About the National Security apparatus, do they have what they need post9 11 from the federal government . Or are there still things outstanding that they would like to be done . He mentioned that he felt spread were thinly because the threat has morphed into different countries. There talking about how is a priority on whats going on with prices in the philippines, africa, he even mentioned north africa. I got the impression that he feels like the resources were spread thin. Washe big event this week about ambush in niger, are there more questions to be asked . Do we know enough about whats happening as an American Public . We dont know that much about ambush. Pened in the the u. S. Military is doing an after action report right now. There are early signs that the group that ambushed the special forces unit had connections to Islamic State. Its known that Islamic State and al qaeda are trying to play off of travel robberies in that region to bolster their presence there. We have a lot to learn about whats happening there and what it means for the fight against the country. Two big events with the ambush and also the ball of raqqa, is going to be changing the dynamics. Thank you for your questions. I appreciate. I appreciate it. Tomorrow, the Hudson Institute takes a look in countering violent extremism with lawmakers and warmer intelligence officials. Throughout the day, we will hear from people like leon panetta and david petraeus, as well as former white house chief strategist steve bannon. That gets underway at 12 p. M. Eastern light on cspan3. For more like coverage with White House Press secretary sarah sanders, she joins white house correspondents from fox news, cnn, and the New York Times to talk about the Trump Administration and its relationship with the media. Thats live at 7 00 p. M. Eastern on cspan three. You can also watch online at cspan. Org or listen on the free cspan radio app. Close your eyes for a moment. I see you. Trust me, empathy. I want you to stretch your imagination. Open your eyes. Thats how fast it happens. In a blink, no warning. Tonight on q a. Executive director of paralyzed americans and retired u. S. Marine Corps Officer sheryl gillams junior talks about his own paralysis and his work. Im trying to tell them this is the problem. This is from a patients perspective, from a policy perspective, an advocacy perspective and you have to empathize. Thats what will make it the ideal provider for veterans who have sacrificed. Tonight at 8 00 p. M. Eastern on cspans q a. Cspans washington journal live every day with news and policy issues that impact you. Coming up monday morning, usa today washington correspondent paul singer and Associated PressWhite House Reporter darlene tuberville discussed the week ahead in washington. Apartment list economist Christopher Sally aday talked about the mortgage interest. Be sure to watch cspans washington journal live at 7 00 p. M. Eastern on monday morning. Join the discussion. Arizona senator john mccain was recently honored with the National Constitution centers Liberty Medal in philadelphia. It was a it is awarded each year to those who show leadership in upholding basic freedoms around the world. Joe biden presented senator mccain with the metal, this portion is just under one hour and a half. Gentlemen, please welcome the president and chief executive officer of the National Constitution center jeffrey rosen. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the National Constitution centers. National constitution center. You onn honor to welcome this meaningful location. As the National ConstitutionCenter Awards the 2017 Liberty Medal to senator john mccain. [applause] throughout his career, senator mccain has put his the motion to the u. S. Constitution above action or party. He is the kind of independent citizen statesman James Madison envisioned when he stressed that the u. S. Constitution created not a direct democracy, but a representative republic. Madison and the framers of the constitution believed that direct democracies have led in greece and rome to rule by emma cox and the mob. Demagogues and the mob. In a representative about death republic, citizens would delegate power to enlighten representatives. A chosen body of citizens whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country. And whose patriotism and love of justice will be least likely to sacrifice it to temporary or partial considerations. Its especially meaningful that senator mccain will be awarded the Liberty Medal accompanied by the chair of the National ConstitutionCenter Vice President joe biden. [applause] Vice President biden served in the senate with john mccain or more than two second two decades grade their willingness to Work Together on behalf of the United States of america represents a madisonian ideal that is now under siege. Forces andpopulist social Media Technologies are vulcanizing citizens into filter bubbles and echo chambers, speeding up Public Discourse in the process. The result is polarizing our media and elected officials and threatening values of thoughtful deliberation and public reason in precisely the way the framers feared. Thats why the National Constitution centers mission of constitutional education is so urgently important. 1988, one year after he was sworn into the senate, senator mccain became a cosponsor of the bicentennial heritage act, which created the National Constitution center. That act gave us an inspiring Educational Mission to disseminate information about the u. S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis in order to increase awareness and understanding of the u. S. Constitution among the american people. Later, increasing constitutional awareness and understanding is more necessary than ever. It is crucial that we bring together citizens of different perspectives on all media platforms to listen respectfully to constitutional arguments on all sides. We need to empower all americans to educate themselves about the constitution so that we the people can deliberate thoughtfully with each other and choose in my and representatives like senator mccain to enlightened representatives like senator mccain. The future of liberty and democracy depends on constitutional education. As jefferson said, democracy cannot survive both ignorant and free. Ae centerpiece of Constitution Centers education efforts is the online interactive constitution. Its received nearly 12 million hits since it launched in 2015. [applause] you can click on any provision of the constitution using this amazing online tool and find the leading conservative and liberal legal figures of america discussing what they agree about and what they disagree about. This wonderful platform is a model for the kind of thoughtful, most the partisan situation that madison considered essential for freedom and democracy in america. With your help, we need to bring it to learners across america and across the globe. Light andng constitutional understanding, the National Constitution center inspires all citizens to preserve, protect, and the set defend american liberty in the spirit of sacrifice and service exemplified by the heroic career of senator mccain. Called tous will be the life of sacrifice and service that john mccain has devoted to the United States of america, but all of us are inspired by his example. On behalf of the National Constitution center, for all you have done to preserve, protect, and defendant liberty in america and across the globe, its an honor to say thank you, senator mccain. [applause] john mccains life has always been about freedom. Hes truly one of americas heroes. The personification of courage and independence. He has what it takes to stand up, to speak up. If you could combine a cowboy with a scholar, thats what he is. Mccain the third comes from a long line of service to country. His father was an admiral. His family has served in every conflict since americas founding. It dates back all the way to general George Washingtons staff. He was born in august of 1936 at the Naval Air Station in the u. S. Controlled panama canal zone where his father was stationed. My dad had intense admiration and respect or his dad. Hes a very small man. 54, but his presence was stunning. Mccains father was a submariner. Whograndfather a sailor pioneered Naval Aviation strategy on aircraft carriers. As a boy, he admits a mixed pride of his legacy and resentment that his course seems preordained. Never any other consideration other than he would go to the Naval Academy. When he was 15, his parents sent him to a basketball high school, a private boarding school in next andrea in alexandria. I went around from base to base, it was easy was probably more worldly than everyone. Bruce reinhardt was on the Football Team and wrestling squad with mccain, and remembers that even as a teenager, mccain was a nonconformist who pushed back against rules. Nothe school had a system unlike what you would find at the Naval Academy. Mccain said he was considered the worst rat because he would pick fights with his fellow students, challenge school authorities, and ignore regulations. Pugs,earned the nickname i think he enjoyed that nickname. On one hand he could have taken an easy path towards life, he was the son of a network, the grandson of an admiral, but he clearly wanted to make his own mark. After four years in the naval a medical academy, he was eager to add his own paragraph to the family legacy, with a combat tour in vietnam. The call to duty is what they are all about. He asked to all. 31, john mccain joined the squadron on the uss forestall. It was on the flight back in late july in 1967 that he had his first real brush with death. Dad was on deck, his plane was going to be the next one. A power surge triggered the accidental launch of a rocket across the ships like that, striking if you a fuel tank. There were sitting back there and trying to offload these bombs into the water. So many men died that day. He rolled off the nose and ran. He always talked about how he is the luckiest guy he knows. I always felt hes the luckiest and unluckiest guy. After surviving, he could have gone home. Instead, he volunteered for another tour on the uss arrest any, a carrier that shepherd is only its its own fire a year earlier. To him it wasnt about being a pilot in a war, he was serving his country. Planeee months later, his was shot down in a bombing mission. I found myself falling towards the middle of a small lake in the city of hanoi with two broken arms, broken leg, and an angry crowd waiting to greet me. Legs onoke his arms and each action. His captors broke his shoulder with smashing blows from a rep. Buck , then dumped them in an empty cell. We knew hed been captured. Later, he came close to death a couple of times. He was given medical treatment only after his captors learned his father was an admiral. He was a potential propaganda piece because of my grandfather. They were trying to explain that to their advantage. His jailers offered him Early Release and a chance to escape his suffering. He said im not leaving. Go home in the order of your shootdown. He would later learn that the day he was sent home, was the day his father was to be promoted commander of the entire pacific fleet. They thought they would secure a Public Relations coup by releasing him back to the states. Got an out early, he did his duty and did the right thing. Given they people, choice, would stay true to their code, true to their brothers who were there in the north vietnamese prison and refuse to go home russian mark i said i must have been a hard decision. For my dad, it was not a hard decision. Four hisent was punishment was four days of eating. Ribs, breaking his teeth, and rebreaking his arm. Ernest hemingway has this line, man can be destroyed, but not defeated. Every time i think of that, i think of john because of his strong and relentless will live and serve. Pow,first two years as a he was placed in solitary confinement. Its a test of strength, of human dignity. By the time he joined his bmws, he weighed just over 100 pounds. His broken arms still useless. They put me in a cell with two other americans. They did it for me. Those men saved my life. The experience changed him from a Rebel Without a cause to a maverick on a mission. Mercy ofowers are the your captor, and the only thing you hold onto is your ability to the faithful to your country. After 5. 5 years, he was sent home in march of 1973. His time as a pow made him appreciate that americas freedom was on honor. He retired from the navy in 1981, and won a seat in congress the following year. He couldnt serve in the military anymore so he went to politics. Who always had the backs of the men and women of the u. S. Military, no matter what. When president bill clinton called for normalizing relations with vietnam, mccain became a leader in the charge. One of the two key people, john kerry was the other one. Hes made 22 trips to vietnam. We have to take down every lead with respect to the potential that in america was still being held and there is something really striking about a man who spent five and a half years. We visited the hanoi hilton and i will never forget ever the emotion of being shown the cell in which he spent a fair amount of time. He now is someone whos also viewed by the vietnamese as their best advocate in washington. Family and colleagues will tell you hes still very much the rebel. He has a contrary in streak a mile wide. Im sure you heard the fiery mccain as an additive used to describe him. I said those guards watched over you are still going to Group Sessions all these years later trying to recover. The same courage that john showed in vietnam, he shows in Congress Almost every week. I remember i was getting some grief from local editorial boards of people because i was going after earmarks and e just spending. I was on a flight with him and he came back to my seat, he put his finger on my chest and i thought im really important. He said dont give up. You are doing the right thing. Senator mccain has been a role model for those who are younger senators about how to be your own man. When he talks, the room goes quiet. People always know something important is going to be said. Whats so unusual about john mccain is that combination of willingness to be a maverick and the real concern to the effective to make a difference. Mccain if mccain got his straight speaking style from his mother, he got his tireless work ethic from his dad. Hes a tremendous worker. He always wants to be prepared and ready. How he doesnt physically i dont know. We saw interns begging i have to take a break because they couldnt keep up with him. John came back to the senate right after the diagnosis of brain cancer against the might of his doctors. Tough diagnosis to get, but an even tougher guy. Hes consumed with doing his duty. Sailor, he like a fights like a sailor, hes worth like a sailor, and he is one of the greatest patriots ive ever met. He recognizes the need for america to be a voice for those who dont have much of a voice. Somebody asked him what should be the purpose of American Foreign policy, and he said i cant think of a better answer to that than the declaration of independence. Everyone of us is created equal and we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Hes always put his Country First in everything. [applause] please welcome the president of the university of pennsylvania dr. Amy gutmann ,. Good evening everyone and what a good evening it is good evening. We gather at the National Constitution center to honor a man renowned for among other things, his deep respect for constitutional knowledge and tradition, and his abiding bipartisanship. Two things in such short supply these days, that we all had to visit a museum to see it on display. Seriousness, how very moving it is that the career long republican we , by his isonight going to be is going to be introduced by his good friend, im equally renowned democratic senator and United StatesVice President , joe biden. This is really a momentous evening. Such distinctively bipartisan why we so underscores warmly celebrate this years Liberty Medal recipient. The occasion of awarding the Liberty Medal to this great patriot of our time, Benjamin Franklin had the perfect words, of course. Know, he of you dont is the founder of the university of pennsylvania. Britain imposed punitive restrictions of liberty on the american colonies, franklin declared they who give up essential liberty to obtain a deserveemporary safety neither liberty nor safety. Nobody knows the truth of franklins words better than this years recipient of the Liberty Medal. For prisonersofwar concepts of safety and liberty ceased to be abstractions. The suffering they experience could defeat all but the strongest of wills. The man we honor tonight possesses such will. The man we honored tonight exemplifies our societys highest ideals with the deepest imaginable reserve of courage and conviction. Life toevoted his securing and expanding liberty for people everywhere. We award the Liberty Medal tonight to a leader who, by virtue of both his ideals and his actions, not only crosses party lines and national borders, he transcends them. He is a man who has focused his life not on the tears that thunder, but on the ties that bind. He is an exemplary american, who routinely forgoes what is expedient to pursue what is just and what is right. Our recipient shares with those who have come before him a lifelong devotion to the ultimate and noblest of human pursuits. Liberty. The National Constitution center was built to strengthen our pursuit of that purpose of liberty. Tonight, we are so proud to continue that work by celebrating a National Leader of immense distinction. He is a month our longest serving statesman in the u. S. Senate. He is a congressman before that and a naval pilot that throughout a lifetime of service to country to, to others, and to his own principles, he has been a warrior. Uniform, he defended liberty. In government, he uphold it. In daily life, he is he adheres to it. At a time when peoples faith and its two shins, and in many individuals, as he wrote it, countless many lookup to the man we honor tonight. We look to him as a moral voice. Straight talking, and upright honestly imperfect and all the braver for it. The light he has lived in spires us and gives us hope, no matter what our party affiliation. Serving tirelessly in the cause of liberty, he is above all a person of honor. We see in him what we so fervently desire to see at work at our nation and around the world. Liberty tiedonor to the utmost of courage as we celebrate and we salute our senator and our hero senator john mccain. Thank you, and thank you all are honoring this great public servant. [applause] thank you so much, amy. And thank you for your invaluable leadership and collaboration with the National Constitution center. Its now my privilege to introduce a visionary patriot and great friend of americas veterans. Appreciates what center senator mccain and his fellow veterans have sacrificed in providing for the common defense and protecting the constitution. The visionary is founder, former ceo, and current executive chairman of starbucks. [applause] as youre about to hear, howard has a special passion for the wellbeing of americas veterans. In 2011, veterans sparked his conscience about personal responsibility as a result, howard and his wife Cheri Schultz began to educate themselves about the 1 of americans who have served in the u. S. Military. To2013, starbucks pledged hire 10,000 veterans and military spouses in the next five years. When the company met that goal a year and a half ahead of schedule, starbucks pledged to hire 25,000 veterans like 2025. The following year, howard and sherees Family Foundation launched onward veterans, which empowers post9 11 and that and their families in their transitions to civilian life. And recognizing that many veterans struggle with posttraumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. The schultz Family Foundation pledged an initial 30 million to remedy and study these afflictions. [applause] with the invaluable work of the Family Foundation, howard and sheree continue to change veteranstive about left sacrificed so much to protect america. Ladies and gentlemen, for his service to americas veterans, please join me in thanking and welcoming howard schultz. Thank you for that warm introduction. Vice President Biden, senator mccain, ladies and gentlemen, it is a profound honor to stand here before you this evening. I also stand here with immense humility and emotion. As an entrepreneur and a business leader, i have long known that my life journey was made possible by the promise of freedom conceived by the brave men and women who have far to preserve that promise for centuries. Never in my lifetime have i been so mindful and at the same time so passionate about the shared responsibility we all have to live up to the ideals in which that promise was conceived. Consider what happened right here at Independence Hall more than two centuries ago. Farsighted statesmen of clashing believes came together in common purpose. Law wered rules of fiercely debated well old, yet pragmatic principles informed the creation of our enduring constitution. Principles was the need for individual and state sacrifice, so the country could achieve a higher purpose of unity. Also among those principles was soall for a spirit of amity, cooperation and collaboration could bridge ideological divides. Our Founding Fathers were not perfect. But as we sit here tonight, how can we not be in our of past leaders who invoke such simple wisdoms despite the complexities of their time. Nothe same main, how can we have immense gratitude or a leader of our time. For a sailor and a statesman who sits among us now, because his life story embodies the very hero virtue is spin chewables virtuous principles of his father, his grandfather, and of our Founding Fathers. Senator mccain, i stand here in awe of americans shared heritage and with the utmost respect and gratitude for you, sir. Tonight, history lives among us. John mccain is one of millions of americans who have sworn allegiance to our country. He first took the oath as a 1954nctious 17yearold in as he entered the United StatesNaval Academy. He repeated that both many times when he was commissioned as a naval officer, when he was elected to represent the great state of arizona in congress, and each of the six times he was elected to the United States senate. Senator, as a citizen who has admired you from afar, i must believe that every time you took the oath of allegiance to the constitution that you were also pledging your heart to our country. Loyalty, youote of question you pledged a note of love. Speaking in mind, tonight has given me an opportunity to further appreciate what it means to love something as you love our country and the responsibilities that come with it. Tonight, i would like to speak about such love and responsibility in the context of both our country and senator mccains life. Let me begin with a story we all know. 1968, john mccains navy jet was shot down. The force of that ejection broke his right leg and both of his arms. We recall how he was taken prisoner by the north vietnamese. We winced to remember how his fractures were set without anesthesia and the additional damage doctors inflicted upon his body. Haveked ourselves what we the metal, the fortitude, to endorse such pain or the sheer will to survive in such horrific circumstances . These traits alone are worthy of our respect and admiration. Yet, it is another part of this story that for me, showcases the incredible depth of the senators character. That ourou know nations military has a code of honor during wartime. American prisoners go home in the order in which they were captured. Those held the longest leave first. Left than a year after john mccain was captured, he received a stunning offer. He was free to go home to america. After hiscame soon father was named commander of the American Forces in the pacific. The young mccain knew that his Early Release would be a propaganda coup for the north vietnamese. He summoned the courage of his convictions and refused his freedom. His jailers warned that if he stayed, he would suffer dire consequences. Yet still, this young man volunteered to endure the harvest of torture and the possibility of death because he understood what it meant to love his country and the depth of sacrifice that comes with it. Hearing this story again, it is easy to see a brave honorable warrior. But we must also see a true patriot whose selfless sacrifices revealed the same duty to country that our Founding Fathers believed in. In the years that followed his five years in captivity, his love of country manifested itself in another form of public service. In congress, senator mccains conscience and willingness to put country over party have helped to preserve the democracy we have all inherited. Im speaking of his longstanding belief to reform the role of money in politics. Of his unwavering moral authority to ensure humane treatment of all prisoners of war. Unyieldingg of his support for the brave men and women of our military and his ongoing efforts to ensure they come home to the gratitude, to the respect, and the opportunity they deserve. Im speaking of the moments that he has taken great Political Risk to disturb to determine and demonstrate the courage of conviction on the senate floor. Most recently, with his boat not to dismantle the up his boat not to dismantle the Affordable Care act. [applause] can we do that one more time . [applause] in reviewing senator mccains legislative body of work, it is easy to see a maverick. I see a true statesman, like our founding father, senator mccain is a leader willing to put the wellbeing of the country above his own interests. His love of country also shines in his ability to look beyond partisan differences. As an example, senator mccains uncommon friendship with mo udall comes to mind congressman udall was a liberal icon yet he reached out to a young republican from his state as a friend and a mentor. The two men developed a close friendship that lasted until udalls death from parkinsons disease. Although udall had one spin once been a month the most powerful leaders in washington almost none of his former colleagues came calling as hes laying ill at a Veterans Hospital not far from the capital. It was senator mcgrane mccain who visited them quite often. You would arrive at the hospital with newspaper clips and you would sit at your friends bedside and read to him. You in he reached out to the beginning, you reached out to him in the and with empathy and withdrew compassion. Story, it is once again so clear of the unique and unusual man we are speaking about, and what a dear friend he was to mo udall. But we must also see a man with a desire to embrace peoples humanity regardless of their politics. This is no small feat in todays patriotic halls of our of ournce and quarters country. Senator mccain is a man of , but he alsotion embodies the spirit of amity that helped our Founding Fathers find common ground. Leaders of senator macleans ilk not only look beyond critical difference, political difference, they also look beyond the past. I asked all of us to reflect back to the physical and emotional horrors that a young pilot suffered as a prisoner of war in north vietnam. Now consider where we are today, the United States and vietnam are nations that exchange tourists, trade, and cultures. This reconciliation would never have occurred had senator mccain not found in himself to extend a hand of friendship to his former adversaries and to work with the with president clinton and senator john kerry, a democratic year, to establish diplomatic relations between two countries once at work. His efforts were a model of cooperation and forgiveness. If john mccain was able to look beyond a brutal past, so too, could america. [applause] as we recall john mccains role in a reconciliation with vietnam, we see an impassioned torchbearer of american values. But we must also see a man who was willing to open his heart and his mind with the same foresight and collaboration that our Founding Fathers called upon as they designed the countrys path forward. It is easy to recount the tales men, but it is much harder to follow in the footsteps of greatness. Yet every generation needs leaders capable of such feats. Our democracy remains a great experiment. All of us must see ourselves as her innovators as well as her protectors. That is why Founding Fathers never die, they exist in memory, but also in practice. Senator mccain, you are a founding father of our time. [applause] you are a man who fights to preserve a nation with courage, compassion, gallantry, decency, and humanity. , thisindependent state mall is filled with americans who come to celebrate the birth of our nation. Millions of others spend the day with family and friends. John mccain, however, has his own deeply held tradition. For 10 of the past 11 years, he has celebrated july 4 with american troops serving overseas. He makes these trips without a hint of obligation, being a month our men and women in uniform is a sincere joy for him. Up, theres as bounce to his step, an independence day, he has said there is no place rather be. Those trips, and all he does in service to our nation often keep them on the family and home. To cindy and the 7 mccain children, on behalf of all americans, our gratitude for your sacrifice is an extraordinary opportunity to say thank you to the entire mccain family. [applause] in sharing your beloved husband and father with the rest of us, we feel your love of country. Senator, you hail from on common stock. Served ourather navys entire adult life. Your father entered the Naval Academy at age 16, and spent 41 years in uniform. Both were remarkable wartime heroes. U2, humble us with your service. The cloth of the nation for most of your adult life. Yours is an uncommon love and commitment to country of fidelity to flag with no or in modern life. John Sidney Mccain the third, captain, the United States navy. Star,ent of the silver recipient of the legion of merit. Recipient of the distinguished flying cross. Recipient of the purple heart. The United States senator, hero, senator mccain, there are some who question what this nation has become. They wonder about our commitment to our founding values. Our results and our love for fellow americans. Perhaps they do not know where to look. Looking at the man we honor here tonight, i am comforted and confident in our potential as a United Nation to live up to the best of our past, to put forth the best of ourselves and to forge a future worthy of all americans, especially great americans who inspire us like john mccain. Thank you very much. [applause] the work we do is important. In late july, returning to the senate after surgery, john mccain took to the floor to articulate his philosophy of government. We have been spinning our wheels onto many things because we keep trying to find a way to win without health from across bio. Lose to workto together to find those solutions . He told them exactly what they needed to hear. The partisanship has to stop. He was saying lets go back to the regular order. It means that there are committees in the senate, they have republicans and immigrants on them. They work out the problems. Republicans and democrats on them. They work out the problems. When people Work Together across the aisle, Ronald Reagan used to say id rather have a percent of something than 100 of nothing. I think thats the way he feels. He demonstrates a model of service and a desire to make government work. And the desire to make American Global leadership. A true statesman of the senate, john mccain has led efforts on Bipartisan Legislation throughout his career. Sit innd i with would a room with a gain of eight, he led the republican side, i led the democratic side. For hours each day days weeks and months his persistence in making sure that we could come up with a bill that would get support of both democrats and republicans was amazing. John mccain i found was a man of courage not only im vietnam but hes been quite a courageous guy in congress. We served together for 30 years. He is a fierce opponent, but also a loyal friend. Theres no better example than that then his friend with ted kennedy. They would fight like as in dogs on the floor, but after they were the best of friends. Much ofns wife credits her husbands legislative success to another maverick. When he was a freshman congressman, most udall took him under his wing. Most udall was one of the most wellknown members of congress. He came to john, and said lets Work Together. That helped john a great deal. Senate,s speech to the mccain didnt just implore his colleagues to come together, he defended the constitutional role of congress as envisioned by the Founding Fathers. Whether or not we are of the same party, we are not the presence of ordinance. We are his equal, he challenges us in the senate, he pushes us to move past partisanship, to listen to each other and try and do right by the people who hired us. Hes been a role model and an example for all of us. Hes a fighter, a warrior, look what is right and what is fair. He shares that belief that we have to get back to the basics of leadership. The basics of the constitution. Its that respect for our country that will help with healing wounds, those of the civil rights, the most recent times. He approaches every issue what is the best interest of the country, the best outcome that can be achieved. To me, thats the hallmark of a great public servant. I dont think theres anyone else that is more deserving of this honor than john mccain. [applause] gentlemen, please welcome the 47th Vice President of the United States, joe biden. [applause] thank you very much. Assuming youre standing because you are called. And youd like to stretch. Howard schultz is going to come up and repeat his speech. That was really really good. Gentlemen, i am deeply honored to be here tonight. Serving this year as chair of the National Constitution center board of trustees and has afforded many privileges. None greater than the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary and service to our nation of my dear friend. My mom, my mom had an expression. From the time i was a kid, she said look at me. Look in my eyes. Im not exaggerating. She said look at me. You are defined by your courage and your redeemed by your loyalty. That was her code. You are defined by your courage, and you are redeemed by your loyalty. Courage and loyalty. I can think of no better description of the man we are honoring tonight, our friend john mccain. My mom knew john, and respected him deeply. You are one Four Brothers all serve in the military. Brother and bobby casey knows this, because we lived several blocks one another. Is number two brother Ambrose Finnegan who still is remembered in scranton. Down, and his body was never found in public new guinea. Every timealk about something came up about john, how he reminded her of her brother ambrose. She thought ambrose, and she knew john was the embodiment of courage and loyalty. We all know johns story, we have seen tonight. You know about his grandparents, his father, how he was called to duty in wartime. His incredible heroism. On october 20 6, 1967, 50 years ago this month, when his plane was shot down, and dam its hard to remember john 50 years. I was a mere child. , ihink i was in third grade dont remember for sure. You know the infamous hanoi hilton. As you know and youve heard time and again and john knows and still bears the scars of the brutal beatings and the and the damage done to him. After about eight months, you also know about the offer of release. I have had the opportunity as Vice President to sit on the stage of the president and confer a number of medals of honor. Occurred, but i cannot think of anyone that im aware of, im sure its occurred, who, given the opportunity after knowing not having to guess, knowing what it meant to stay in that prison. Not having to be threatened and wonder what was coming, knowing what would happen. Leave,he opportunity to no matter what the code was, imagine. I want you to think about it. Imagine it in real terms. Again, not having to wonder what he would face by refusing to leave. Painng the excruciating and isolation. And he stayed. Man has spent almost five more years in that hellhole of captivity inhumane conditions. Days 1967 days. You have all had pain, you have all had suffering, we have all had in our lives. You know how sometimes just getting up one day at a time, just putting one foot in front of the other, and facing whatever that pain, mental or physical. As i said, ive been privileged to meet a fair number of euros in my life. Like john ive been in and out of afghanistan and iraq over 35 times. Ive had the honor of printing silver stars on people in the fall of in the upper cone, i have seen these kids, but i dont ever remember seeing someone whos kept his wits and senses about him. I remember when you were released, i was a senator only four months. It was march 14, 1973, and i remember getting off of that you, but idnt know remember that salute we saw here tonight. I remember how you were greeted and how you greeted me. Distinctionmade no between you and all of the rest of your fellow pows at Clark Air Force base in the philippines. Seeing that handsome young flyer who pushed beyond the bounds of human endurance come out on the other side still standing, still proud, as my mother would say, still unbowed. I thought to myself, my god. And i remember talking with my friend ted kaufman. You ended up serving with him. He was my chief of staff. A fine guy. I remember sitting and watching and saying i want to meet that guy, never expecting to be able to do it. In the an expression senate, you have to excuse the point of personal privilege. I realize what im talking about is personal. Remarkably, john cho chose to remain in the navy. He had an awful lot of other opportunities, but he had chosen a life of service. To him, duty always dictated what to do. He stayed. Surprise whene my in 1977, i did meet cap than john mccain. Senate Liaison Officer the nature of lets naval legislative office. I was by far the youngest member of the Senate Foreign relations committee. And i got an opportunity to travel all over the world. Like john, ive met every major world leader without exception since 1976. In the beginning, one of the most consequential days of my career, and we have all look back on our careers, and think of those things and moments that had an impact on how your career moved forward. Only that i not only got to work with john mccain, i got to know him. I got to know an awful lot about him. He got to know an awful lot about me. We traveled hundreds of thousands of miles together, we got to know each others families. Sitting on my lawn in wilmington, having a picnic with his family when he was still in the navy. , beau biden army purple servicenze star, other medals he was awarded. Look at john from the time he was a High School Kid with nothing but absolute rock admiration. Hunter, got to know john personally. They got to talk to him, they took the measure of the man and they got to learn from him. They really cared about you, john. And i know you know that. John and i would travel the world together. He jokes, he said he carried my bags. He never carried my bags. He was supposed to carry my bags, but he never carried my bags. He was a young Liaison Officer, i was a young senator. Whether we were going to germany or china, whenever i went with notable exceptions, i asked john to come with me. And the many of those socalled coattails, congressional delegations, back in the days when we like each other and talk to each other, we used to travel together. Democrats, republicans, and our spouses. Those, jill with along with me, as well. She got to know and love john, as well. And i think he loves her, too. Traveling together with our wives with the tradition we kept up when don was later elected to the United Senate himself. I never saw him as a Liaison Officer, i pulled him in, i thought his advice. Id be meeting with World Leaders and i got john before i went in. What do you think, this is what im going to say. Does this make sense . This is what im thinking. He not only became a friend, he became an advisor. Later on, i think maybe i served the same role for john when he was taking about running. We talked for hours about the specificthe world, assignments, about what we wanted to do with our lives. I learned a lot about this man. About whate talked we are going to do. How we were thinking about what we are going to do. John would talk about maybe hes going to go back to arizona. Go to arizona and get involved in politics. I strongly encourage john to do it. Because i knew, i knew when he ran for the house, it didnt surprise me at all that he won. It didnt surprise me when he ran for the senate and one. It just please meet that we got to serve together, even though that same point of time as john said, came came a thats another story. But it didnt surprise me when he became leader of his party. Didnt surprise when he sought the nomination for president because i thought from the beginning he had that capacity. I thought into the seven that he should of been the nominee. From my perspective, it all pointed in that direction from the very beginning. John will remember i called him after a couple of vicious attacks on him in South Carolina , and i offered to help him. I said, where do you want me . Pick the town, the place, i know will testify to your character. Said issic john, he think that would hurt me more than it would help, but thanks. [laughter] and was my team angry as hell with me because i made it. But i was prepared to do it. And although a cause me some consternation. Although i was proud to be picked as Vice President and serve with president obama i didnt expect that some day john and i would be on opposing tickets in 2008. Never once did i ever say anything that wasnt positive about john during that campaign. I never made any secret about john being my friend, although i didnt talk about it too much , not as a joke, because it would have hurt him. It is not a joke. We used to debate in the 1990s. Wed go over and sit with one another, literally sitting next to each other on either democratic republican side of the floor. I knew something had changed. You wont remember this nina , neither youre calling from delaware would know this, but we both got into our caucuses and we were chastised by the leadership of both caucuses. Why will be talking to one another. The gingrichr revolution in the 1990s. They didnt want us sitting together. Thats when things began to change. Not between john and me but things began to change. But for john, it was always duty, honor, country. That is john. John understands what it means to sacrifice for what you believe in. To put the greater good ahead of personal feelings. President kennedy said moral courage in politics is a rare r commodity than courage on the battlefield. John has shown the moral courage. Hes a man who was terrorized , victimized, abused for five and a half years. Then as a u. S. Senator, as was pointed out, he joined john kerry normalizing relationship s with the amount. Always Country First, always Country First. You know, here is what john said in 1995. He said, we have looked back in anger at the at gnome for too long. I, john saying, i cannot allow whatever resentment i incurred during my time in vietnam to hold me from doing what is clearly my duty. Everybody talks about these virtues but this is what the guy did. This is not only what he said. Duty, duty. Its the marrow running through that solid steel spine of this a formidables such opponent and such a fierce friend. John and i have been together and we have been against one another. As you have observed, neither one of us has a temper or lose our cool. [laughter] but boy, oh boy. And john knows, even after our toughest fights, john saying biden should be taken off the ticket. Then he would call me up and say, they made me say that. Before because john and i have been given several awards together lately for bipartisanship. We dont understand why you should get an award for bipartisanship, by the way. But i have said this publicly before, i know if i called john in the middle of the night even after the most bitter debate, i couldve said, im at 7th and vine in st. Louis i cant explain why, but i need you to come now. For me hed get on the plane. He would go, i guarantee you. And so what i for him. Willing, we been felt the other guy was right across the aisle, and lock arms. It is good for the country. I want to state for the record johns a man of significant andtellect, deep conviction unmatched character. And if you allow me a point of personal privilege again we used , to say in the senate, and i want to say, john, how much your example of service and duty loyalty inspired , my beau and his decision as an Army National guard, captain later major, to give up his attorney general seat turn it over to republican to get permission to be able to go to iraq for a year because his unit was going. John, when he received his cancer diagnosis, he also found strength in the courage youve demonstrated throughout your whole life. And im sure hed not been surprised at all that after your diagnosis, you took to the senate floor to remind us all , all of us who would choose to hold office, democrats and ourblicans alike, what responsibility is, first to the nation responsibility that , extends beyond ourselves, and our parties. Felt that you were called to duty. You said what greater cause could we hope to serve than helping america be strong, aspiring International Beacon of liberty and the defender of the dignity of all human beings and what greater cause . You know, thats whats always been for four decades. What greater cause . I personally have been affirmed having john mccain both of the confidante the counselor and a friend for even longer. Our nation is benefiting from his selflessness. And unwavering service. Hemingway, wese grow stronger our nation is than our broken parts. We grow stronger than our broken parts. You have been broken many times, physically and otherwise, and you have always grown stronger. But what you dont really understand in my humble opinion is how much courage you get to the rest of us. It matters. With your powerful words ringing in our ears and your example before us, a life of tireless work to secure the blessings of liberty to the people to world over, it is my great pleasure to present you with the National Center 2018 Liberty Medal. Ladies and gentlemen, jeffrey rosen. [applause] mr. Rosen thank you for those moving and significant words. Thank you for your service as chair of the constitution center, and it is now my great pleasure and honor to invite the Vice President to award the 27 to john mccain. [applause] im not gonna put it around his neck because he gets animated speaking and im worried he will hurt himself. Mccain, youenator have honorably served your country is a war hero, you have upheld the ideals of the United States constitution as a statesman of the senate, and as a patriotic leader and you have preserved, protected and defended liberty at home and around the globe. For your life of sacrifice and service, it is the greatest honor for the National Constitution center to award you the 2017 Liberty Medal. [applause] eering] sen. Mccain thank you. Old, dear joe, my friend, for those mostly undeserved, kind words. Vice President Biden and i have known each other for a lot of years now, more than forty, if you are counting. We knew each other back when we were young and handsome and smarter than everyone else but were too modest to say so. [laughter] sen. Mccain joe was already a senator, and i was the navys Liaison Officer to the senate. My duties included escorting Senate Delegations on overseas trips, and in that capacity, i supervised the delegations luggage, which could require now and again, when no one of lower rank was available for the job that i carry someone worthys , bag. Once or twice that worthy turned once or twice, that turned out to be the young senator from delaware. Ive resented it ever since. [laughter] sen. Mccain joe has heard me joke about that before. I hope he has heard, too, my profession of gratitude for his friendship these many years. It has meant a lot to me. We served in the senate together for over twenty years, during some eventful times, as we passed from young men to the fossils who appear before you this evening. [laughter] sen. Mccain we didnt always agree on the issues. We often argued, sometimes passionately, but we believed in each others patriotism and the sincerity of each others convictions. We believed in the institution we were privileged to serve in. We believed in our mutual responsibility to help make the place work and to cooperate in finding solutions to our countrys problems. We believed in our country and in our countrys indispensability to International Peace and stability and to the progress of humanity. [applause] sen. Mccain and through it all, whether we argued or agreed, joe was good company. You all know, he is good company. [laughter] sen. Mccain thank you, old friend, for your company and your service to america. Thank you, too, to the National Constitution center, and everyone associated with it for this award. Thank you for that video, and for the all too generous compliments paid to me this evening. Im aware of the Prestigious Company the Liberty Medal places me in. Im humbled by it, and ill try my best not to prove too unworthy of it. Some years ago, i was present at an event where an earlier Liberty Medal recipient spoke about americas values and the sacrifices made for them. It was 1991, and i was attending the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the attack on pearl harbor. The world war ii veteran, estimable patriot and good man, president george h. W. Bush, gave a moving speech at the uss arizona memorial. I remember it very well. His voice was thick with emotion as he neared the end of his address. I imagine he was thinking not only of the brave americans who lost their lives on december 7, 1941, but of the friends he had served with and lost in the pacific where he had been the navys youngest aviator. Look at the water here, clear and quiet, he directed. Day, in what now seems another lifetime, it wrapped its arms around the finest sons any nation could ever have, and it carried them to a better world. He could barely get out the last line, god bless them, and may may god bless america, the most wondrous nation on earth. [applause] the most wondrous land on earth, indeed. Ive had the good fortune to spend sixty years in service to this wondrous land. It has not been perfect service, to be sure, and there were probably times when the country might have benefited from a little less of my health. My help. But ive tried to deserve the privilege as best i can, and ive been repaid a thousand times over with adventures, with good company, and with the satisfaction of serving something more important than myself, of being a bit player in the extraordinary story of america. And i am so grateful. What a privilege it is to serve this big, boisterous, brawling, intemperate, striving, daring, beautiful, bountiful, brave, magnificent country. With all our flaws, all our mistakes, with all the frailties of human nature as much on display as our virtues, with all the rancor and anger of our politics, we are blessed. We are living in the land of the free, the land where anything is possible, the land of the immigrants dream, the land with the storied past forgotten in the rush to the imagined future, the land that repairs and reinvents itself, the land where a person can escape the consequences of a selfcentered youth and know the satisfaction of sacrificing for an ideal, the land where you can go from aimless rebellion to a noble cause, and from the bottom of your class to your partys nomination for president. [applause] sen. Mccain we are blessed, and we have been a blessing to humanity in turn. The International Order we helped build from the ashes of world war, and that we defend to this day, has liberated more people from tyranny and poverty than ever before in history. [applause] sen. Mccain this wondrous land has shared its treasures and ideals and shed the blood of its finest patriots to help make another, better world. And as we did so, we made our own civilization more just, freer, more accomplished and prosperous than the america that existed when i watched my father go off to war on december 7, 1941. To fear the world we have organized and led for threequarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of interNational Leadership and our duty to remain the last test best hoperth last of earth for the sake of some halfbaked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems applause]and sen. Mccain it is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that americans consigned to the ash heap of history. We live in a land made of ideals, not blood and soil. We are the custodians of those ideals at home, and their champion abroad. We have done great good in the world. That leadership has had its costs, but we have become incomparably powerful and wealthy as we did. We have a moral obligation to continue in our just cause, and we would bring more than shame on ourselves if we dont. [applause] we will not thrive in a world where our leadership and ideals are absent. We wouldnt deserve to. I am the luckiest guy on earth. I have served americas cause, the cause of our security and the security of our friends, the cause of freedom and equal justice, all my adult life. I havent always served it well. I havent even always appreciated what i was serving. But among the few compensations of old age is the acuity of hindsight. I see now that i was part of something important that drew me along in its wake even when i was diverted by other interests. I was, knowingly or not, along for the ride as america made the future better than the past. And i have enjoyed it, every single day of it, the good ones and the not so good ones. Ive been inspired by the service of better patriots than me. Ive seen americans make sacrifices for our country and her causes and for people who were strangers to them but for our common humanity, sacrifices that were much harder than the service ever asked of me. And ive seen the good they have done, the lives they freed from tyranny and injustice, the hope they encouraged, the dreams they made achievable. May god bless them. May god bless america, and give us the strength and wisdom, the generosity and compassion, to do our duty for this wondrous land, and for the world that counts on us. With all its suffering and danger, the world still looks to the example and leadership of become another, better place. What greater cause could anyone ever serve . Thank you again for this honor. Ill treasure it. [applause] john, congratulations on receiving the Liberty Medal. You have dedicated her life to defending the constitution and upholding the constitution. We all owe you a great debt of gratitude. Senator mccains life is a life of fighting and defending liberty for all. He is so deserving of this me dal. Compassion, conviction and courage, and his voice is needed in the senate today as much as ever. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts to dedicating your lifes work to advancing the cause of liberty. We think the National Constitution center for honoring this fine man, and we send our best wishes to cindy and the entire mccain family. Welcome the United StatesNaval Academy glee club, under the direction of dr. Cindy south suite. [applause] america, america grace on thee for spacious skies for amber waves of grain mountains majesty fruited plains , america theehed his grace on and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea forautiful for heroes america, america y god thy glory bide [applause] ace bout f [applause] thank you for attending the 2017 Liberty Medal ceremony. Rwords. Ht onafte over 90 of the cases end up in settlement. What does that mean . The woman never works in her chosen career ever again and can never talk about it, she is gagged. How else do we solve sexualharassment suits . We put in arbitration clauses in Employment Contracts that make it a secret proceeding. Nobody finds out about it you file a complaint. You can never talk about it ever. Nobody ever knows what happened to you, and in most cases you are removed from the company and the perpetrator is often left in the same position. This is the way our society has decided to resolve Sexual Harassment cases. To gag women. In twice 17. So far 4017. Gretchen carlson talks about her new book. She is interviewed by sally quinn. On cspan twos book tv. Monday on the communicators, russias involvement in the 2016 election. Facebook has said they learned a bunch of ads placed during election replaced by a russian outfit under anonymous accounts. They were politically divisive , not necessarily aimed at one candidate or another, but aimed at selling divisiveness on charged topics. Whats monday night at 8 00 eastern on cspan two. Q a withon cspan, paralyzed veterans of america director, followed by theresa may taking questions from members of the house of commons. Later, secretary of state Rex Tillerson meets with qatars foreign minister and takes questions from reporters. This week on q a, executive director of paralyzed veterans of america. Mr. Gillam, a retired marine Corps Officer, takes about his paralysis and the work is organization does to help paralyzed veterans. Brian what is your job . Sherman i am the executive director of Charlize Therons of america. Brian what is it . Sherman