Ladies and gentlemen, at this time we are beginning our livesteam of tonights john f. Kennedy sentinual award ceremony. I am delighted to welcome our audience of online viewers. There are many, many people who take credit for our decision to go online. One of the most important ideas came from the person who constantly gives us great ideas on how to use technology and other initiatives at the library and that is my friend who claims to have a day job, but i doubt it. Ed slotsberg. I thank ed. [applause] and you will be happy to know, ed, mike barnacle, seconded the idea. We thank him for that. We have so much to celebrate tonight including president and ms. Kennedys deep appreciation for the arts. Our next guest is a multiple grammy award winner whose songs are among the great pillars of american music. His music spans generations and his songs have provided the soundtrack across decades of our lives providing a source of warmth and wisdom and beauty in a changing world. James taylors music embodies the art of songwriting in its most personal and universal forms. In a career that spans almost half a century, he has sold over 100 million albums and has received countless honors including the National Medal of the arts, and the president ial medal of freedom from president barack obama. And through it all [applause] he hasugh it all maintained the humility and humanity offering a private concert at the vic thems connecticut,ewton, a Memorial Service for m. I. T. Collier and an appearance at the onefund benefit concert in boston. And so, james taylor, emplifies not only president kennedys ad admiration for the arts but his belief in service and common humanity. Please join me in welcoming james taylor, kim taylor and owing young. [applause] i hate to interrupt that. That was going really nicely. And may i say how great it is to be here tonight. Mr. Feinberg introduced my wife kim and she will be out here in a second. She will be out shortly, but we are starting without her. Owen youning young g from the boston symphony, himself a pillar of that institution. And may i say what a delight it a greathonor, and relief to be in the presence of the obamas again. [applause] taylor in my mind theres a connection between the jfk andration and of. Hat of barack obama i think it is great what these gentlemen summoned in us and brought out the best of us, the best of our spirit, generosity,. Ourage, and aggressive spirit i am honored to be here tonight. Were going to start with in old scot tune that i learned in the mountains of north carolina. The water is wide and i cant cross oer. I throughas fire. Build me a boat that can carry you. Ts shall row my love and i. Not so deep as the i know and though is kind, when loveflower and waxes cold, and fades away like summer dew. Build me a boat that can carry two. And both shall row, my love and i. My love andll row, i. James taylor now, a lullaby written for my nephew who was born after me and who was ,hile i was overseas in england so i was when i came back, my brother alex had a kid, which surprised us. We were delighted, but also equally appalled. We couldnt understand it, couldnt get our minds around it. I called my brother and congratulated him and asked him what he had in mind, and he told me they were naming the little varmint after me. On the trip down to north carolina, i drove down to set eyes on the fellow and wrote this tune on the way down. A young cowboy living on. Range his horse and cattle are his only companions. Works in the saddle and sleeps in the canyons, waiting for pastors his. Astures to change and as the moon rises he sits by the fire thingy about women and glasses of beer. Eyes as dogies retire, he sings out a song which it is soft, but its clear as if maybe someone could hear good night you moonlight ladies, bye my sweet baby james. And blues are the colors i choose, wont you let me go down in my dreams . Abye my sweet baby james. Now, the first of december was and so was theow turnpike from stockbridge the berkshires seemed dreamlike on account of that frosting with 10 miles behind me and 10,000 more to go theres a song that they sing when they take to the highway a song that they sing when they take to the sea a song that they sing of their home in the sky maybe you can believe it if id help you to sleep and singing seemed to work fine for me good night all you moonlight ladies rockabye, old sweet baby james deep greens and blues the colors i choose wont you let me go down in my dreams oh, rockabye oh sweet baby james [applause] celine baby again, he is a big thing today. About to turn 50. Unbelievable. [laughter] just yesterday morning they didnt know you were gone suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you i walked out this morning and i wrote down this song i just cant remember who to send it to ive seen fire and ive seen willive seen fire and ive seen rain ive seen sunny days that i thought would never end ive seen lonely times when i could not find a friend but i always thought id see you again wont you look down on me, jesus youve got to help me make a stand youve just got to see me through another day my bodys aching and my time is at hand and i wont make it any other way oh, ive seen fire and ive seen rain ive seen sunny days and i thought would never end ive seen lonely times when i could not find a friend but i always thought id see you again im walking my mind to an easy time my back turned towards the sun lord knows the cold wind blows will turn your head around well, theres hours of time on the telephone line talking about things to come sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground oh, ive seen fire and ive seen rain ive seen sunny days that i thought would never end ive seen lonely times when i could not find a friend but i always thought id see you somehow one more time again, yeah i thought id see you one more time again theres a few things that come my way this time around thought id see you thought id see you fire and rain thought id see you just one more time [cheers and applause] james id like to introduce my wife, ladies and gentlemen. This is kim taylor, caroline kim taylor. [applause] and another sort of lullaby. I dont mean to put you sleep. [laughter] thats why we insisted on going first. The moon is slowly rising this world must still be spinning around i still love you close your eyes you can close your eyes its all right i dont know no love songs but i cant sing the blues anymore , but i can sing this song when im gone wont be long before another day we gonna have a good time and no ones gonna take that time away you can stay as long as you like only close your eyes you can close your eyes its all right i dont know no love songs and i cant sing the blue s anymore but i can sing this song and you can sing this song when im gone [applause] james thank you very much. That was going to be it but we got the news earlier about the french elections, which were pretty [cheers and applause] that Emmanuel Macron has won, evidently. So were going to, in a sort of attempt at celebration and to honor the connection between the french nation and ourself, if i presume were going to give a shot at it here. [applause] [singing la marseillaise in french] [applause] james thank you so much. [cheers and applause] never before has man had such capacity to control his own environment to end thirst and , hunger, conquer poverty and disease, we have the power to make this the best generation of mankind in the history of the world. Announcer ladies and gentlemen please welcome ambassador , Caroline Kennedy, honorary president of the john f. Kennedy Library Foundation. [applause] ambassador kennedy hi, everybody. Thank you all for being here. Good evening. Its great to be back at the library. Its great to be back in boston. Thank you all for taking such good care of this place while i was gone. I want to thank my family, especially ed, for his devotion to this institution, his creative vision, his commitment to the history and to our family legacy, has made this library the jewel of the National Archives president ial library system. [applause] i want to thank ken feinberg for his amazing leadership and generosity. I really oh, yeah, cheer. [cheers and applause] and i want to thank the foundation and Library Staff for working to preserve the past and inspire future generations to Public Service in president kennedys name. Tonight were celebrating the timeless values that president kennedy lived by and that have made america the indispensable nation courage, patriotism, justice, innovation, service, and the commitment to building a more peaceful world. As his family, were proud of what he stood for and its continuing power. Tonight, were honored by the presence of so many Public Servants who live these values every day. This award celebrates the indispensable quality of life that my father most admired, the courage to risk your career to do whats right. That may mean standing for the National Interests when others are willing to trade it away for personal or local benefit. It may mean reaching out to work with others to benefit the common good when you could score points by criticizing them instead. Over the years, we have honored elected officials at all levels of government from both sides of the aisle. They have reaffirmed our faith in principled Public Service and set a standard by which future leaders can be measured. Our winners have shown us that we need to reward courage in our leaders and require it in ourselves. Today when many doubt the integrity of our elected officials, this is more important than ever. In addition to our honoree, there are two american heroes here tonight that i would like to salute. Vice president joe biden, a friend and colleague to my uncle teddy. [cheers and applause] a champion for justice, working families and women, an inspiration to all of those suffering from loss. Thank you for visiting japan and for telling the japanese that i was responsible for your success. [laughter] so they, too, should do everything i said. [laughter] secretary john kerry, our planet has no greater advocate, our children no more far sighted warrior for peace and diplomacy. You have pursued the strategy of peace that president kennedy laid out. And we are all safer, healthier, and more prosperous because of your indefatigable commitment and optimism. [cheers and applause] thank you for trusting me enough to visit japan only once when you had to check on paris 38 times. [laughter] this is a night to celebrate politics and family. As my father and uncles taught us, politics is a family endeavor. I would like if we could offer a round of applause for First Lady Michelle Obama and all the political spouses here tonight. [cheers and applause] many of you here in this room cast your first vote for president kennedy. You told me how he changed your lives, and together you changed this country. Tonight, we present the profile and courage award to president obama, who had the same impact on another generation, inspiring us, our children and grandchildren to change the world. On a personal note, i want to thank you for giving me the chance to serve. In japan, i saw firsthand what American Leadership means to the world. I saw the power of our commitment to an International Order in lifting people out of poverty. I saw the hope and idealism of young people inspired by American Innovation and possibility. Most profoundly, i saw the emotional outpouring after president obamas visit to hiroshima showed people and nations that they could overcome the wounds of the past to build a more peaceful world. As i stood in the peace park in front of its eternal flame, i couldnt help but think of my fathers own work on limited Nuclear Test Ban treaty and how honored i was to know these two great men. People say its hard to come home after being an ambassador. Its like moving back from college into your old room. I have changed. I have made new friends. I have grown up. But everyone treats me just the same. In my case, it means that i get to resume one of my most demanding responsibilities, which is introducing other members of my family. [laughter] it used to be teddy, here at this dinner. Now its someone who adored him and who i adore, someone who has pitched in to help me here and in japan, the youngest but not the quietest member of the profile and courage Award Committee, jack schlossberg. Thank you. [applause] jack thank you, mother, for that kind introduction. And once again, thank you for bringing me into this world. [laughter] youre an amazing mother and friend and role model to me. I know everyone here is grateful to you for your service, for your example. Thank you all for being here tonight. This library is a very special place for me and my sisters in the same way that it is special for anyone who visits it. It allows us have the relationship with the man we never knew but who holds such a special place in our hearts. We can come here to read to hear his voice, read his words, look through his old notebooks and ties, and find strength and guidance and laughter from the spirit that lives on here. Courage was the quality that my grandmother most admired. Grandfather most admired. As a young man, a soldier, and a president , he display it throughout his own life and he celebrated other leaders who did the same. As we mark 100 years since president kennedy was born, we celebrate his life and all that he achieved in it and we remember that he, himself, represents what is possible in america and all the work left undone. Throughout his presidency, my grandfather made it clear that he alone could fix nothing, that he alone had no answers. He had the courage to plainly admit americas own shortcomings, to then lay out bold plans to address those problems and to ask his fellow americans for help in solving them. And in doing so, he inspired a generation to enter Public Service and to ask what they could do for their country. President barack obama inspired me in the same way. My life changed in 2008 because a young candidate was fired up and ready to go and said yes, we can. Without barack obama, i might still be sitting on my couch, eating doritos and watching sports. [laughter] president obama embodies the definition of courage offered by hemingway and favored of president kennedy, grace under pressure. From his first days in office until his last, the president consistently put the National Interests above his own political interests while resisting the policies of cynicism in a system that all too often encourages it. He had the courage to pursue comprehensive healthcare reform as his first order of business, knowing the issue would cost him and the party politically. He continued the fight that was waged during the Kennedy Administration that my uncle teddy fought for for 50 years in the senate and did what no president had been able to do in 70 years in passing the Affordable Care act. [cheers and applause] we saw this week that its a lot easier to criticize and dismantle. President obama had the courage to govern responsibly. He had the courage to address the problem of Climate Change aggressively. Fighting for responsible Energy Policies and Challenging Congress to support the clean power plan. And he brought the world together in paris to finally put a limit on Greenhouse Gas emissions. [applause] just as president kennedy did with the space program, president obama gave science and technology the highest National Priority on the issue that will shape life on earth for my generation and for generations to come, the president was bold and unafraid. He pursued Nuclear Disarmament throughout the presidency and had the courage to confront americas own history when visiting hiroshima. And it was with courage that president obama repeatedly called for sensible action on gun control, tragedy after tragedy. [applause] he showed me and my generation what is possible for politics and gave us a new standard of political courage to guide us going forward. He connected us to one another with his hope and his determination. We all, especially young americans, owe a great debt to to this courageous president. We can live in the just, inclusive, compassionate and strong nation that president kennedy imagined and fought for if we choose the type of leadership that define president obamas last eight years in office. That is our responsibility as citizens and it is as important today as it ever has been. Tonight the Kennedy Library and my family are proud to honor this courageous president. And now i would like to ask the president , mrs. Obama, my parents and sisters to come on stage to present the 2017 profile and courage award to barack obama. Thank you. [applause] [cheers and applause] [applause] [laughter] [cheers and applause] president obama hello, everybody. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Thank you. Please, everybody, have a seat. Thank you. Thank you very much. First of all, thank you so much, jack, for that really kind introduction. I like the socks. I also want to thank you and rose and tatyana and your dad for sharing caroline with us the past few years as americas ambassador to japan. Caroline, you true to form did your country proud, and im sure your father and mom would have been proudest of all. I sure was proud. And im grateful for your friendship. I want to thank ken feinberg for his service as chairman of the john f. Kennedy Library Foundation these past 12 years. He also rendered Outstanding Service to my administration when we were dealing with the bp oil spill and 9 11. He has rendered Public Service again and again and again. We are very grateful for him. [applause] it is wonderful to see the senators markey and senator warren, my dear friend and former governor Duvall Patrick and his lovely wife diane. [applause] governors and members of congress, cardinal omalley, one of the finest secretaries of states ever to represent america around the world, john kerry. [applause] and theresa. And the best Vice President this country has ever known, mr. Joe biden. [cheers and applause] i also want to thank Michelle Obama for after the presidency sticking with me. [laughter] because i think she felt an obligation to the country to stay on. But once her official duties were, it wasnt over, it wasnt clear. [laughter] i love my wife. And i am grateful for her. [cheers and applause] and i do believe that it was americas great good fortune to have her as first lady. [cheers and applause] so i am humbled by this evening and to be honored by a family that has given this country so much, a family thats challenged us to ask what we can do for our country, to dream and say why not, to seek a cause that endures, and sail against the wind in its pursuit. Thats what this family has done for america. And to all the members of the Kennedy Family that are here tonight, thank you. I could not be more grateful to the profile in courage Award Committee for this honor. Im also grateful that unlike the nobel prize committee, you waited until i was out of office. [laughter] how fitting that we gather on the 100th anniversary of president kennedys birth. I was born the year he took office, which makes me 55 years old. Had he lived to finish two terms, he would have been just 51. He remarked on that possibility once. It has been suggested, he said, that whether i serve one or two terms in the presidency, i will find myself at the end of that period at what might be called the awkward age. Too old to begin a career and to young to write my memoirs. Now, i hadnt seen this quote when i wrote my first memoir at 33. [laughter] im now in the middle of my second. Moreover i expect to be busy if , not with a second career then at least a second act. But it is true that im at the age, that turn in the road, where one looks back as well as forward, to remember where one has been so as better to chart where one is going. And one thing im certain. I was lucky to be born into that new frontier, a new world, and a new generation of americans. My life in many ways would not have been possible without the vision that john f. Kennedy etched into the character and hearts of america. For those of us of a certain age, the kennedys symbolized a set of values and attitudes about civic life that made it such an attractive calling. The idea that politics, in fact, could be a noble and worthwhile pursuit, the notion that our problems, while significant, are never insurmountable. The belief that americas promise might embrace those who had once been locked out or left behind and that opportunity and dignity would no longer be restricted to the few but extended to the many. The responsibility that each of us have to play a part in our nations destiny. And by virtue of being americans, play a part in the destiny of the world. I can say truthfully that the example of jack and Bobby Kennedy helped guide me into politics. And, that the guidance of Teddy Kennedy made me a better Public Servant once i arrived in washington. I have to imagine it would give them great pride to see a new generation of kennedys like joe , carving their own proud past in Public Service. [applause] obama for whatever reason, i received this reward. For whatever the scale of challenges we overcame and the scope of progress we made over my presidency, it is worth pointing out that in many ways , the times that president kennedy confronted were far more perilous than the ones we confront today. He entered the oval office at just 43yearsold, only a few years after khrushchev had threatened to bury america. Wars raged around the world. Large swaths of the country, knew poverty far deeper and more widespread than we see today. A young preachers cause was just gaining traction across a land segregated not only by custom but by law. And yet, in that volatile tinderbox of a time, president kennedy led with a steady hand. Defusing the most perilous moment of the cold war without firing a single shot and enforcing the rights of young black men and women to study at the university of their choice. Unleashing a core of young volunteers as ambassadors for peace in distant corners of the globe. Setting americas sights on the moon precisely because it was hard. Im willing to consider the and unwilling to consider the possibility that we might not win the space race, because he had unwavering faith in the character of the people that he led. Resilient, optimistic, innovative, and courageous. It is worth remembering this, the times in which president kennedy led us. Because, for Many Americans i know this feels like an uncertain and even perilous time. The forces of globalization and technology have upended many of our established assumptions about the economy and provided great opportunity but also great inequality and uncertainty for far too many. Our politics remains filled with division and discord, and everywhere we see the risk of falling into the refuge of tried be and clan, and anger at those who dont look like us or have the same surnames or pray the way we do. And at such moments, courage is necessary. At such moments, we need courage to stand up to hate. But int in others, ourselves. At such moments, we need the courage to stand up to dogma. Not just in others, but in ourselves. At such moments, we need courage to believe that together we can tackle big challenges like inequality and Climate Change. At such moments, it is necessary for us to show courage in challenging the status quo and in fighting the good fight but also show the courage to listen to one another and seek Common Ground and embrace compromise. Principled compromise. Courage, president kennedy knew, required something more than just the absence of fear. Any fool can be fearless. True courage derives from that are, what aree our best selves what are our , most important commitments . To believe that we can dig deep and do hard things for the enduring benefit of others. And that is why jfks first inaugural still rings true. That is why the Campaign Still means so much. Thats why teddys cause endures, and we still love him so much. Because of the tragedy that befell each of them, sometimes we forget how fundamentally the story they told us about ourselves changed the trajectory of america. That is often where courage begins. With the story we tell ourselves about who we are. And whats important. And about our own capacity to make a difference. We live in a time of great cynicism. About our institutions. That is one of the few things that democrats and republicans can agree on. It is a cynicism that is most corrosive when it comes to our own government. It clouds our history of jagged, sometimes tentative, but ultimately forward progress. It impedes our childrens ability to see in the noisy and often too trivial pursuit the politics, the possibility of our democracy doing big things. Of course, the same for elected officials is not new, as many of you in the room can tell in others. 60 years ago, president kennedy quoted a columnist in profiles in courage who had written, people do not gave a damn what the average senator or congressman says. The reason they do not care is because they know what you hear in congress is 99 tribe, ignorance, and demagoguery, and not to be relied upon. Which is perhaps a little harsh, 99 seems high. [laughter] 85 . [laughter] president obama but resident kennedy also wrote that the complication of public business and the competition for the publics attention have obscured politicale acts of courage, large and small, performed almost daily. Innumerable acts of political courage both large and small performed almost daily. That is true. Ive seen it. I have witnessed it. I was thinking of it this of this notion on political courage this weekend, in particular about some of the men and women elected to congress the same year i was elected to the white house. Many of them were new to washington, their entire careers ahead of them. Term, that very first they had to take tough votes after tough vote because we were in crisis. They took votes to save the Financial System into economy and the economy even when it was highly unpopular. They took votes to save the auto industry, when even in michigan , people didnt want to see bailouts. They took votes to crack down on abuses on wall street despite pressure from lobbyists and sometimes their donors. And they found themselves in the midst of a great debate. A debate that has been going on for decades. A debate that the Kennedy Family had participated in and helped lead. A debate about whether a nation as wealthy as the United States of america would finally make health care not a privilege but a right for all americans. [applause] there was a reason why Health Care Reform had not been accomplished before. It was hard. It involved 1 6 of the economy and all manner of stakeholders and interests. It was easily subject to misinformation and fearmongering. In so, by the time the vote came up to pass the Affordable Care act, these freshmen congressmen and congresswomen knew that they had to make a choice. That they had a chance to ensure millions and prevent untold worry and suffering and bankruptcy, and even death. But that the same vote would likely cost them their new seats. Perhaps even their political careers. And, these men and women did the right thing. They did the hard things. Theres was a profile in courage. Irs was a profile in courage. Because of that vote, 20 Million People got Health Insurance that did not have it before. [applause] and most of them did lose their seats. But they were true to what president kennedy defined in his book as a congressional profile in courage. The desire to maintain a reputation for integrity that is stronger than the desire to maintain office. The desire to maintain a reputation for integrity that is stronger than the desire to maintain office. A conscience. Personal standard of ethics. Integrity. Morality. That is stronger than the pressures of public disapproval or party disapproval. A faith that the right course would ultimately be vindicated. A faith that overcame fear of public reprisal. It was a personal sacrifice. But i know, because ive spoken to many of them, that they thought and still think it was worth it. As everyone here now knows, this great debate is not settled that , but continues. And, it is my fervent hope and the hope of millions that regardless of party, such courage is still possible. That todays members of congress, regardless of party, are willing to look at the facts and speak the truth, even when it contradicts party positions. I hope that current members of congress recall that it actually does not take a lot of courage to aid those who are already powerful. Already comfortable. Already influential. But it does require some courage to champion the vulnerable and the sick and, the infirm. Those who often have no access to the corridors of power. I hope they understand that courage means not simply doing what is politically expedient, but doing what they believe deep in the heart is right. This kind of courage is required from all of us. Those of us who consider ourselves progressive. Those of us who are democrats. Weve got some soulsearching to do to see what kind of courage we show. We have our own dogmas. Those of us not in elected office have to show some courage , and we are prone to bestow the mantle of courage to easily on the mantle of the powerful and then too eager to rep ourselves wrap ourselves in cynicism when they let us down because they werent perfect. We lose sight sometimes of our own obligations. Each of ours. All of the quiet acts of courage that an fold around us every single day. Ordinary americans who give something of themselves, not for personal gain, but for the enduring benefit of another. The courage of a single mom working two jobs to make sure her kids can go to current college. The courage of a Small Business owner who is keeping folks on the payroll because he knows the family relies on it, even if it is not always the right thing to do for his bottom line. The courage of somebody who volunteers to help some kids in need of help. When we recognize these acts of courage, we then necessarily recognize our own responsibility is citizens as far as the human family to get involved and get engaged and take a stand. To vote. To pay attention. I am reminded of a story teddy once told me about his experiences many years ago when teddy junior, now state senator ted kennedy junior, was sleeping after one of his cancer treatments. Ted would wander the halls of the hospital and talk with other parents keeping vigil over their own children. These parents lived in constant fear of what might happen if they could not afford the next treatment. Some calculating in their own minds what they might have to sell or borrow just to make it for a few more months. Some bargaining for god for whatever they could get. And right there, and the quiet of the night, working people of modest means and one of the most powerful men in america shared the same intimate and immediate sense of helplessness. And ted could, of course, afford his own sons treatment, but it was a quiet, dignified courage of others to endure the most andhtening thing imaginable to do what it takes on behalf of their loved ones that compelled teddy to make those parents his cause. Not out of selfinterest. But out of a selfless concern for those who suffered. That is what the ordinary courage of everyday people can inspire when you are paying attention. The quiet, sturdy courage of ordinary people doing the right thing day in and day out. They dont get attention for it. They do not seek it. They dont get awards for it. But that is what has defined america. I think of women like my grandmother and so many like her , who worked her way up from a secretarial pool to management and in the process, pushed the Glass Ceiling up just a little bit higher. I think of people like michelles dad, who, despite ms, got up every sing a morning. Single morning. Had to wake up one hour early every morning to button up his shirt and put on his clothes and take those two canes he used and go to work every single day to make sure he was supporting his family. Not missing a Dance Recital or a basketball game. I think of the troops and the cops and the First Responders i have met who have put themselves at risk for strangers they will never know. And Business Owners who make every kind of sacrifice they can to make sure that their workers have a shot. Workers who take the risk of starting a new career. Retraining at my age. Kids in the peace corps working to build bridges of understanding and other nations. And to spread the same values that helped bring down an iron curtain, vanish the scourge of apartheid, expand the boundaries of human freedom. I think of dreamers who suppress their fears to keep working and striving in the only country they have ever called home. And every american who stands up for immigrants because they know that their parents or grandparents or greatgrandparents were immigrants, too, and they know that america is an idea that only grows stronger with each new person who adopts our common creed. [applause] pres. Obama i think of every young activist who answers the injustices still embedded in our criminal justice system, not with violence, not with despair, but with peaceful protests and analysis and constructive recommendations for change. I think of the powerless across who crossed the bridge in selma and discovered they had power. Those who gathered at stonewall and discovered they had a voice. Those who marched on washington because they believed that they, without an army, without great wealth, could somehow change the very fabric of the greatest power on earth. And kept on until they stretched the lofty ideals of our founding to encircle everyone. Every citizen inspired by that history who dips their toes in the water of active democracy for the first time and musters up the determination to try and fail, and try again and sometimes fail again, and still try again, knowing their efforts are not always rewarded right away, because they leave and in that upward trajectory of the american story. The story that nobody told better than john f. Kennedy. That very kenndyesque idea that america is not the project of any one person, and that each of us can make a difference, and that all of us ought to try. That quiet, sturdy citizenship that i see all across the country and that i especially see in young people like jack malia,e, and tatyana, and sasha, and your kids. I do not know whether president kennedys aid and friend, Arthur Schlesinger junior, was right when he wrote that history unfolds and recycles. But i do know it does not move in a straight line. I know that the values and progress that we cherish are not inevitable. That they are fragile. In need of constant renewal. I have said before that i believe what dr. King said, that the ark of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. I also have said it does not bend on its own. It bends because we bend it. Because we put our hand on that arc and we move it in the direction of justice. And freedom. And equality. And, kindness and generosity. It does not happen on its own. And so, we are constantly having to make a choice. Because progresses fragile. Thats progress is fragile. Thatt is that fragility, impermanence that is a precondition of the quality of character that we celebrate tonight. If the vitality of our democracy, if the gains of our long journey to freedom were assured, then none of us would ever have to be courageous. None of us would have to risk anything to protect it. This very precariousness that courage becomes possible and absolutely necessary. John f. Kennedy knew that our best hope and our most powerful answer to our doubts and fears lies inside each of us. In our willingness to joyfully embrace our responsibility as citizens. To stay true to our allegiance , to our highest and best ideals. To maintain our regard and concern for the poor and the aged and the marginalized. To put our personal or Party Interests aside when duty to our country calls. Or when conscience demands. That is the spirit that has america brought america so far, and that is the spirit that will always carry us to better days. And i take this honor that you have bestowed on me here tonight as a reminder that even out of office, i must do all that i can to advance the spirit of service that john f. Kennedy represents. Thank you all very much. May god bless you. May he bless these United States of america. Thank you. [applause] do i take it with me . [applause] ladies and gentlemen, i thank president obama for his comments. I think thank the ambassador Caroline Kennedy for her efforts in helping us prepare and implement this great evening today, and i particularly thank jeff and General Electric for their leadership in providing this this evening. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, i ask you please, please stay in the tent until the president and his motorcade, Vice President biden, until the president and his motorcade have departed at the request of the secret service. Then, thank you and a memorable evening. I thank you all on behalf of the library and foundation. Have a good evening. But please wait until the president departs with his motorcade. [applause] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2017] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] writers write that Hurricane Harvey devastated texas but could bring fiscal order to washington, where republicans and democrats will need to put physical differences aside in order to approve spending to repair the damage. Lawmakers returning to washington tomorrow after a monthlong break will quickly take up an initial request for nearly 8 billion in disaster aid. The house will debate and vote on the Harvey Relief fund on wednesday. The house rules committee, which sets guidelines for debate on the floor, will meet tomorrow about a for Hurricane Harvey and 2018 federal spending. My coverage begins tomorrow at 4 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan3, on my that cspan. Org, and on our free cspan radio app. Cspan, where history unfolds daily. Created as aan was Public Service by americas Cable Television companies and is brought to you today by your cable or satellite provider. Announcer now part of the 2017 National Conservative student conference, hosted by the young americas foundation, with National ReviewSenior Editor jonah goldberg. This is an our. Hour. [applause]