WASHINGTON -President Bush recognized winners of the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a ceremony in the White House.
He lauded the accomplishments of the 13 winners, and he even sought some advice from Arnold Palmer, one of the award winners. Bush and Palmer were comparing golf swings during the ceremony in the East Room.
For all who love the game of golf and for those who love to see it played
there has never been a sight in the game quite like Arnold Palmer walking down the fairway toward the 18th green Bush said.
Wednesday's ceremony recognized outstanding individuals in myriad fields, including business, entertainment, religion and government. The Medal of Freedom is the highest non-military award in the country. President Truman gave the first medals to honor civilian contributions to World War II, and President Kennedy reinstated the awards in 1963.
Bush several times praised the winners' dedication to self-motivation and free-market capitalism. Speaking of cosmetics magnate Este Lauder, Bush said she exemplified the great American success story that began with an immigrant family in Queens New York.
Bush quoted Lauder saying she built her empire not by dreaming or hoping for it
but by working for it. Leonard and Ronald Lauder accepted the award on behalf of their mother, who died in April.
Pope John Paul II, to whom Bush presented the medal during a recent trip to Italy, also was recognized at the ceremony.
From his days as a young seminarian to this very hour
he's been a foe of tyranny
a minister of true authority
and a person of great wisdom and kindness and moral courage
Bush said.
Also receiving awards were: Robert Bartley, a former editor at the Wall Street Journal; Edward Brooke, the first popularly elected black man in the Senate; actress and singer Doris Day; Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation; Gilbert Grosvenor, chairman of the National Geographic Society; Gordon Hinckley, president of the Mormon church; Arnall Patz, who was a leader in preventing child blindness; Norman Podhertz, former editor of Commentary magazine; Walter Wriston, former CEO of Citibank; and Rita Moreno, an actress in television, film and on broadway.
As attendees left the event, the Military Band serenaded the crowd with a rendition of I Feel Pretty
an homage to Moreno's role as Anita in the 1961 film West Side Story.
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