President Barack Obama to Award Medal of Freedom to Tom Hanks, Ellen DeGeneres, Robert DeNiro and More!
http://www.etonline.com/new...ert_deniro_and_more/Saw this on the nightly news, kind of confused me so I asked my (Very Liberal) spouse what these folks did to be so honored. We looked at the list, have no idea then, it hit me. Those are the folks that came out for Obama and for Clinton. Sorry but, I have to be honest, if I'm right, that surely cheapens the "honor". Some one please tell me what these folks did to be so honored?
"The Presidential Medal of Freedom is not just our nation's highest civilian honor - it's a tribute to the idea that all of us, no matter where we come from, have the opportunity to change this country for the better," President Obama said in a statement released by the White House on Wednesday. "From scientists, philanthropists, and public servants to activists, athletes, and artists, these 21 individuals have helped push America forward, inspiring millions of people around the world along the way."
Following the announcement, celeb honorees began thanking the president on social media.
"I am so honored. Thank you, President Obama," DeGeneres tweeted to the @POTUS twitter handle.
"Receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom would be an honor under any circumstances, but receiving it from President Obama, who has fought so tirelessly to bring about social justice for everyone, makes it that much sweeter," Abdul-Jabbar wrote on Facebook. "I'm especially proud to be sharing this award with some of the people who have influenced my life."
The Presidential Medal of Freedom honors "individuals who have made contributions to the security of national interests of the United States," as well as those promoting world peace, and other "significant public or private endeavors."
The award ceremony will stream live via the White House website on Nov. 22
With less than two months before he officially turns over the White House keys to President-elect Donald Trump, President Obama has a packed schedule that includes international state tours, and hosting guests at the White House.
Watch the commander-in-chief and his wife, Michelle, get down to Usher's "Yeah!" during BET's Love & Happiness: An Obama Celebration concert special in the video below.
President Barack Obama has named the nearly two dozen recipients set to receive the country's "highest civilian honor."
Tom Hanks, Ellen DeGeneres, Robert DeNiro, Diana Ross, Lorne Michaels, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Michael Jordan are among the star-studded list of honorees earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
While not officially the definition of the award, the White House page on this doesn't provide any details on what qualifies one for such an award so I got this from Wikipedia. Based on the history of the award, it appears to be a political pay off in recent years. Please correct me if, I'm wrong.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with the comparable Congressional Gold Medal—the highest civilian award of the United States. It recognizes those individuals who have made "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors".[3] The award is not limited to U.S. citizens and, while it is a civilian award, it can also be awarded to military personnel and worn on the uniform.
It was established in 1963 and replaced the earlier Medal of Freedom that was established by President Harry S. Truman in 1945 to honor civilian service during World War II.
Apparently, this award has lost it's significance. 
Harry S. Truman 1945–53 2
John F. Kennedy 1961-63 22
Lyndon B. Johnson 1963-69 46
Richard Nixon 1969-74 39
Gerald Ford 1974-77 15
Jimmy Carter 1977-81 39
Ronald Reagan 1981-89 101
George H.W. Bush 1989-93 41
Bill Clinton 1993-01 92
George W. Bush 2001-09 78
Barack Obama 2009-17 123
