President Obama, please honor Secretary Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton, DNC 2016 - Thursday

An open letter to President Obama:

 

Dear Mr. President,

We, the management team of Face Activities, thank you for your years of patriotic, dedicated and intelligent service to the United States. We are writing respectfully to ask that, in the final days of your administration, you publicly thank and honor another patriotic American, who has worked tirelessly over the course of a life time, in your administration as well as before, in order to serve the country and help ordinary folks live better lives—-former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

As your Secretary of State, as a Senator from New York, as First Lady under William Jefferson Clinton’s administration, and during her years as a lawyer and activist, we believe Secretary Clinton exemplifies the best values and traditions of a public servant. Her tireless work to help women and children, and promote civil rights and justice, cry out for recognition.

We are sad to recall how unfairly she was treated in the recent election, a hapless victim of fake news and declining standards in public discourse, and a general decline in critical thinking standards. We hope you can uplift her legacy, reminding the American People, and the world, of her many strengths, and important contributions, and good character.

Yesterday was a wonderful day, when you honored Vice President Biden with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his dedication and contributions to our society. We hope that there is some way, at your discretion, to honor and praise Hillary Clinton for her years of assiduous and devoted service to the people.

Thank you very much, Mr. President, for your time. We wish you and your family well in your new adventure, returning to civilian life.

Sincerely,

The management team of Face Activities

Vice President Joe Biden surprised with Presidential Medal of Freedom

Vice President Joe Biden surprised with Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Obama surprised Vice President Joe Biden by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s top civilian honor, during a ceremony secretly scheduled to honor the Vice President for his years of service (Joe Biden thought it was merely a friendly gathering to toast senior staff with the First Lady and his wife.) The vice president was moved to tears during the poignant award ceremony.

In the words of President Obama:

“For your faith in your fellow Americans, for your love of country and for your lifetime of service that will endure through the generations, I’d like to ask the military aide to join us on stage. For my final time as President, I am pleased to award our nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

Video: youtube creative commons

 

The Vice President praised the President’s generous spirit, modestly stating that the award was more than he deserved. The President in turn praised Biden highly, acknowledging their close friendship, and joking about their “bromance,” which is frequently a humorous item in the press.

Joe Biden, 74 years old, is the 47th Vice President of the United States, served for 47 years as a U.S. Senator from Delaware (he was first elected at the age of 29, making him one of the youngest politicians to be elected to that high office.)

Learn more about Vice President Biden’s award (CNN)

 

Photo: whitehouse.gov

 

President Obama honors 21 exceptional Americans with Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Obama honors 21 exceptional Americans with Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Obama loves to honor people who have made great contributions to The United States, and the World, in the peaceful pursuit of excellence. For this reason he’s given out more Presidential Medal’s of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, than any other President in American History. And on Tuesday he called a second medal ceremony for 2016, to honor 21 more legendary Americans, who have made lasting contributions to the arts, science, politics, sports, and popular culture.

Watch Complete Presidential Medal of Freedom Ceremony (WhiteHouse.gov)

The latest batch of exceptional people, President Obama’s last class before he steps down in favor of President Elect Donald Trump, included basketball legends Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; musicians Diana Ross and Bruce Springstein; actors Robert De Niro, Robert Redford, and Cicely Tyson; comedienne Ellen Degeneres; and Philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates.

The President was in good humor and rare form, introducing each recipient with great respect, and good humor, sometimes playfully poking fun at these extraordinary honorees, with the best of intentions. The diversity of  talent in the room, and their life time achievements, were staggering to contemplate.

Learn about President Obama’s Presidential Medal of Freedom Picks (Time.com)

 

 

Photo: WhiteHouse.gov (screen capture)

Israel’s Shimon Perez dead at 93

Israel's Shimon Perez dead at 93

Shimon Perez, nobel laureate and former Isreali Prime Minister, has died at 93 following complications from a massive stroke he suffered two weeks ago. Peres advocated a two state solution for the Israeli-Pelestinian conflict, and shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat for the Oslo accords, in 1994. He was the first Israeli Prime Minister to speak before a Muslim country’s legislature, when he addressed the Turkish government. President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.

 

“Shimon Peres, the Israeli elder statesman who shared a Nobel Prize for forging a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians, has died. He served as a constant force for generations in Israeli politics.

The 93-year-old died after suffering a massive stroke two weeks ago. He was reported to be making progress but doctors said he took a turn for the worse Tuesday.

In top leadership roles over the decades — including Prime Minister and President — the Labor Party veteran became a face of the Jewish State, instantly recognized and well-respected in Israel and across the globe.” (CNN.com)

Learn more about Shimon Peres’s life and death (CNN.com)

 

Photo: By World Economic Forum from Cologny, Switzerland – World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2005, CC BY-SA 2.0