[applause] george stevens, jr.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 aud

an entertainment family in los angeles george stevens junior found hisun own purpose as a storytellerey kennedy administration 80 produce 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 as the heart of american culture. in a career spanning seven decades, george's creativity, vision help to redeem the soul of a nation founded on the power of free expression. [cheering and applause] [applause] >> denzel washington. [cheering and applause] the presidential medal of freedom is awarded to denzel washington. denzel washington is considered one of the greatest actors of all time. over four decades on screen and stage his portrayal 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 is only exceeded by that of the countless young people he inspires. with unmatched dignity, extraordinary talent and unflinching faith in god and family, denzel washington himself i

[applause] >> george stevens jr.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 aide 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, an artist 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. [cheers and applause] the presidential presidential medal of freedom is awarded to denzel washington. denzel washington is consideringed one of the -- considered one of the greatest actors of our time. over four decades of screen and stage, his portrayals of iconic figures and everyday people have earned him two academy awards, two golden globes and a tony award so far. [laughter

in los angeles, george stevens jr.pose as a story teller. as a young aide in the kennedy administration, he produced hundreds of documentaries that championed 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. [ cheers and applause ]. denzel washington. [ cheers and 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 countless young people he inspires, with unmatched dignity, extraordinary talent

george stevens jr.. 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 aide in the kennedy administration, he produced hundreds of documentaries that championed 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. denzel washington. 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. the admiration of audiences and peers is only exceeded by that of the countless young people he inspires. with unmatched dignity,

want to bring in former democratic senator doug jones of alabama and stuart stevens, a veteran of the mitt romney and georgeesidential campaigns. he is now with the lincoln project. doug, take us to alabama, your home state, where there are all sorts of donald trump voters and super fans. how do you think they're going to receive this funding freeze? >> well, i think they're going to receive it just fine unless democrats, you know, get off their cans and start talking to those people and telling them how it's going to affect them. we can talk about the constitution and the rule of law and impoundments and those things all we want to. but the fact of the matter is, democrats need to be talking every day to everyday americans about how this is going to affect them. they need to be talking to firefighters. they need to be talking to those on medicaid. they need to be talking to the doctors that are going to treat these patients. they need to be talking to county commissioners and mayors, city council members. they need to be organizing from the ground up. democrats need to start sending out messages. quit send

steven ford at his own father's funeral during the bush administration. you have seen as the president's row we are calling here. president and first lady's row. bill and hillary clinton, georgera bush. barack obama, michelle not there today. president-elect trump and melania and in front of him we have the president and first lady, the bidens, and kamala harris and her husband, doug emhoff. bret baier, as we await for the procession to get underway additional thoughts from you. >> bret: first of all, being in that cathedral is quite something. the cathedral choir with "the road home" opening the ceremony. you talk about steve ford, he will read what gerald ford wrote for this moment and ted mondale will read what vice president walter mondale wrote for this moment that is very powerful. you will hear voices from president ford and vice president mondale through their family members. and obviously a big moment for president biden delivering this eulogy. you know, we talked about humility for president carter. as the casket was coming in they played hail to the chief. at the beginning of president he said i don't want to hear hail to the chief. i don't want the pomp and circum

america's great debate, henry clay, steven douglas and the compromise that preserved the union, washington, the making of american capital. does everybody know george washington distilled whiskey in mount vernon, it's 127 dollars a bottle if you're interested. tonight we'll hear about those books and the first congress and how james madison and george washington and all those extraordinary men, no women, no people of color, no native americans, but men that founded a document, created a nation that is ever growing. he will share the unheralded place of firsts. so i give you a great honor and respect, fergus bordenwich. fergus: good evening, everyone. james baldwin once wrote, history is not the past, sorry, history is not the past, it is the present. we carry our history with us. we are our history. first i want to thank pete and the former members of inviting me to say a few words about "the first congress" and say it here in a wonderful space which as a new yorker i'm familiar with and always admired but this is called federal hall euphemistically because it wasn't federal hall but it's the site of federal hall and is an immensely rich site of ri

george w. bush, barack obama and president-elect donald trump will also be in attendance today to pay their respects to jimmy carter. an exclusive club. president of the united states. also tributes from stevend. a once political enemy turned ally of jimmy carter and close friend. carter defeated him in the '76 election. what is notable gerald ford wrote the carter tribute before he passed away in 2006. dead mondale son of walter mondale also will read attribute written by the former vice president by jimmy carter. jimmy carter is the only u.s. president to graduate from the naval academy. he studied nuclear power as father of nuclear navy. i interviewed him as a local reporter in georgia in 2009. he told me, guys his dream as a 5-year-old was to go to the naval academy and retire in hawaii or annapolis. in 1953 after his father died jimmy rushed home to plains, georgia to take care of the family peanut business. later today he will be buried in plains. there will be a service at home church where he taught sunday school for decades. he will be laid to rest next to his wife of 77 years, rosalynn carter on his family property in plains, georgia. back to you. >> lawrence: we will be watching,