[captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2013] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] president obama spoke about president kennedys legacy wednesday evening and a dinner honoring the middle of freedom recipients. Thank you for that wonderful introduction. I want to thank president obama and mrs. Obama for inviting me here tonight. And for all of you for being here with us. I want to thank my family members who came. It would have been my great uncle Robert Kennedys birthday today. And while we are on the subject of birthdays, you are all invited to my 21st. 1960 three, my grandfather, president john f. Kennedy, formally established the annual presentation of the president ial medal of freedom. Madeing persons who have exceptionally meritorious contributions to the security and National Interests of the United States, to world peace, crotch role, or other significant doublet or private endeavors. My grandfather, a veteran of world war ii, a u. S. Congressman and senator and president , use the avenue of Public Service to make his kind basins to this country, this planet, and all men. He recognized his path was but one of many and that service can and does manifest itself in different ways. Years, the middle of freedom has been awarded to artists, painters, musicians, composers, dancers whose expressions prompt our own reflections. Roles who sees our imagination. Two poets and authors whose stories stir our souls and make sense of our struggles. The scientists and explorers who reveal what we do not know and expand what we do. Two businessmen and women who commit to the american ideal of innovation and guide through integrity. To educators and historians who help us understand our past for the sake of our future. And to politicians and statesmen , all recipients of this award. This award celebrates the very best of us. Truth,ged pursuit of dedication to serve, and boundless capacity to imagine. When president kennedy set the moon as our new frontier, he explained if history could teach us anything, it is that man in his quest for knowledge is determined and cannot be deterred. To those who ask why the moon, why choose this is our goal, he quoted the british explorer george mallory, when asked if he wanted to climb mount everest, he replied simply, because it is there. Well, said president kennedy, space is there and we are going to climate. Those who recognizes push forward into new frontiers of art, literature, science, diplomacy, and activism because they are there. Medal of freedom and knowledge is not just that something admirable has been done but these recipients have committed themselves, their lives, their careers, their creative capacity and passion to all of us. Tonight we remember that the 50 years that have passed since president kennedy formally dal,blished this me guaranteeing that we honor civilians in this capacity, he displayed his faith that our quest for knowledge and progress would not be deterred. And he reminded us that everyone has the capacity to explore, imagine, and give back to our great nation, no matter the path we choose. When we are told, as my generation often is, of the challenges we face are insurmountable, or that our ability to confront them is not adequate, we must remember a president who not only welcome the challenges of his day but who also saw the wisdom of recognizing the vision and passion wherever they are found. Welcomes theion challenges of our time, thanks to president kennedy and his successors, we may draw upon outstanding samples of wisdom, courage, and creativity, celebrated by this award for half a century to guide us forward. It is now my very, very deep honor to ask you all to join me in welcoming the president and our first lady. Thank you. [applause] good evening, everybody. Please have a seat. I are so pleased to join you tonight to honor the inacy of an american leader a building dedicated to the preservation of our marriage in history. Of our american history, and we are thrilled to be joined by so many people whose accomplishments wrote new chapters in that history. This morning, i recognized 16 brilliant, compassionate, wildly alented people with the president ial medal of freedom, our highest civilian award, and that was intimidating enough. Tonight, i am facing dozens of you to the president ial medal of freedom, recipients of this year and years past. It is a great honor to be with you for this anniversary celebration. To wayne, thank you for hosting us. And for all of the smithsonian , with our rich and cultural heritage. And to jack, i am sure the new ambassador of japan will be pleased with how you perform this evening. I will give her a full report. To all the family members of the Kennedy Family, we are grateful for your presence and your adoring contributions to the success of our country. For centuries, awards have existed for military valor. 50 years ago, president john f. Kennedy established a way to award extraordinary civilian virtue, contributions to our country, service to our democracy. Thatation to our humanity has advanced the common interests of freedom loving people both here at home and around the world. Since its creation, the president ial medal of freedom has paid tribute to the creativity of writers and artists and entertainers. We have recognized the leadership of elected officials and civil rights organizers, the imagination of scientists and business leaders, the grit and determination of our astronauts and athletes. Way to there is no one contribute to the success of america. What makes us great is that we believe in a certain set of values that encourage freedom of expression and aspiration. We celebrate imagination and education, and occasional rebellion. On we refuse to set limits what we can do or who we can be. Other peoples in other times have marked their moments by conquest of war, by dominion over empires. But in the arc of human history, the American Experience stands apart because our triumph is not simply found in the exertion of our power. It is found in the example of our people. Our particular genius over 237 years has been something more than the sum of our individual excellence rather a culmination of our common endeavors. It is a truth that resonated with president kennedy when he said, i am certain after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we will be remembered not for our victories or defeats in battle or in public takes but for our contribution to the human spirit. And that unbending belief that the power to make great a nation is found in its people and in their freedom. I was his philosophy. That is his legacy. Legacy told in villages around the world that have clean water or a new school. Friend in the United States thanks to the volunteers of the peace corps. It is a legacy found in the courage of all who serve under willing likeg, president kennedy himself to pay any price and bear any burden for the success and survival of our liberty. It is a legacy on display in the he and jackieres championed as part of our natural Character National character. The legacy planted on the moon when he said we would visit it and we did. And the stars beyond. But also in the breakthroughs of generations of scientists that has audacious promise. It is a legacy continued by his brothers and sisters. Who have left us a more gentle and compassionate country. Ean, a medal of freedom recipient herself, and a diplomat in every sense, is with us tonight. Bobby, whose wife, ethel, is one of my dearest friends. As jack noted, we would be celebrating bobbys 88th birthday today. Eunice and pat, devoted advocates for americans of all abilities. Theeddy and teddy, youngest brother with the largest heart. He was a happy warrior who never forgot who we were sent here to serve and waged a decadelong battle on behalf of those folks who sent us here, workers rights, immigrants write, the right to Affordable Health care immigrants rights, the right to Affordable Health care. Tonight our subsidies are with teddys wife as she mourns the loss of her father. All told, it is a legacy of service the Kennedy Family continues to this day, from caroline who is already drawing crowds of her own as she settles into her role as ambassador in andn, to his great nephew massachusetts newest congressman, joe kennedy, to the school of Public Service that bears the public name and teaches Young Leaders how they may one day pass the torch to a new generation. Man whoa legacy of a could have retreated to a life of luxury and ease, but who chose to live a life in the arena, sailing sometimes against the wind, sometimes with it. Why 50 years later, john f. Kennedy stands for posterity as he did in life young and. Old, daring and he stays with us in our imagination not because he left us too soon, but because he embodied the character of the people he led. Resolute, fearless, and funloving, affiant in the face of impossible affiant in the face of impossible odds, and determined to make the world a good one, not settling for what is rather what might be. Idealism, his sober, square jawed idealism, we are reminded that the power to change this country is ours. Iis afternoon, michelle and were joined by president clinton and secretary clinton to pay tribute to that proud legacy. We had a chance to lay a wreath at the grave site in arlington, where president kennedy is surrounded by his wife and younger brothers, and where he will rest in peace for all time. Remembered not just for his victories in battle or in politics, but for the words that he ordered all those years ago we will be remembered for contribution to the human s pirit. How blessed we are to live in a country where these contributions overflow, in ways both heralded and not so heralded. People in sanof francisco who just helped a little boy recovering from cancer about his superhero dreams. That is part of that spirit. The marines deploying relief ,fter a devastating typhoon across an ocean. People checking on their neighbors after a tornado. The families across the country who will spend thanks giving day cooking feasts so weathers less fortunate might eat. That is part of the spirit. That is who we are. A people whose greatness comes not byling for settling for what we can achieve in our lives, but also because we dare to ask what we can do as citizens to contribute to this grand experiment we call america. And that is what our president ial medal of freedom honorees embody, each and every one of them here today. And those who we remember posthumously. That is the living legacy of the Kennedy Family. And that is the responsibility we all welcome as americans for our lifetime on this planet. Blessedxtraordinarily to be americans. Opportunityave the to serve in ways that so many of you have served. Because we have the opportunity to touch lives in ways that so many of you have touched lives. All, and god bless the United States of america. [applause] friday marks 50 years since the assassination of president john f. Kennedy, and we have calls remembering today during washington journal at 7 a. M. Eastern. At 10 a. M. , the rarely seen nbc News Coverage when they first reported on the assassination. And we will take you live to dallas for k meredith to dallas for a commemorative event in dealey plaza. From the jfk, president ial library and museum, for a musical tribute with james taylor and the u. S. Naval academy womens glee club, performing selections from the president state funeral. A senior congressional reporter for politico, writing today that progress is being made in the negotiations between patty murray, the Budget Committee chairmen in the senate, and paul ryan in the house. What is the status of things . They are still negotiating. Right now the hope is they will get a small deal. Theyre not talking about abe a, grand bargain deal they are not talking about a big, grand bargain deal. Narrowe dealing with sequestration, automatic spending cuts that are set to deepen in the new fiscal year after january 15. The hope is they could replace at least one year, may be less than a year of those cuts, change that around other portions of the budget, attentional mandatory spending programs, increased revenue, not by increasing taxes but by potentially raising fees and other areas as such. The hope is they can cut some sort of middle ground on that, at least get a narrow agreement to deal with the sequester, and then set overall spending levels for the federal Discretionary Spending in the new fiscal year, and that would allow budgets to be written and lessen the chances of a Government Shutdown come january 15. There are still a long ways to go, but theyre getting closer. In your article, you write about the pressure being applied house and senate appropriators. Who specifically are you hearing from . The Senate Appropriations chairwoman, barbara mikulski, the House Appropriations chairman, how rogers are among the appropriators pushing for wishing very hard for a top line agreement on the overall Discretionary Spending number by early december. Their hope is to write a big omnibus spending bill for the if entire federal for the entire federal government, rather than a stopgap resolution which appropriators hate to do, bouncing month a month, threatening to shut down. They are not able to set priorities legislatively. The hope is they reach a deal on the overall spending level. If they do, it will make their jobs easier. When Mitch Mcconnell came over to speak to the House Republicans tuesday, what did they hear specifically about the budget negotiations . He said that we should stick to the budget control act levels. Meaning in the new fiscal year, after january 15, when the new round of sequestration takes effect, it would lessen the overall federal spending to 967 billion. He really wants to stick to that number. The issue, though, is those sequestration cuts come from mainly defense programs. There is a 21 billion hit to defense programs. A lot of republican defense hawks are very concerned about that and told mcconnell that directly in the closeddoor session. At is the issue that republicans are going to have to struggle with. They want to cut spending, but they also do not want to see hit from defense programs, and that is really the incentive for republicans to cut a deal now to avoid those cuts to the pentagon. You mentioned appropriators want some kind of number by early december, and that december 13 date is looming. What are a couple of the possible trouble areas that could pop up that could grind to a halt again . It always comes down to the issue of taxes. Revenue, democrats are saying they are open to considering things that would raise revenue that would not involve closing loopholes that would raise revenue, something republicans do not want to raise revenue, raise taxes of any kind. If there is not a large enough number where they can raise revenue from other areas and democrats insist on raising up some least to make of the changes to sequestration they are talking about, that could blow up a deal at the end of the day. Also, if republicans insist on deeper cuts, mandatory spending programs like health care, medicare waste programs, that could blow things up at the end. It is really the same issues, taxes and environmental programs, that have dogged congress on many years and that the two members will have to get around to get even small targeted deals by the end of december. And readn follow manu his political reporting on politico. Com. Think you for bringing us up to speed. In a few moments, susan rice on u. S. Policy in the asia pacific region. In about 45 minutes, a, a discussion of relations between the u. S. And the united kingdom. After that, a look at the future of digital currency. A couple of live events. Span3, the Senate Judiciary committee look into government surveillance programs at 10 a. M. Eastern. Witnesses include the Deputy Attorney general james cole. At 2 15, a Senate Foreign relations subcommittee will focus on the political situation in north africa, hearing from representatives of the pentagon and state department. Now National Security advisor in theice on u. S. Policy asiapacific region. Speaking at georgetown university, she also talked about negotiations with iran over its Nuclear Program. This is 45 minutes. [applause] good afternoon, everyone. Thank you so much, professor growth. All of yourr exceptional work to advance american policy towards asia. Staffour time on the nsc to your current contributions as director of the Asia Studies Program at the school of foreign service. Let me just begin by apologizing a little bit. If i sound a little bit hoarse best toi will do my sustain my voice through the course of what is not a short speech, and with luck i will get there. But forgive me in advance. I also want to thank the president and my former colleague, dean caster, for their contributions, along with professor shaw and professional or and professor growth, to make it possible for me to speak here today. The most important, for georgetowns unrivaled success in preparing americas future leaders, particularly some any of our policymakers. Is deeplyobama committed to leaving our world more stable, more secure, more free, and more prosperous for the generations to come. Those of you who are students here today are uniquely poised to seize the transformative potential of tomorrow across our rapidly changing world. And nowhere are the challenges and the opportunities we face so great as in the asiapacific region. Two years ago, in laying out his vision for americas role in the region, president obama said, and i quote, asia will largely defined whether the century ahead will be marked by conflict or cooperation, needless suffering or human progress. It remains a cornerstone of the Obama Administration policy. Hot spots emerge elsewhere, we will continue to deepen our enduring commitment to this critical region. Our friends in asia deserve and will continue to get our highest le