Russian counterpart in geneva and these discussions will take place. Separate from that, there are discussions in new york at the framing aions around Security Council resolution on this issue and on the removal from assads control of his chemical weapons stockpile. I donte clear want to suggest, because it is certainly not the case, that we are interested in delay or avoidance of accountability here. And there are steps in this process if it were to succeed, and that is obviously a demonstration of sincerity and a verifiable way to secure the weapons and remove them from assads control, ultimately to destroy them. In the fulfillment of that process would certainly take some time. But the implementation of it could begin obviously before its completion. And we are going to work with the russians. It would be irresponsible not to explore this potential diplomatic resolution of this very serious matter. Former secretary of state clinton commented tuesday on syrias use of chemical weapons. She was at the National Constitution center in philadelphia to accept their Liberty Medal. We will also hear from the Constitution Centers chairman former Florida Governor jeb bush. This is an hour. [applause] thank you. Welcome and good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining us on the spectacular occasion. This is the 25th anniversary of the Liberty Medal and also the 10th anniversary of the National Constitution center. I could not even more thrilled to be leading this extraordinary institution in the years ahead. The National Constitution center is the only institution in america chartered by congress to disseminate information about the United States constitution on a nonpartisan basis. We are proud that our chair is governor jeb bush. We are also proud to our past chair that has included george w. Bush and bill clinton. President s george eight doug resident George H W Bush and bill clinton. Both are past recipients of the Liberty Medal. The Liberty Medal ceremony that we celebrate tonight exemplifies we haveadition. Honoredindividuals from across perspectives that have furthered the Constitutional Values of liberty and equality around the at the National Constitution center,we have three goals for fulfilling our congressional mission. We are the museum, we the people, the National Headquarters for civic education. Our three goals can be summarized in three words visit, learn, debate. As the museum of we the people, starting next year, we will construct a magnificent new gallery of freedom to display one of the 12 original copies of the bill of rights. It will be the foundation for her years of education and debate on the meaning of the bill of rights to coincide with 225thniversary. Anniversary. As a center for civic education, we illuminate the history and contemporary meaning. We convene constitutional conversations among people of all ages. As americas town hall, we are the only institution in the world brings together all sides of the constitutional debate that affect american lives every day. We host the town hall events here in philadelphia, on the web, on the radio, and on television. We hope that each of you will come to think of the National Constitution center as a place you can come to hear all sides of any constitutional question and make up your own mind. At the National Constitution center, we focus not on political debate, but constitutional debate. We are honored to present the Liberty Medal tonight to secretary hilary clinton. [applause] we are here to celebrate secretary clintons lifetime of active citizenship and her exemplary commitment to furthering the constitutional ideals of liberty and equality. In particular, among her many achievements, secretary clinton has made the rights of women and girls a global priority. She has championed freedom of speech on the internet. We are looking forward to her canughts today on how america continue to uphold those values in the future. Ladies and gentlemen, i am honored to introduce to you that 2013 Liberty Medal recipient, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. Hillary rodham clinton. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the chairman of the National Constitution center board of trustees, governor jeb bush. [applause] thank you all very much. Im delighted to welcome you to this Wonderful Museum and the ceremony recognizing Hillary Clinton for her lifelong career in Public Service. We have had a bit more media for a liberty event. There is a lot happening right around the world. All around the world. Secretary clinton is out of office and so am i. Im not sure what people expect will happen tonight. [laughter] we come from different Political Parties and disagree on a few things, though we agree on the wisdom of the american people, especially those of iowa, new hampshire, and south carolina. [laughter] in fact, secretary clinton might be in des moines next week. Dont e,tually where the medal ther madam secretary. S, i think thenes staff for all their hard work to make the success and for their devotion everyday day to this great institution. Greetings from the entire bush family, especially my dad, who also served as chairman. He thanks you. [applause] youthanks you for the good have been sending wishes you have been sending for his health and he wants to let you know he already has plenty of pairs of technicolor sox. Do not send any more. We are drawn here today by a common purpose to support and respect our constitution and elevate it among a new generation of americans and to return it to the center and the core of our political life. The reason we share this purpose is because we have seen in our own life the power and value of the constitution as our north star to guide us as a nation. Day,tter the issues ofour the grievances we bear, the challenges we face, there might be differences of opinion of what the constitution means but there is no disagreement that the constitution has the final word. White simply, there has never been a more lasting, more more resilient blueprint than the american constitution. For its 226 years it has guided us through rapid social change as we gain new understandings about science and society. As america lead the world in industry and technology and building our economy. And of course, as we endure the trauma of war and terrorism. We have seen this in our own lives. Tomorrow, we mark the 12th anniversary of the 9 11 attacks. We know with sorrow that for those who have lost loved ones that day, tomorrow is going to be a day of deep taint. Pain we were all tested that day. We never lost our loyalty to the constitution, its protection and its freedoms. America has undergone many chapters, and many trials, aims the founders could not have but the constitution remains as relevant as ever and it brings clarity to the complexity of modern america. Today, the constitution is one of americas great strengths. Because the promise of the constitution is what brings so Many Americans to our shores. Today, immigrants seek what the constitution promises, not just freedoms and opportunities, but also its responsibilities. To be an american is not a one way street. It demands a selfgoverning tople, it requires all of us understand how our system of government is supposed to work. And when the nation calls upon us to serve and defend the republic. It is for this reason the constitution must be the foundation for civic education. Because the constitution explains not only how we must govern, but it explains why we govern. As president clinton, my predecessor as chairman of this museum said, america stands alone as the world indispensable nation him and not because of our military might though that is critical not because of our economic power, though that is considerable. No, we are instant indispensable because of the idea that is at the heart of our constitution, that freedom depends on the enduring rights and responsibilities of individual citizens. Not on the good graces of a king or a potentate or even a president. Freedom depends on individuals, each of us. That is where freedom begins and that is where it must reside. This was a revolutionary idea in the 18th century and it is dangerously becoming and ignored one in the 21st. So today, we celebrate that idea and we recognize the efforts of it. Honoree to promote we recognize the commitment of someone who has devoted her life to Public Service. I want to say thank you to both secretary clinton and to president clinton. Thank you for your service to our country. We are united by love of country and Public Service. I believe that is the central goal of the constitution. I bless you all. And thank you so much for coming. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome abc news anchor and correspondent, elizabeth vargas. [applause] good evening. It is a real pleasure and honor to be here tonight to emcee the awarded, ofal award. Course, to men and women strive to secure it isty for people. Especially good to be here tonight on the cradle of democracy on the eve of the anniversary of 9 11, and given all the hugely momentous events happening in the world even as we speak. That makes it particularly an honor to be here tonight. Throughout the course of this hour, we will learn much more about secretary clinton and her commitment to human rights, liberty, and the quality. Now, however, we are going to learn about the foundation of secretary clintons commitment to Public Service and how it was built in her hometown of park ridge, illinois. Might say hillary wills career in Public Service started at age 12. Getting the kids organize and raising nickels and dimes. 13, she went to work further Richard Nixon camp, canvassing the southside of chicago for evidence of voter fraud. We were given a clip board with names of we had to go from apartment to apartment to verify that that person that was registered was actually living there. An active member of the young republicans and later a goldwater girl. Everyone seemed to be republicans, all the same. At 18 she went to Wellesley College where she majored in Political Science and served as republicans young but her views were changing into multiple times. The civil rights movement, the beginning of the womens movement. College students were questioning everything. She was trying in, as we all were, to make sense of the world. Of 1960 eighter hillary interned with House Republican conference in washington and attended the Republican Convention in miami, but she also went to the Democratic Convention in chicago after hearing of a Police Crackdown on antiwar protesters. Mayhem the chaos, the which was so contradictory to what we have been shown in the world. I think they were a watershed for both of us. By her junior year, hillary had evolved from a goldwater girl to an antiwar Eugene Mccarthy supporter. I do think that the things going on in the country and the world work adjudicatory to that. From wellesley, hillary went on to Yale Law School so she could use the lull to champion change for women and girls. To she took a job at the Childrens Defense Fund and did Child Advocacy work pro bono. The first time i ever heard of Hillary Clinton was in a list of the nations most prominent lawyers in the late 1980s. Hillary clinton was listed because of her work with the childrens sense fun. At yale, hillary also met bill clinton and followed him to arkansas where she became the first email partner of the prestigious rose law firm. As first lady of arkansas for 12 years, she focused on childhood education and literacy. Somebody who was a leader from the beginning. And she brought that leadership into her role as first lady of arkansas and as first lady of the United States. She was the first first lady to be voted into public office, elected twice to the u. S. Senate. There is an old saying in washington, there are were courses and show horses. She was not a show horse. She was somebody who really tried to understand the issues. She worked across party lines all the time and was interested in getting things done. [applause] madam secretary was just saying, look at all of that hair. [laughter] here are a few things you should know about secretary clinton. In the late 1980s, she chaired the American Bar Association commission on women in the profession. She worked to rein in gender bias in the field. Shefirst lady of arkansas, pushed for statewide education reform as chair of the Arkansas Educational standards committee. Speaking of educational pioneers, please welcome the president of the university of pennsylvania and National Constitution center trustee, dr. Amy gutman. [applause] thank you all. Thank you, elizabeth. Great to see all of you here all thethank you to people on tv watching us tonight. As a member of the National Constitution board, i have the honor of chairing the committee that selected this years liberty belles recipient bells recipient. Our constitution was signed in 1787 just across the mall from here. But it took until the 19th amendment in 1920 to allow women the right to vote. And just lets hear it. And just a few decades ago when i was a child, it would have been unthinkable to imagine president of the university of pennsylvania, let alone secretary of state of the United States. Cantmething many of us wait to celebrate, the first woman president of the United States. [cheers and applause] throughout her first four decades of Public Service, secretary clinton has been a trailblazer, expanding opportunities for we the people. She has been a voice for all those who have been afraid or unable to speak. In standing strong for freedom, she has inspired others to lead as well, to expand their education, to cultivate their unique talents and to find their own voices. Her father a conservative but both emphasize that being a woman should not limit her choices in life. Culture of her family a liberal mom and conservative dad, it contributed to thinking of both sides. Her methodist up ringing emphasize issues of so social justice. A youth minister brought her and her friend to hear Martin Luther king speak. Reverend jones gave us the opportunity to go up and shake hands with him. It was a tremendous experience. When hillary went off to will essie wellesey college, she was interested in the students. She was interested in politics. Used all the time, what is possible . As president of Student Government she worked with the administration to update the rules governing campus life. The roles were, you had to be in by midnight. If we left the campus, we had to sign out of where we were going with the telephone number. Young man could be in our dormitories only on sundays. The door had to be open 12 inches. Hillary also convince the administration to recruit more people of color. Hillary clinton was a game changer at Wellesley College. What made her unique was that she worked within the system. In 1969, hillary became the first wellesley student ever to deliver a commencement speech. She would follow senator Edward Brooke. Senator Edward Brooke of massachusetts gave a pretty of then president nixon, and that included the still ongoing war in vietnam. It hit the wrong chord for all of us. Hillary departed from her prepared comments and served up an onthefly rebuttal. She got a standing ovation from the class. But those are sitting on the stage were aghast. The next day, hillary was on the front pages of the boston the boston globe and the next week, on the pages of magazine. Ever since then, she has not stopped. It has become a larger and larger stage. From wellesley to the United States to the world. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please the city ofmayor of philadelphia, the honorable michael a. Nutter. Good evening, everyone. Let me at least acknowledge what is so obvious, that standing here at the National Constitution center and of course directly across from we aredence hall, experiencing from everyone, their freedom of speech, and that is a good thing in the United States of america. [applause] we get to have that. It is just an incredible honor to be able to talk about my friend, Hillary Rodham clinton him and from that point on, i will maintain the appropriate protocol, madam secretary. It is a friendship that has developed over 20 plus years. Ae late 1980s, following little known governor in arkansas who was staring up trouble thinking about things in a very, very different way. A delegate for resident clinton in 1992, and have a great honor to