Bush to award Rep. Lantos with posthumous Medal of Freedom
By on Jun 11th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Bush to award Rep. Lantos with posthumous Medal of Freedom
President Bush announced today he would award the late Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civil honor. Lantos, who served 27 years in the House and “devoted himself to securing liberty for oppressed people around the world,” died from cancer on Feb. 11. His family will accept the award on his behalf at a June 19 ceremony.
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Business
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Economy
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Global Warming
Health Care
Hoffman
Immigration
International Relations
Iraq
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Sports
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Tea Party
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
The medal would have a certain taint to it coming from our current President – wouldn’t it?
Is this Bush’s idea of bipartisanship?
June 11th, 2008 at 8:59 pmKinda ironic when it will be presented by someone who has devoted himself to oppressing people around the world.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:05 pmThe late Representative Lantos certainly deserves it, and I won’t presume whether or not he would appreciate it coming from Bush, but I’m about to say something I never thought I would:
Good for him.
There. That’s done, for the rest of my life.
PEACE
June 11th, 2008 at 9:11 pmFinally, 7.5 years into this godforsaken administration a good decision at last.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:18 pmThe lesson – the only way Bush can extend even the most basic of courtesies to any Democrat is if they are dead.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:22 pmIt is appropriate for the nation to honor Mr. Lantos, his life, family, and service to the nation. It is unfortunate that his passing occurred during this administration. Still sitting president aside, this is the right thing to do
June 11th, 2008 at 9:32 pmMr. Lantos was critical of President Bush, he was very honest and outspoken in his assessment. I love the fact that he called the policy objectives of the war delusional, great choice of words. In my research, I found that he was a holocaust survivor also.
Mr. Lantos genuinely deserves this award in his memory. For he served his country with honor and dignity. He is truly missed.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:32 pmthe medal of freedom: not just for F$ckups anymore.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:37 pmWTF? I’m with Spencer’s Mom — how the hell did THIS happen? Bush did something right?
Godamighty, next thing you know he’ll be putting together coherent sentence.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:54 pmThe cynic in me thinks dooshbag bush is looking to get some favorable press for a change. Sociopath bush is incapable of feeling any empathy.
June 11th, 2008 at 10:19 pmI don’t disagree with Exit Stage Left but still this should be about Mr Lantos and his family. If Bush’s role is ignored there is no favorable press.
June 11th, 2008 at 10:22 pmI wonder if the GOP will interrupt the ceremony.
June 11th, 2008 at 10:32 pmThe medal is immaterial. Lantos, while I’m sure would’ve been gracious about accepting it if he were alive, probably would’ve said it didn’t matter because there’s still too much injustice in this world. He went down fighting especially against Yahoo’s actions that landed two Chinese journalists in jail for 10 years.
If Bush knew anything about what Lantos fought for, he would have done something about human rights not diminish it in his 7-1/2 years in office. On second thought, accepting such an honor from Bush would be like Aung San Suu Kyi receiving a similar honor from the Burmese military rulers.
June 11th, 2008 at 10:32 pmI hope they don’t have to stand next to Peter Pace.
June 11th, 2008 at 11:03 pmI am pleased that the Lantos family will receive the Medal of Freedom — Rep Lantos deserved it.
June 11th, 2008 at 11:51 pmThe medal is tarnished somewhat, however, considering those to who Bush previously awarded this honor.
Everything Bush has touched is simply not the value it was before Bush.
I think this marks the first time Bush will have given the Medal of Freedom to someone who actually deserved it.
June 12th, 2008 at 12:25 amYou’re gonna love this!
Why are YOU voting Republican?
Blogwhoring…forgive me!
June 12th, 2008 at 12:27 amI am confused –
Bot George is giving Lantos an award, yet Lantos was a thinking, empathetic human being.
Where the devil are Boy George’s ADVISORS? Have they lost faith?
June 12th, 2008 at 12:31 amI agree, Zooey, but isn’t just like Dumbya to think of it only after the worthy man is dead? Anyway, although this will be about the only good thing Bush has done during his presidency, I doubt if it will be enough to save his awful legacy.
Zooey Says:
I think this marks the first time Bush will have given the Medal of Freedom to someone who actually deserved it.
June 12th, 2008 at 12:25 am
June 12th, 2008 at 12:32 amGreat vid Ms Joanne. Thanx!
June 12th, 2008 at 12:46 amDitto to 21
June 12th, 2008 at 12:48 amNice Frogs.
June 12th, 2008 at 1:27 amMaybe, as with the recent case of the posthumously-honored soldier, a family member will speak out — not at that precise moment, but shortly after the ceremony — and attest to 1) the ideals that earned Rep. Lantos the honor and 2) the need to recommit American efforts to those ideals.
June 12th, 2008 at 8:37 amSeeing how Peter Pace is being awarded the Medal of Freedom, and how the previous Bush recipients have devalued it to little more than a symptom of treason, it is a horrible shame that Representative Lantos is not alive to exercise his option to accept or refuse it.
June 12th, 2008 at 1:53 pm