Arnie Palmer Gets 'Presidential Medal Of Freedom'?????

[matcom]

CNN now.

:wtf:

i mean a GREAT golfer, perhaps the greatest but the 'Medal Of FREEDOM'????

why?

what the hell is that 'medal' anyhoo?

[MikeG]

1. Its what a president gives to celebs he wants to meet.

[opihimoimoi]

2. Medal of Freedom is "Cheapened", demeans the term

Coulda gave some other kind of award. The Freedom thing should be awarded to people who actively promote Peace/Freedom/Improvements.

[Lefta Dissenter]

3. http://www.medaloffreedom.com/

The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, recognizes exceptional meritorious service. The medal was established by President Truman in 1945 to recognize notable service in the war. In 1963, President Kennedy reintroduced it as an honor for distinguished civilian service in peacetime.

snip

President John F. Kennedy authorized the practice of awarding Presidential Medals of Freedom to persons "for especially meritorious contribution to (1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors" (Executive Order 11085 dated Feb. 22, 1963).

and lots more...

I'm SURE that goffin' would qualify as especially meritorious contribution to... let's see, world peace??? :shrug:

[MikeG]

4. If I was president I'd just give it to hot chicks.

[Kahuna]

5. It's not like * doesn't already have the rich white guy country club crowd

I don't get it either.

[stellanoir]

6. So this would place Arnold Palmer in the same league. . .

as the Pope?

Who * awarded this accomodation earlier in the month. Seemed totally absurd given the Pope's objections to the war in Iraq and the subsequent prisoner torture scandals.

Almost as ridiculous as when Cheney handed the Pope a white dove a while ago.

Ooops this thread was about a golfer.

sorry.

[catzies]

7. was it for getting lemonade/iced tea mixed drink named after him??

;)

[DBtv]

8. Arnie actually is a pretty awesome guy.

He has built a hospital in Orlando and has given literally millions of bucks to charity. Having had the honor of working with him several times, I can say that he is a real pro and surprisingly down to earth. As a golf champion, he has done a lot to build a positive image for America around the world.

Whether he deserves the medal of freedom or not, I don't know, but I do know that on a personal level I respect and genuinely like Arnie a lot.

[joeybee12]

12. Yeah, but he also gives a lot of money to repukes--that's why he got the

medal.

I'm sure you're right that he probably does a lot of good things, and I don't want to knock him for that. But the real reason why the mis-administration bestowed it on him is because he's a repuke. The medal has been politicized.

[DBtv]

15. Just goes to show you

that even people who are politically shortsighted and self serving can still be personally likeable human beings.

This is something I and all of us here need to remind ourselves of though we find their politics reprehensable we still need to treat all humans with some modicum of respect, and by so doing may be more able to rehabilitate them from their fascistic folly.

[olddem43]

9. This will really hack off the bowlers!

Also shuffleboarders, croqueters, badmintoners, horseshoeers... all those pastimes that are important to freedom.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

11. You left out "synchronized swimmers"...

...:evilgrin:...

[Wapsie B]

14. Don't forget the curlers.

n/t

[Paragon]

10. "Now watch this drive."

:7

[jdsmith]

13. Exactly.

How clueless do you have to be to honor a golfer (and all-round great guy, etc.) if you, the President, have been appearing in commercials all week looking like a complete nimrod on a golf course?

There were Bush commercials, btw, playing during the US Open on ESPN last week ("I'm an optimist").

[Zomby Woof]

16. he is an asshole

Old family grudge. Don't have time to tell the story, but we have hated him for over 40 years. :-)