: hello, professor. how are you doing today? guest: all right. caller: just to bounce off the woman who was just on, it sounds like she has a tremendous amount of ground. my dad actually was navy and he spent time in the panama area i'm a was stationed down there. what is your take on the chinese influence in that area, and what influence, you know, because the fact we built the infrastructure there, and i do get the sovereignty aspect of that. i understand that is a sovereign nation. what would be your -- i'm

getting the impression that you don't appreciate what president trump is trying to do and you call it bullying, what would you think is the best option? -- but what would you think is the best option? guest: the chinese are strategic competitors -- ♪

>> distinguished guests, the vice president of the united states and second gentleman, douglas emhoff. [applause] [indiscernible] the presidential medal of freedom, jose andres. [applause]

>> distinguished guests, the president of the united states, and dr. biden. [applause]

pres. biden: please, everybody, be seated. good afternoon and happy new year. as we gather in this room in january 2025, imagine 1865. president lincoln had just delivered his inaugural address at the capitol. he returned to the white house for a reception here in the east room. there were many well-wishes, but he spotted somebody who is a dignity of great value. president lincoln asked him what he thought of the speech he had just delivered to the nation. about a divided civil war. the man replied it was sacred. that man was frederick douglass. here we are nearly 160 years

later in the room where abraham lincoln and frederick douglass stood to unify the nation toward i'm joined by my incredible first lady, jill, and my incredible vice president, kamala harris. and the second gentleman, doug. doug is a hell of a lawyer, by the way. as president i have the honor of bestowing the medal of freedom on our nation's highest civilian honor on a group of truly extraordinary people. who gave their sacred effort. shape the culture and the cause of america. let me just say to each of you, thank you, thank you, thank you for all you have done to help this country. [applause]

you all literally embody the nation's creed. out of many, one. a collection of people of different backgrounds, beliefs, and talents from different generations and different genders, using the remarkable gifts and unwavering passion to strengthen our resolve as one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. it matters. it really does matter. as cultural icons, there should be a dignified statement, humanitarians, rock stars,'s word stars, you feed the hungry. give hope to those who are hurting. and you craft the signs and sounds in our movements and memories. it is amazing, or innovation, you are inspired. you bring healing and joy to so many lives who otherwise would

not be touched. you answered the call to serve and lead others to do the same thing. and you defend the values of america even when they are under attack, which they have been of late. together you leave an incredible mark -- and i mean this sincerely. you leave an incredible mark on our country. with insight and influence that can be felt around the globe, in major cities and remote areas alike. showing us that what is possible as a nation, there is nothing beyond their capacity. while representing your families, your communities, your ancestors with pride and appreciation at the same time. i would also like to take a moment to recognize those honorees who are no longer with us, including the young man speaking. by the way, kids rule in this house, ok? [applause] don't worry about it.

and y'all think i'm kidding. i'm not. [laughter] ash carter, ms. fannie lou hamer, bobby kennedy, heroes of the highest order. and bobby kennedy is one of my truest heroes. i love and miss him dearly. i think his family, all of their families as we carry on this sacred effort of courage and conviction you all began. so, today i'll want to congratulate you. on all you have accomplished, and i am grateful for the work you will inspire for generations to follow, to stay engaged. to never give up. to always keep the faith. and that spirit from the people's house, or abraham lincoln and frederick douglass and a generation of patriots before us have stood watch over the republic.

i asked the military to begin the reading of the citations for today's medal of freedom honorees. [applause] >> jose andres. [applause] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to jose andres, from his parents kitchen in spain jose andres arrived in america with little money and big dreams. over the course of three decades he mastered his culinary craft with renowned restaurants that spanned culture and cuisine, and bring people together. his world central kitchen revolutionized humanitarian assistance by mobilizing fellow chefs in providing meals to

people left in the wake of natural disasters and war. with his unmatched personality and hard jose andres shows us that there is a seat for everyone at the table. [applause] [applause] bono. [applause]

the presidential medal awarded to bono as the lead singer of u2, one of the most successful rock bands in history. in an irish tradition of protest, rebellion and rejoicing he has composed anthems to peace and civil rights. as a humanitarian he lifts up causes from ending positive -- ending poverty, to debt reef -- to debt relief for developing nations. his work his freedom, a tie which binds ireland and america as friends. [applause]

accepting on behalf of ashton baldwin carter is stephanie carter. [applause] the presidential medal of to ashton baldwin carter, a scientist turned secretary of defense ash carter was a true patriot. over four decades in and out of the pentagon he was a key leader, thinker and strategist on critical issues edging from nuclear nonproliferation, counterterrorism and our sacred -- obligation to protect our servicemembers and their families. his scientific and technological innovations made our nation safer and his integrity and mentorship inspired generations of americans to serve and protect our nation with honor and dignity.

[applause] hillary rodham clinton. [applause]

the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to hillary rodham clinton. hillary rodham clinton is guided by the methodist creed, do all the good you can in all of the ways you can. as a lawyer she defended the rights of children. as first lady she fought for universal health care and declared women's rights are human rights. as a senator she helped new york rebuild after september 11, 2001. as secretary of state she championed democracy worldwide and her nomination for president growth areas and inspired generations. through it all her career has been dedicated to an eternal truth. america's ideals are sacred and we must always defend and live by them. [applause]

michael j. fox. [applause] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to michael j. fox. michael j. fox is one of the most beloved actors of our time, with remarkable wit and charm he introduced iconic characters to the center of american culture. from alex keaton to marty mcfly and more.

with un-dull teen resilience he also warms hearts and cap fates audiences as a fearless advocates -- advocate for those with parkinson's, channeling his personality to advanced treatments, we bus closer to a cure and remind us of the power of american possibilities. [applause] tim gill.

the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to tim gill, a leading philanthropist and civil rights leader, tim gill advances the cause of equality for the lgbtq community in america and the world. visionary entrepreneur, he has helped lead the fight against hiv/aids, laid the groundwork for major -- for marriage equality, and more. his unwavering resolve and effectiveness in fighting for love and equality for all make him a key figure in our nation's story of reading. [applause] [applause]

jane goodall. [applause] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to jane goodall, from war-torn england to the jungles of tanzania dr. jane goodall's childhood passion for animals led her to explore wildlife in africa. her groundbreaking discoveries of chimpanzees challenged scientific invention, reshaped conversation methods and redefined our understanding of the connection between humans, animals, and the environment we share. jayne's activism, vision, and method of hope have mobilized a global movement to protect the planet. above all, she has taught us

that when we search for humanity in the natural world around us we discover it within ourselves. [applause] [applause] accepting on behalf of fannie lou hamer is doris hamer richardson. [applause] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to liz's fannie lou hamer, one of the most powerful voices of the civil rights movement.

fannie lou hamer spent years as a sharecropper in mississippi before learning that black citizens had a constitutional right to vote. with that newfound freedom she sacrificed her own safety to organize and register fellow black voters across the south. brutally beaten but undeterred, for decades she spoke truth to power to expand political participation and economic rights for all americans and left these words echoing in the nation's conscience. nobody is free until everybody is free. [applause] earvin “magic” johnson. [applause]

the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to earvin “magic” johnson. with unmatched vision and versatility earvin “magic” johnson drove the showtime era for the los angeles lakers. five-time nba champion, three-time m.v.p., 12-time all-star, olympic gold medalist, and hall of famer. his honesty about his hiv status scattered stigma and save lives. [applause] the first retired athlete to build a true business empire, he championed underserved communities with a legendary will and smile. magic johnson rose from the playground in lansing to become

one of the most beloved athletes of our time. accepting on behalf of robert francis kennedy is cary kennedy. the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to robert francis kennedy, born into a revered family of service, robert f. kennedy forged a path

toward freedom that endures today. guided by the constitution and his conscience, he was a key strategist to his brothers accessible campaigns for senate and the presidency before serving as attorney general. a senator and a presidential candidate himself, with deep empathy and resolve, powerful prose and poetry he focused the nation's moral compass on civil rights. the dignity of the poor. and the ripples of hope we can each cast as we choose not to vision, not hatred, but love, wisdom, and compassion toward one another. [applause]

>> [inaudible] [laughter] >> ralph lauren. [applause] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to ralph lorraine, the son of polish immigrants and a u.s. army veteran, ralph lauren transformed a business into one of america's most iconic brands, leaving a lasting imprint on the world of fashion, fragrance, furniture, and beyond. throughout it all he remains a dedicated philanthropist, including fighting cancer. classic, yet creative, timeless yet innovative ralph lauren mindless of our distinct style of a -- as a nation of dreamers

and doers. [applause] william sanford nye. [applause] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to william sanford nye, a washington, d.c. native. ill night began his career as a

mechanical engineer in seattle before becoming a beloved science educator for the nation. earning 19 emmy awards for his energetic experience -- experiments on television as bill nye the science guy, he also earned the trust of millions of children and families by sharing the magic of fun in science. he inspires generations of americans to follow facts and reason and leave the world better than we found it. [applause] [applause] accepting on behalf of george w. romney is mitt romney. [applause]

the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to george w. romney, born to humble beginnings as the son of mormon missionaries, george romney developed a deep leaf in the idea that everyone deserves a fair shot at the american dream. as a respected auto executive and three term republican governor -- governor of michigan he served as secretary of housing and urban development, advanced civil rights, tackle poverty, and stood up for everyday americans, embodying an enduring faith in god and the love of country. [applause] david m. rubenstein. [applause]

the president medal of freedom is awarded to david m. rubenstein. from a working cath -- working class family in baltimore david rubenstein has become a leader in business, arts, and culture. after serving on the staff of the senate just dish -- senate judiciary committee david went on to become a transformational business leader and philanthropist. from advancing cutting edge cancer treatment, to restoring our nations monuments his leadership reminds us that at our best we learn from, preserve, and share our history so that everyone sees themselves in the story of america. [applause]

accepting on behalf of george soros is alex soros. [applause] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to george soares. born to a family in hungary, george soros escaped nazi occupation to build a life for himself and others around the world. educated in england, he settled in america as he became a philanthropist, supporting key pillars of open society. rights and justice, equity and equality, freedom now and in the future. his generosity reminds us all of our capacity and our obligation to stand up to the abuse of power and to be guardians of democracy and all people yearning to be free.

[applause] george stevens, jr. [applause] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to george stevens, jr., born into an entertainment family in los angeles george stevens, jr. found his own purpose as a storyteller. as a young age in the kennedy administration he produced hundreds of documentaries that champion freedom and democracy. he then created the american film institute and kennedy center honors, lifting up the arts and artists at the heart of american culture. in a career spanning seven decades george's creativity, vision has helped redeem the

soul of a nation founded on the power of free expression. [applause] [applause] denzel washington. [applause] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to denzel washington. denzel washington is considered one of the greatest actors of our time. over four decades on-screen and stage, his portrayals of iconic

figures and everyday people have earned him wide acclaim that includes two academy awards, two golden globes, and a tony award so far. [laughter] the admiration of audiences and peers is only exceeded by that of the couless yng people he inspires. with unmatched dignity, extraordinary talent, and unflinching faith in god and family denzel washington himself is a defining character of the american story. [applause]

anna wintour. [applause] the presidential medal of to anna wintour, the daughter of a former newspaper editor anna wintour has used her creative talents, taste, and style for decades to redefine fashion, journalism, in america and around the world. pushing boundaries uses fashion to reflect our culture and help the next generation of entrepreneurs and designers defined -- defined their visions and find their voices. from magazines, to runways, and red carpets anna wintour has cemented her legacy as a cultural and business icon. [applause]

[laughter] pres. biden: not a bad group, h uh? [applause] folks, thank you all, again.

thank you, and to your families for your service and there's to the nation. congratulations, let's remember our sacred effort continues. have to keep going. as my mother would say, we have to keep the faith. god bless you all and may god protect our troops. please enjoy the reception. god love you all. >> distinguished guests, please remain in your seat as the president and dr. biden, the vice president and mr. emhoff, and the recipients have departed the east room. ♪ [applause] ♪

>> can we get a thumbs-up up or thumbs down? [applause]

>> how are you feeling? how are you feeling?

>> do you have any regrets about your foreign dealings? ♪ >> you have been watching live

coverage. we were turn out our scheduled program. we join it in progress. rescue in the city of miami, and i can tell you that the city became a battleground of gangsters killing one another for months after mr. carter allowed that particular catastrophe to go on. so, for those that want to believe that jimmy carter was a great man and a great president, i will conclude that he was not a bad man but a terrible president. i will not even go into the hostage scenario. part of the problem regarding the helicopters was due in part to the fact that jimmy carter did not give to the military all of thehi