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President Obama Hands Out Presidential Medal of Freedom; 2009 Presidential Medal Of Freedom Ceremony; Hillary Clinton Makes Controversial Comments About U.S. Elections; Swastika Painted at Congressman's Office
Aired August 12, 2009 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Rick Sanchez with the next generation of news. This is, as we always say, a conversation. It's certainly not a speech, and it's your turn to get involved.
What you are about to see -- as a matter of fact, we have got some live pictures we can share with you now. This is amazing. This is truly going to be. If you are sitting around right now and you have got 15 minutes to devote to your television viewing, it's a special moment of television that you are about to witness.
The president of the United States is going to give Medal of Freedoms to Senator -- listen to this list -- Senator Ted Kennedy, Desmond Tutu, Sidney Poitier, Jack Kemp, Stephen Hawking, Billie Jean King, Sandra Day O'Connor, Harvey Milk.
This is a who's-who of some of the world's most accomplished people. Talk about a star-studded event. And it's going to start in about seven minutes. And you will see the whole thing play out.
Meanwhile, as you watch this today, you have seen our shows and what we have been doing lately, day after day. You have seen us tell it straight in this emotionally charged debate over health care, where diversionary tactics by Republicans are being used. We have pulled no punches, and we have told it to you straight.
Where deals are being cut in private by the president, we have also told you about that as well. We have called them as we have seen them. We have explained it to you and we have shown you what the analysts and the experts are saying.
You have heard us analyze the charges of racism, be it in some cases blatant or, in some cases, subtle. Well, now comes before us this congressman. His name is David Scott. He is a Democrat of Georgia, who arrives at work Tuesday to a swastika that was painted over his official congressional sign. A swastika.
So, we had a chance to talk with him. And you are going to be able to see that conversation that I had with him where I pulled him aside and asked him about this angry exchange. He was here this morning, sat right next to me on that set, and took us through what he calls his side of the story.
He says that much of what is being reported in the media is simply not true. Remember, there was a doctor that had risen to ask him a question about health care reform. And, as it's been reported, the congressman lost his temper. So, you will see that in just a moment, that interview in its entirety.
Let's take you back now, though, to Washington, D.C.
Suzanne Malveaux is watching this. There are a lot of big names that I mentioned just moments ago. There is no question this thing is star-studded. These truly are important people, not only in the United States, but in the world.
But there is one name, Suzanne Malveaux, that anyone who has been following the news of late in the United States can't help but see as important to what's going on. And that is Senator Ted Kennedy. Given his health and given the conversation with health care, give us a sense of why this day is so important for him and for the White House.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, sure, Rick.
Obviously, there's a lot of excitement (AUDIO GAP) about seeing Kennedy's family. We understand the senator is not going to be here because of the state of his health. But he is going to be represented by his five children. They will all be here in attendance in the East Room very shortly. The eldest daughter will be accepting the award.
And (INAUDIBLE) just about to get under way here...
(APPLAUSE)
MALVEAUX: Let's take a listen.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joanne Kemp, accepting on behalf of her husband, Jack French Kemp.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kara Kennedy, accepting on behalf of her father, Edward M. Kennedy.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Billie Jean Moffitt King.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Reverend Joseph E. Lowery.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe Medicine Crow.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stuart Milk accepting on behalf of his uncle, Harvey Bernard Milk.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sandra Day O'Connor.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sidney Poitier.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chita Rivera.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mary Robinson.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Janet Davison Rowley.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Muhammad Yunus.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stephen Hawking.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States and first lady Michelle Obama.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you. Thank you.
Please be seated.
There are many honors and privileges bestowed on the occupants of this house. But few mean as much to me as the chance to award America's highest civilian medal to the recipients that are here today.
This is a chance for me and for the United States of America to say thank you to some of the finest citizens of this country and of all countries. The men and women we honor today have led very different lives and pursued very different careers. There are pioneers in science and medicine. There are gifted artists and indomitable athletes.
They have made their mark in the courtroom, in the community and in Congress. And what unites them is a belief, that most -- forgive me to those of you who are not Americans -- but what we consider to be that most American of beliefs, that our lives are what we make of them, that no barriers of race, gender or physical infirmity can restrain the human spirit, and that the truest test of a person's life is what we do for one another.
The recipients of the Medal of Freedom did not set out to win this or any other award. They did not set out in pursuit of glory or fame or riches. Rather they set out, guided by passion, committed to hard work, aided by persistence, often with few advantages but the gifts, grace and good name God gave them.
So, let them stand as an example here in the United States and around the world of what we can achieve in our own lives. Let them stand as an example of the difference we can make in the lives of others. Let each of their stories stand as an example of a life well lived.
One of the last things Susie Komen did before she passed away was ask her sister Nancy to make her a promise. Nancy promised her she would prevent other families battling breast cancer from hurting the way their's had.
What began with $200 and a list of friends has become a global Race for the Cure, a campaign that has eased the pain and saved the lives of millions around the world.
In the months after her sister's death, Nancy lay awake at night thinking about the promise she had made and wondering whether one person could really make a difference. Nancy's life is the answer.
While an intern at Miami's Jackson Memorial, Dr. Pedro Jose Greer came across a patient in a coma without a known name or address, a homeless man found by firefighters suffering from tuberculosis.
In the days that followed, the physician Little Havana knows as Dr. Joe searched for clues about the patient's life in the squalor under Miami's highways. Deciding that Miami's homeless deserve better, Dr. Greer founded Camillus Health Concern, a clinic that now offers care to over 4,000 poor and homeless patients.
OBAMA: It's a life that might be distilled into a question Dr. Greer asks all of us: If we don't fight injustice, who will?
Professor Stephen Hawking was a brilliant man and a mediocre student...
(LAUGHTER)
... when he lost his balance and tumbled down a flight of stairs. Diagnosed with a rare disease and told he had just a few years to live, he chose to live with new purpose. And, happily, in the four decades since, he has become one of the world's leading scientists.
His work in theoretical physics, which I will not attempt to explain further here...
(LAUGHTER)
... has advanced our understanding of the universe. His popular books have advanced the cause of science itself.
From his wheelchair, he's led us on a journey to the farthest and strangest reaches of the cosmos. In so doing, he has stirred our imagination and shown us the power of the human spirit here on Earth.
Now, told he was too small to play college football, Jack Kemp became a pro quarterback. Cut by four teams, he led the Buffalo Bills to two championships.
Football, he once said, gave him a good sense of perspective about politics. He'd already been booed, cheered, cut, sold and traded.
(LAUGHTER)
Makes me feel better.
(LAUGHTER)
A conservative thinker, a Republican leader and a defender of civil rights, he was that rare patriot who put country over party, never forgetting what he learned on the gridiron, that it takes each of us doing our part and all of us working together to achieve a common goal. It's a life from which we can all draw lessons, Democrat and Republican alike.
After purchasing an $8 racket with money earned from chores, 11- year-old Billie Jean declared a goal to be the number one tennis player in the world.
Yet, what we honor are not simply her 12 Grand Slam titles, 101 doubles titles and 67 singles titles -- pretty good, Billie Jean.
(LAUGHTER)
We honor what she calls all of the off-the-court stuff, what she did to broaden the reach of the game, to change how women athletes and women everywhere view themselves, and to give everyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, including my two daughters, a chance to compete both on the court and in life.
OBAMA: As Billie Jean once said, we should never, ever underestimate the human spirit. Nor should we underestimate Billie Jean King's spirit.
Born and raised in Jim Crow Alabama, preaching in his blood, the Reverend Joseph Lowery is a giant of the Moses generation of Civil Rights leaders.
It was just King, Lowery and a few others, huddled in Montgomery, who laid the groundwork for the bus boycott and the movement that was to follow. The founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Lowery was later asked to serve as president.
He agreed to serve for one year but wound up serving, as he puts it, for 20 one-year terms.
(LAUGHTER)
Throughout his life, some have called him crazy. But one of my favorite sermons that I heard Dr. Lowery once deliver -- he said, "There's good crazy and there's bad crazy."
(LAUGHTER)
"And sometimes you need a little bit of that good crazy to make the world a better place."
Born just a generation past the Battle of the Little Big Horn, a grandson of a scout for General Custer himself, Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow was the first member of his tribe to attend college and earn a master's.
Before completing his Ph.D., he left to serve in World War II. Wearing war paint beneath his uniform and a sacred feather beneath his helmet, Joseph Medicine Crow completed the four battlefield deeds that made him the last Crow war chief.
Historian, educator and patriot, a good man, a "buja eecha," (ph) in Crow. Dr. Medicine Crow's life reflects not only the warrior spirit of the Crow people, but America's highest ideals.
His name was Harvey Milk, and he was here to recruit us, all of us, to join a movement and change a nation. For much of his early life, he had silenced himself. In the prime of his life, he was silenced by the act of another. But in the brief time in which he spoke and ran and led, his voice stirred the aspirations of millions of people.
He would become, after several attempts, one of the first openly gay Americans elected to public office, and his message of hope -- hope unashamed, hope unafraid -- could not ever be silenced. It was Harvey who said it best: "You gotta give them hope."
When a young Sandra Day graduated from Stanford Law School near the top of her class, in two years instead of the usual three, she was offered just one job in the private sector. Her prospective employer asked her how well she typed, and told her there might be work for her as a legal secretary.
Now, I cannot know how she would have fared as a legal secretary, but she made a mighty fine justice of the United States Supreme Court.
(LAUGHTER) A judge and Arizona legislator, cancer survivor, child of the Texas plains, Sandra Day O'Connor is like the pilgrim in the poem she sometimes quotes who has forged a new trail and built a bridge behind her for all young women to follow.
It's been said that Sidney Poitier does not make movies. He makes milestones -- milestones of artistic excellence, milestones of America's progress.
On screen and behind the camera, in films such as "The Defiant Ones," "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," "Uptown Saturday Night," "Lilies of the Field," for which he became the first African-American to win an Academy Award for best actor, Poitier not only entertained but enlightened, shifting attitudes, broadening hearts, revealing the power of the silver screen to bring us closer together.
The child of a Bahamian tomato farmers, Poitier once called his driving purpose to make himself a better person. He did. And he made us all a little bit better along the way.
Delores Concita Figueroa del Rivero knows the adversity that comes with a difficult name. I can relate.
(LAUGHTER)
Known to the world by the name that has lit up Broadway marquees, Chita Rivera's career had an improbable start. Accompanying a nervous classmate on an audition, she decided to audition herself and impressed the choreographer, Jerome Robbins, who would make her famous as Anita in "West Side Story."
Sassy, electric, that rare performer who can sing, dance and act, Chita Rivera revealed that still rare ability to overcome when she recovered from a car accident that shattered her leg. She ended up retaking the stage, won a Tony for "Kiss of the Spider Woman." And like her unforgettable Anita, Chita Rivera has shown that life can indeed be bright in America.
The only girl in a family of four brothers, Mary Robinson learned early on what it takes to make sure all voices are heard. As a crusader for women and those without a voice in Ireland, Mary Robinson was the first woman elected president of Ireland before being appointed U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.
OBAMA: When she traveled abroad as president, she would place a light in her window that would draw people of Irish descent to pass by below.
Today, as an advocate for the hungry and the hunted, the forgotten and the ignored, Mary Robinson has not only shone a light on human suffering, but illuminated a better future for our world.
After graduating from the University of Chicago's School of Medicine in 1948, Janet Rowley got married and gave birth to four sons, making medicine a hobby and making family her priority. It was not until she was almost 40 that she took up serious medical research. And not until almost a decade later that she discovered, hunched over her dining room table, examining small photos of chromosomes, that leukemia cells are notable for changes in their genetics, a discovery that showed cancer is genetic and transformed how we fight the disease.
All of us have been touched in some way by cancer, including my family. And so, we can all be thankful that what began as a hobby became a life's work for Janet.
The glint in the eye and the lilt in the voice are familiar to us all, but the signature quality of Archbishop Desmond Tutu -- it says Nelson Mandela -- is a readiness to take unpopular stands without fear. Perhaps that explains what led the Arch, as he's known, to preach amid tear gas and police dogs, rallying a people against apartheid.
And later, when a free South Africa needed a hard enough to forgive its sins, Archbishop Desmond Tutu was called to serve once more, as chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a tribune of the downtrodden. Voice of the oppressed, cantor of our conscience, Desmond Tutu possesses that sense of generosity, that spirit of unity, that essence of humanity that South Africans know simply as ubuntu.
Thirty-five years ago, a young economics professor at a university in Bangladesh was struck by the disconnect between the theories he was teaching in class and the reality of the famine outside.
So, determined to help, Muhammad Yunus left the classroom for a village, and discovered that just $27 would free dozens of artisans, vendors and rickshaw pullers from debt.
Offering himself as a guarantor, he withdrew a loan, paid off their debts and founded Grameen Bank, a bank that has dispersed over $8 billion, lifting millions of people from poverty with micro loans.
Muhammad Yunus was just trying to help a village, but he somehow managed to change the world.
There's a story Ted Kennedy sometimes tells. It's about a boy who sees an old man tossing starfish stranded by a receding tide back into the sea.
"There are so many," asks the boy. "What difference can your efforts possibly make?"
The old man studies the starfish in his hand and tosses it to safety, saying, "It makes a difference to that one."
For nearly half a century, Ted Kennedy has been walking that beach, making a difference for that soldier fighting for freedom, that refugee looking for a way home, that senior searching for dignity, that worker striving for opportunity, that student aspiring to college, that family reaching for the American dream.
The life of Senator Edward M. Kennedy has made a difference for us all.
These are the 2009 recipients of the Medal of Freedom. At a moment when cynicism and doubt too often prevail; when our obligations to one another are too often forgotten; when the road ahead can seem too long or hard to tread, these extraordinary men and women, these agents of change, remind us that excellence is not beyond our abilities, that hope lies around the corner, and that justice can still be won in the forgotten corners of this world.
They remind us that we each have it within our powers to fulfill dreams, to advance the dreams of others and to remake the world for our children.
And it is now my distinct and extraordinary honor to ask each of them to come forward to receive their award as a military aide reads their citation.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Nancy Goodman Brinker.
Drawing strength from tragedy, Nancy Goodman Brinker has transformed the nation's approach to breast cancer. When her sister was diagnosed in 1977, most breast cancer victims knew relatively little about the disease and suffered from popular stigmas. Nancy G. Brinker promised to challenge these norms.
She founded Susan G. Komen for the Cure, in honor of her sister. And, today, the organization supports research and community awareness programs across the United States and around the world. Nancy G. Brinker's unique passion and determination have been a blessing to all those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Pedro Jose Greer Jr.
Dr. Pedro Jose "Joe" Greer Jr. has devoted his career to improving medical services for the uninsured. A native of Miami, he followed his passion for helping others to medical school and founded the Camillus Health Concern, CHC, in 1984 as a medical intern.
Today, CHC treats thousands of homeless patients a year, serving as a model clinic for the poor and inspiring physicians everywhere to work with indigent populations. Dr. Greer's tremendous contributions to the South Florida community and our nation as a whole stand as a shining example of the difference one person can make in the lives of many.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Stephen Hawking. Persistent in his pursuit of knowledge, Stephen Hawking has unlocked new pathways of discovery and inspired people around the world. He has dedicated his life to exploring the fundamental laws that govern the universe. And he has contributed to some of the greatest scientific discoveries of our time.
His work has stirred the imagination of experts and laypersons alike. Living with a disability and possessing an uncommon ease of spirit, Stephen Hawking's attitude and achievements inspire hope, intellectual curiosity and respect for the tremendous power of science.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Joanne Kemp accepting on behalf of her husband, Jack French Kemp.
A statesman and a sports icon, Jack French Kemp advocated for his beliefs with an unwavering integrity and intellectual honesty. On the football field, he earned the respect and admiration of his teammates for his judgment and leadership. As a public servant, he placed country before party and ideas before ideologies. Jack Kemp saw bridges where others saw divisions and his legacy serves as a shining example for all those who strive to challenge conventional wisdom, stay true to themselves and better our nation.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Kara Kennedy, accepting on behalf of her father Edward M. Kennedy.
For more than four decades, Senator Edward M. Kennedy has boldly fought for equal opportunity, fairness and justice for all Americans. In his tireless quest for a (INAUDIBLE) union, Senator Kennedy has reformed our schools, strengthened our civil rights, helped seniors and working families, (INAUDIBLE) about the poor and worked to ensure that every American has access to quality and affordable health care.
With volumes of law bearing his name and countless lives touched by his extraordinary passion, Senator Kennedy has accumulated several lifetime's worth of achievements. The United States proudly recognized this righteous citizen, devout public servant and giant among men.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Billie Jean Moffitt King.
(APPLAUSE)
Through her example and advocacy, Billie Jean Moffitt King has advanced the struggle for greater gender equality around the world. In an age of male-dominated sports, her pioneering journey took her from Long Beach, California, to the lawns of all angling clubs and the international tennis hall of fame. Her athletic acumen is matched only by her unwavering defense of equal rights. With Billie Jean King pushing us, the road ahead will be smoother for women, the future will be brighter for LGBT Americans and our nation's commitment to equality will be stronger for all.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: Reverend Joseph E. Lowery.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Reverend Joseph E. Lowry has marched through life with faith and purpose, carrying with him the legacy of a movement that touched America's conscious and changed its history. At the forefront of the major civil rights events of our time, from the Montgomery bus boycott to protests against apartheid, he has served as a tireless beacon for nonviolence and social justice. As a pastor and civil rights advocate, he co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and championed the cause of peace and freedom around the world.
The United States proudly honors this outstanding leader.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: Joseph Medicine Crow.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: As a warrior and living legend, history flows through Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow High Bird. Born on a reservation and raised by traditional grandparents, he became the first member of his tried to earn a master's degree. For his valiant service in World War II, he was awarded the status of Crow war chief and his renown studies of the first Americans and contributions to cultural and historical preservation have been critical to our understanding of America's history.
Joe Medicine Crow is a symbol of strength and survival, and the United States honors him for his dedication to this country and to all Native Americans.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
JOE MEDICINE CROW, PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT: I am highly honored.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: Stuart Milk, accepting on behalf of his uncle, Harvey Bernard Milk.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Harvey Bernard Milk dedicated his life to shattering boundaries and challenging assumptions. As one of the first openly gay elected officials in this country, he changed the landscape of opportunity for the nation's gay community. Throughout his life, he fought discrimination with visionary courage and conviction.
Before his tragic death in 1978, he wisely noted, "Hope will never be silent," and called upon Americans to stay true to the guiding principles of equality and justice for all. Harvey Milk's voice will forever echo in the heart of all these who carry forward his timeless message.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Sandra Day O'Connor.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Sandra day O'Connor has paved the way for millions of women to achieve their dream. Completing law school in just two years, she graduated third in her class at a time when women rarely entered the legal profession. With grace and humor, tenacity and intelligence, she rose to become the first woman on the United States Supreme Court. Her historic 25-term tenure on the court was defined by her integrity and independence. And she has earned the nation's lasting gratitude for her invaluable contributions to history and the law.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Sidney Poitier.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: Ambassador and actor, Sydney Poitier, has left an indelible mark on American culture. Rising from the tomato farms of the Bahamas, his talent led him to Broadway, Hollywood and global acclaim. In front of black and white audiences struggling to right the nation's moral compass, Sidney Poitier brought us the common tragedy of racism, the inspiring possibility of reconciliation and the simple joys of everyday life.
Ultimately, the man would mirror the character and both would advance the nation's dialogue on race and respect.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: Chita Rivera.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: From stage to screen, Chita Rivera has captured America's imagination with her magnetic presence and radiant voice. Over a career that has spun a half century, she has received numerous accolades for her performances, including two Tony awards, six additional Tony nominations and the Kennedy Center Honors award. As fearless as Anita in "West Side Story" and as self-reliant as Aurora in "Kiss of the Spiderwoman," she has broken barriers under Broadway's light and inspired a generation of women to follow in her remarkable footsteps.
The United States honors Chita Rivera for her lifetime of achievement as one of America's great artists.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: Mary Robinson.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: For Mary Robinson, the fight to end discrimination and suffering is an urgent, moral imperative. She has been a trail blazing crusader for women's rights in Ireland and a forceful advocate for equality and human rights around the world. Whether courageously visiting conflict-stricken regions or working to inject concern for human rights into business and economic development, Mary Robinson continues this important work today, urging citizens and nations to make common cause for justice.
(APPLAUSE)
ANNOUNCER: Janet Davison Rowley.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: Dr. Janet Davison Rowley was the first scientist to identify a chromosomal translocation as the cause of leukemia and other cancers, considered among the most important medical breakthroughs of the past century. After enrolling at the University of Chicago at age 15, she went on to challenge the conventional medical wisdom about the cause of cancer in the 1970s, which had placed little emphasis on chromosomal abnormalities. Her work has proven enormously influential to researchers worldwide, who have used her discovery to identify genes that caused fatal cancers and to develop targeted therapies and have revolutionized cancer care.
The United States honors this distinguished scientist for advancing medical research and the understanding of the most devastating diseases.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: With unflagging devotion to justice, indomitable optimism and an unmistakable sense of humor, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu has stirred the world's conscious for decades. As a man of the clock, he has drawn the respect and admiration of a diverse congregation. He helped lead South Africa through a turning point in modern history, and with an unshakeable humility and firm commitment to our humanity, he helped heal wounds and lay the foundation for a new nation.
Desmond Tutu continues to give voice to the voiceless and bring hope to those who thirst for freedom.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: Muhammad Yunus.
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
ANNOUNCER: With his belief in the self-reliance of all people, Professor Muhammad Yunus has altered the face of finance and entrepreneurship. As an academic, he struggled with pervading economic theories and their effects on the people of his native Bangladesh. Yearning for a new way of lifting people out of poverty, he revolutionized banking to allow low-income borrowers access to credit. In the process, he has enable citizens of the world's poorest countries to create profitable businesses, support their families and help build sustainable communities.
In doing so, Muhammad Yunus has unleashed new avenues of creativity and inspired millions worldwide to imagine their own potential.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Before we break up, why don't we all give an extraordinary round of applause to these remarkable men and women?
(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)
OBAMA: Thank you very much for joining us, everyone. Thank you very much.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And what an amazing event this has been. Many of you have been sending me tweets throughout this last, oh, 41 minutes or so. And you've made the point that it has been nothing short of remarkable to watch this group of men and women, all agents of change, being honored there at the White House, with their families and friends watching, including many of the relatives of Senator Ted Kennedy.
We are going to be continuing to follow developments out of Washington -- and one development that I'm going to share with you about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and a comment that she made just a little while ago. She is in Nigeria and has made a comment that is bound to be controversial and receive a lot of coverage as well, having to do with not only former President George Bush but also his brother, Jeb Bush, the former governor of the state of Florida.
I am going to share that comment with you. We are just trying to make sure we get everything clipped on this one, make sure we got our "T's" crossed and our "I's" dotted as well.
And also, a message that's just been put out by Laura Ling. And, you're going to hear my interview with Congressman David Scott.
All this and a whole lot more. Stay with us. We're coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back.
We were just handed some -- a memo. This is an internal memo I'm going to share with you now, a comment that was made by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, moments ago, in Nigeria. The poll which includes, obviously, CNN personnel have sent back this memo with this information. I'm going to give you the line that's probably going to be controversial and then to be fair, obviously, and responsible, we'll try and put in perspective what she said prior to that.
Here's the line that I think you -- some people would find controversial. She is comparing the elections in Nigeria to U.S. elections and says -- we got this right here -- "Our democracy is still evolving. You know we've had all kinds of problems in some of our past elections, as you might remember. In 2000, our presidential election came down to one state where the brother of the man running for president was the governor of the state. So we have our problems, too."
No doubt, a comment that's going to get a lot of publicity, a lot of coverage, and perhaps be viewed as controversial. We're sharing with you now some of the video that's been coming in throughout the course of the day. The secretary of state, as she has been meeting with dignitaries there.
Let me just give you a little perspective though, because you don't want to just throw something like that out there and not have perspective on it. As I read the memo, it seems to say that she just wrapped up her town hall event and I know there's a little bit -- here's what she says.
She is comparing the U.S. elections and Nigerian elections, and says, "I know a little bit about running in elections. And I have won some elections and I have lost some elections, and in a democracy, there have to be winners and losers. And part of creating a strong democratic system is that the losers, despite how badly we might feel, accept the outcome, because it is for the good of the country we love. And, of course, in my country, the man that I was running against and spent a lot of time and effort to defeat asked me to join his government. So there is a way to begin to make this transition that will lead to free and fair elections in 2011."
And then, when she goes on to make the comment about the Jeb Bush-George Bush combination and the election of 2000.
There you have it. Something coming in. We thought we would share with you.
The interview with Congressman David Scott, who yesterday woke up to find a swastika on his congressional sign. He is not happy about it but there's a lot more to the story as he tells it.
My interview with him -- you'll see it when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez here in the world headquarters of CNN.
If you'll join us today in the after show, I want to let you know that I'm going to be talking to Robert Reich and I'm going to be saving some of that and bringing it to the newscast tomorrow. Robert Reich -- who's very critical of the president's supposed deal with big pharma.
But for now, I want to bring you up-to-date on a story that's been developing throughout the course of the last 48 hours. A Georgia congressman, David Scott, who woke up yesterday and there was a swastika on his congressional sign. The same David Scott who had an angry exchange with one of his own constituents, a doctor, and the story's developed since.
Now, his side of the story, perhaps a side that you haven't heard before, as he joined me here this morning to take me through it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Joining us is Congressman David Scott. Now, you've had an incident which the whole country seems to be looking at right now. Something you found when you went to work.
REP. DAVID SCOTT (D), GEORGIA: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Take us through that experience.
SCOTT: Well, I woke up -- first of all, I woke up, my staff got to the office and they called me up and said, as I was getting ready for the day around 7:30 and said, "Congressman, Congressman, there's a swastika on the sign, on the official congressional sign outside the office." I said, "What?" I couldn't believe it.
And so, I got out there, and I saw it for myself. I don't think people quite understand the significance of what that swastika stands for. And for a person to revert to the swastika to reflect their views in this health care debate...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: But what about the possibility of just one lone nut out there who's hateful and is not representative of the general community?
SCOTT: Well, I would say that, but when you get this stuff in the mail like this...
SANCHEZ: What is that?
SCOTT: This says -- this is a picture of President Barack Obama, painted up to look like the Joker in the "Batman" movies with the communist sickle on his forehead. And it says, "Death to all the Marxists, foreign and domestic." And it says, "To (EXPLETIVE DELETED) David Scott, you were and you are and you shall forever be a nigger." And it says, "The Ethiopian cannot make himself white," quoting from Euripides. Now, that...
SANCHEZ: When did you get this?
SCOTT: That date -- this, we got this about two days before the swastika. Then we got this in the mail. It said, "First, as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, you are a racist because whites are not allowed membership. And second, that you should not be reelected next year, you're going to defeat and any of your color constituents ain't going to stop it. The folks are not going to stand by for Obama's socialized medicine even though most Negroes refuse to stand on their own two feet."
SANCHEZ: That hurt you?
SCOTT: Oh, very much so.
SANCHEZ: Aside from being a Congressman, as a man.
SCOTT: Yes, it is, it is. But what we have to understand is we cannot let these kinds of racist things or that swastika win this debate. And that is not going to happen. We need to put that aside, reflect on it, and realize it doesn't speak for this country.
This speaks for Nazi Germany. When you look at that swastika, that swastika represents the systematic killing of nearly 6 million Jewish people and others by the worst inhumanity to man in the history of the world.
SANCHEZ: Well, when you use something like that, there's no question, and any decent person who's watching this interview right now knows...
SCOTT: Right.
SANCHEZ: ... that's like a bludgeoning tool in what should be a civil conversation.
SCOTT: Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: It's not fair.
SCOTT: It's not.
SANCHEZ: But is it representative of what's going on in this country with this health care debate?
SCOTT: I think we've got two levels working here. You've got people who are angry. You hear the comments, "I want my America back. I want my nation back."
SANCHEZ: What does that mean to you?
SCOTT: Well, first of all, you ask the question back, "From whom?" It means, well, somebody must have taken it from you. And these cries were not being made last year at this time.
SANCHEZ: Do you think -- do you think that comment, "I want my America back," is inherently racist?
SCOTT: No, I don't. I think what it...
SANCHEZ: Bigoted?
SCOTT: Well, I think it's a reflection of a lot of things within that that you have to dissect. We have to understand this volatility underneath all of this. If we're going to work our way through it, we have to understand it. We can't dismiss it. We have to address it. And we have to realize that it is not the essence of this health care debate but it is the coloration of the debate.
And so, we have to sort of really wheel our way through that. But for me to say that it's representative of everyone, it's not. But we can't ignore these kinds of things and we have to examine them. And we have to provide the kind of leadership to use civil debate, calmness -- and the media has such an important role in that.
SANCHEZ: Well, let me stop you there, because some said -- there are some people in the community who would argue that you may have contributed to bringing this on yourself when you took on the doctor at a recent town hall hearing you were having yourself. You were really portrayed almost Hillary Clintonesque in that moment.
SCOTT: Yes.
SANCHEZ: As if -- as if to have lost your cool unnecessarily.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT: So, what you've got to understand is those of you who are here, who have taken and came and hijacked this event that we're dealing with here -- this is not a health care event. You've made the choice to come here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT: I was a victim of a report that was done at a meeting by a reporter from WXIA television who was not at that meeting but went and got the film from Douglasville and sliced and diced it to mean -- to put that impression there. But the point was, she never says that this was not about health care.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The meeting was primarily about a highway project, but later it was opened up for any questions from the crowd. Hill was one of two people who got to ask about health care.
SCOTT: Not a single one of you had the decency to call my office and set up for a meeting. OK? Then do that. Do that. But don't, don't come and take advantage of what these individuals have done. You want to a meeting with me on health care? I'll give it to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: So, this hearing had nothing to do with health care.
SCOTT: Nothing to do with health care. So, these people -- and they were told that. There were tea baggers all around the place. There were these...
SANCHEZ: Tea partiers. Let's just call them tea partiers.
SCOTT: Tea partiers there. And I have nothing wrong with this, but I'm simply saying if you're going to judge David Scott, judge him fairly. And when I said but, don't, don't come in here and take -- hijack these folks' meeting and take advantage of what they're doing. This is their meeting. I'm having a health care meeting on Saturday.
SANCHEZ: So, that was...
SCOTT: It's on our Web site.
SANCHEZ: That was the spirit of your anger and your comment.
SCOTT: My anger was I needed to stand up for those citizens of Douglasville who were being disrespected by people who were coming in to hijack their meeting about this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: That's interesting. And a lot of people have been reacting as they've been watching this. We did want to give the congressman a chance to respond to many of the charges that have been leveled against him. He's gotten as much support as he's gotten blame, he told me this morning.
Here's just a couple of them right here. Kimberly is writing to us on Twitter. She says, "Congressman David -- she put Cole in Scott -- did a fantastic job answering your challenging questions, rising above the fray. Class and leadership." "Scott gives a great interview and tells it like it is."
There's another one up here that's not exactly so complimentary. He says the exchange between Congressman David Scott and the doctor was not an angry exchange. It was a heated exchange. Your words.
All right. Right after, this we're going to be going right with Dr. Robert Reich. He's going to be joining us to take us through the health care debate, his criticism of Barack Obama.
Meanwhile, here now: Wolf Blitzer.
