In his few short months in office Barack Obama has played host to all kinds of different people at the White House. But the group assembled in the East Room on Wednesday was possibly the most diverse.
The group was a representation of the first sixteen people to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom during Obama's term as President. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civil award that can be attained in the US.
Among the sixteen were a British scientist, the last living High Plains Indian Chief and one of the best known clergyman in the world.
The British scientist was Stephen Hawking, about whom Obama joked was "a brilliant man but a mediocre student. Obama went on to praise the author of the ground breaking " A Brief History of Time saying he was a man who "from his wheelchair has led us on a journey to the farthest and strangest reaches of to the furthest corners of the cosmos. In so doing, he has stirred our imagination and shown us the power of the human spirit here on earth." He then bent to affix the white and blue ribbon around Hawking's neck.
Also amongst the honorees was Bishop Desmond Tutu, the South African clergyman who has devoted his life to a fight against apartheid and racism in his country. Other recipients included the former Irish Premier Mary Robinson who was honored for her many contributions to women's rights, Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female Supreme Court Judge, Billie Jean King, tennis champion and advocate of gay rights and the Reverend Joseph Lowery, who led the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.
The most striking figure present was the ninety something Joseph Medicine Crow. Medicine Crow is a noted historian and champion of the American Indian culture, whose grandfather was a scout for General Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn.
From the entertainment world actor and director Sidney Poiter and Chita Rivera, famous for his performance in West Side story were honored. Also on the list was breast cancer advocate Nancy Goodman Brinker and a Florida doctor, Pedro Jose Greer who helped provide health care for the poor in Florida. Also on hand to receive their awards were oncologist Janet Davison Rowley and Muhammad Yunus, who helps alleviate poverty by extending credit to the most needy.
Not all of the sixteen honorees were present however. The award to Harvey Milk is posthumous, the gay rights advocate was shot to death in 1978. His award was accepted by his nephew Stuart. Another posthumous award was presented to the family of Jack Kemp, former Republican congressman and football player.
Senator Ted Kennedy was also a recipient, but is still to ill to make the trip to Washington. Kennedy has spent much of his political career fighting for health care reform, a subject of course very much on the President's mind at the moment. His daughter Kara accepted his award in his absence.
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