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The White House announced that President Barack Obama will award the Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award, to 16 recipients including television star and businesswoman Oprah Winfrey, legendary Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee and former President Bill Clinton. “The Presidential Medal of Freedom goes to men and women who have dedicated their own lives to enriching ours,” Mr. Obama said in a statement released by the White House. “This year’s honorees have been blessed with extraordinary talent, but what sets them apart is their gift for sharing that talent with the world.” Mr. Obama will award the medals...

Vehicles powered by natural gas are cleaner than those running on petrol, and are of increasing interest to those living in countries that have to import oil. But the high pressures at which gas must be stored require expensive materials and distribution infrastructures, as well as radically different vehicle designs.Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) could be the answer to the problem. These materials – which comprise metal ions connected by organic linkers – are able to store high quantities of gas at lower pressures than are required by traditional gas cylinders, for example. But their low capacity and the scale on...

As soon as his cancer was detected, I noticed the immediate attempt at the "canonization" of old Teddy Kennedy by the mainstream media. They are saying what a "great American" he is. I say, let's get a couple things clear & not twist the facts to change the real history. In other words, let us not let our sympathy for his illness get in the way of truth. 1. He was caught cheating at Harvard when he attended it. He was expelled twice, once for cheating on a test, and once for paying a classmate to cheat for him. 2....

Says he flubbed stats Says he flubbed stats By CAROL E. LEE Before presenting tennis legend Billie Jean King with the Medal of Freedom Wednesday, President Obama ticked off some ... ... of her accomplishments: 12 Grand Slam titles, 101 doubles titles, 67 singles titles. “Pretty good, Billie Jean,” he quipped. But he didn’t get any of it right, according to King herself. “They didn’t get any of my facts right,” King lightheartedly noted afterward. “Did you see all the – how many titles I won? I was cracking up.” “Not even in the ballpark,” she continued. King found it...

This afternoon, President Obama awards Senator Edward Kennedy a Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation's highest civilian honor. According to a spokesman, Kennedy will not attend the ceremony -- his oldest child, Kara Kennedy will accept the award for him. Also present will be his other children, Ted, Jr. and his wife Kiki, Patrick, Caroline Raclin and Curran Raclin. Kennedy will remain at home in Mass., where he is fighting brain cancer. He was diagnosed last year in May. Kennedy is among 16 recipients this year, who have made an "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national...

The Medal of Freedom is America's highest civilian honor. This year, one of the recipients is Mary Robinson. The former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights is best known as the architect behind the UN's disastrous Durban conference, known primarily for the US and Israel boycotting the racist, hatefilled platform given to Arab dictators. But not to worry, she also has a decades-long track record or bashing the United States and our foreign policy.

The Obama Adminstration -- is it just President Obama -- seems to delight in provoking the Jewish people by either honoring or appointing individuals who have done one or more of the following: 1. Sided with Israel's enemies in diplomatic or military theaters, thereby giving them both political and strategic support. 2. Provided Israel's enemies with a forum for advancing anti-Semitic or anti-Israel propaganda or have willfully engaged in propagandizing themselves. 3. Singled out Jews and Israel as the primary obstacle peace in the Middle East and have advanced the argument that a Jewish or Israel lobby has created that...

The sponsor of the anti-Semitic hate fests known as Durban I and Durban II, Mary Robinson, can't stand even the slightest criticism of her receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama. Stephen O'Farrell of the Irish Independent (Mary Robinson is Irish) reports her viewpoint: FORMER President Mary Robinson accused "certain elements" of the Jewish community of bullying after a number of pro-Israel lobby groups voiced concerns over her being awarded the top US civilian honour. ....

President Barack Obama's decision to bestow the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Mary Robinson, who headed a United Nation Commission that condoned suicide bombing against Israelis and who also was in charge of the Durban Conference Against Racism that became an anti-Semitic hate-fest reminiscent of Nazi Germany (and that the Unites States and Israel boycotted, to Robinson's consternation), has elicited some measure of controversy. Jennifer Rubin at Commentary has been doing outstanding work detailing the history of Robinson; columnist Melanie Phillips has also responded while Eric Fingerhut of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency has tried to minimize the controversy (as is...

The White House announced today the names of 16 people chosen by the Administration of Hope-n-Change to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor. "...These outstanding men and women represent an incredible diversity of backgrounds," Obama said in a statement. "Their tremendous accomplishments span fields from science to sports, from fine arts to foreign affairs," he said. "Yet they share one overarching trait: Each has been an agent of change. Each saw an imperfect world and set about improving it, often overcoming great obstacles along the way." U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, praised Obama for selecting...

Today, President Barack Hussein Obama announced his first list of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients. And while it’s ironic–since most of the choices have contributed to taking away our freedoms, the choices aren’t shockers. They’re quite predictable. For the most part, it reads like a far-left who’s who: two gay activists, four feminists, two far-left Hollywood actors, an anti-Semitic fan of Arafat and defender of Palestinian terrorists, a Muslim, a bloated drunk driver, and a token liberal Republican. Yes, there are a few token deserving awardees, like Stephen Hawking, Janet Davison Rowley, Pedro Jose Greer, Jr., and Joe Medicine Crow....

Pedro Jose Greer Jr. is the founder of Camillus Health Concern, an agency that provides medical care to more than 10,000 homeless patients a year in Miami, Florida. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, has served as a senator for 46 years and has pushed for quality and affordable health care for children, seniors and people with disabilities. Billie Jean King, a professional tennis player of the 1960s and 1970s, was the first openly lesbian major sports figure in the United States. Rev. Joseph Lowery has been a leader of the struggle for civil rights since the 1950s. His work included helping...

Mary Robinson, U.N. Commissioner and former president of Ireland, is being awarded the Medal of Freedom by Obama. Well, isn’t that just dandy. Who is Mary Robinson? You may remember her role in presiding over the infamous Durban I Conference. At the time she joined Rashid Khalidi at Columbia University (no, you can’t make this up), this report summarized the objections to her hiring, given her record in overseeing the infamous Israel-bashing event: Columbia has “become a hotbed of anti-Israel haters,” said the president of the Zionist Organization of America, Morton Klein. “It’s especially astonishing that a school with such...

The President announced today the 16 recipients of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilan honor. The President praised the recipients for breaking down barriers and lifting up their fellow citizens: "These outstanding men and women represent an incredible diversity of backgrounds. Their tremendous accomplishments span fields from science to sports, from fine arts to foreign affairs. Yet they share one overarching trait: Each has been an agent of change. Each saw an imperfect world and set about improving it, often overcoming great obstacles along the way." The awards will be presented on August 12. Here is a...

The late San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk received the presidential Medal of Freedom award today with 15 other recipients ranging across the professional and ideological spectrum, from the late supply sider Jack Kemp to tennis star Billy Jean King to Sen. Edward Kennedy, whose absence from the health care debate due to brain cancer treatments has weighed heavily on the White House. The medal is the country's highest civilian honor. President Obama said all the recipients "share one overarching trait: Each has been an agent of change. Each saw an imperfect world and set about improving it, often overcoming great...

President Obama will award Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) next month with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor. In announcing the award for Kennedy, a nine-term senator who is fighting brain cancer, the White House called him "one of the greatest lawmakers — and leaders — of our time." The award comes as Democrats in Congress and Obama are pushing for healthcare reform legislation, which has long been Kennedy's top issue, the White House noted in its release. "He has called health care reform the 'cause of his life,' and has championed nearly every health care bill...

Note: the following text is a quote: THE BRIEFING ROOM THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary _____________________________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 30, 2009 President Obama Names Medal of Freedom Recipients 16 Agents of Change to Receive Top Civilian Honor WASHINGTON – President Obama today named 16 recipients of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom. America’s highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom is awarded to individuals who make an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. This year’s awardees were chosen for...

Obama to give Kennedy Medal of Freedom @ 12:30 pm by Hill Staff President Obama will award Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) next month with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor. In announcing the award for Kennedy, a nine-term senator who is fighting brain cancer, the White House called him "one of the greatest lawmakers — and leaders — of our time." The award comes as Democrats in Congress and Obama are pushing for healthcare reform legislation, which has long been Kennedy's top issue, the White House noted in its release. "He has called health care reform...

JACKSON, Miss. - Former Rep. Gillespie V. “Sonny” Montgomery, who during his 30 years in Congress pushed through a modernized GI Bill that boosted recruiting for the all-volunteer force, died Friday. He was 85. SNIP On Thursday, the House voted to name a national defense authorization bill in his honor. A conservative Democrat, Montgomery represented an east-central Mississippi district in Congress from 1967 to 1997, and for 13 years chaired the House Veterans Affairs Committee. He himself was a 35-year military veteran, serving in the Army in Europe during World War II, then returned to active duty during the Korean...

Bush has chosen retired Gen. Tommy Franks, who oversaw combat in Afghanistan and the initial invasion of Iraq, former CIA Director George Tenet and former Iraq administrator L. Paul Bremer to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The president will hand out the awards at a White House ceremony Dec. 14, press secretary Scott McClellan said.

Doris Day chatted with President George W. Bush about their mutual love of dogs when he phoned to congratulate the iconic performer and animal welfare advocate on receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. The Prez told Doris that he's an animal person, and talked about his Scottish terrier Barney and about the critters on his ranch. And then Day advised the president that he'd get more votes if he'd quit hunting. She tells us that her sentiments about Bush's hunting won't stop her from voting for him. "I'm pulling for him every step of the...

This morning President Bush flew to Philadelphia to speak to People for People at the Greater Exodus Baptist Church about the HIV/AIDS pandemic. He was enthusiastically introduced by Pastor Herb Lusk.This afternoon back in the East Room at the White House, the President awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to outstanding Americans, and got a few golf tips as well. Enjoy your trip to Sanity Island on the Daily Dose!

President Bush awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor to Norman Podhoretz, the Jewish political theorist. President Bush awarded the nation’s highest civilian honor to Norman Podhoretz, the Jewish political theorist. Podhoretz helped cultivate neo-conservatism in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and he has steered its flagship publication, the American Jewish Committee-published Commentary, since then. Neo-conservatism was founded by former liberal intellectuals, many of them Jews, alienated from the American left because of its perceived appeasement of Communism.

Doris Day, Estee Lauder, Arnold Palmer Among Medal of Freedom Honorees Elizabeth Wolfe/Associated Press Jun 18, 2004 WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush has selected a dozen people, including an actress, a golf champion and a former senator, to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the White House announced Friday. Two of the recipients will be honored posthumously, while the others are invited to receive the nation's highest civilian honor at a White House ceremony with Bush next Wednesday. The Medal of Freedom, established by President Truman in 1945 to recognize civilians for their World War II service, was reinstated by...

<p>We hope our readers will allow us a moment of pride and gratitude today as we extend our heartiest congratulations to Wall Street Journal columnist and Editor Emeritus Robert Bartley, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom yesterday by President Bush.</p>

EDITOR'S NOTE: Today, 95-year-old physicist Edward Teller will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, described by the White House as "the nation's highest civil honor." Selecting Teller as one of this year's ten medal winners takes courage — the man is reviled on the Left as the father of the H-bomb, an early supporter of President Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative, and a stalwart anti-Communist. Yet he is fully deserving of the award as one of the 20th century's most important scientists and for his important role in winning the Cold War. Unfortunately, Teller's health will keep him from picking up...

Charlton Heston, the Academy Award-winning actor who headed the National Rifle Association and now has Alzheimer's, was awarded the Medal of Freedom on Wednesday by President Bush. An eclectic group received the nation's highest civilian award, including master chef Julia Child, whose television show brought gourmet cooking into millions of American homes, and the late Dave Thomas, the Wendy's hamburger magnate and philanthropist. Others included nuclear bomb pioneer Edward Teller, concert pianist Van Cliburn, former Czech Republic president and playwright Vaclav Havel, former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, the late Hall of Fame baseball player Roberto Clemente and the late...

The presidential Medal of Freedom awards this year provide yet another contrast between George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. THIS AFTERNOON, a ceremony will be held for the 2003 Medal of Freedom recipients in the East Room of the White House. President Bush's list is uniformly excellent, and incredibly revealing when compared with some of Bill Clinton's picks for the nation's highest civilian honor. Clinton's choices, of course, included several remarkable and deserving man and women. But he placed them on equal footing with other, lesser lights, including Jesse Jackson (2000), Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter (1999), George McGovern (2000), and...