President Obama gave out his final batch of Presidential Medals of Freedom at the moment to large names in Hollywood, the world of sports activities, philanthropy and extra.
For a lot of on the checklist, liberals who supported Hillary Clinton, it might be their final likelihood for years to obtain the nation's highest civilian honor with Donald Trump heading to the White Home come January.
From a podium on the White Home, Obama defined that the awards are given to People who've 'lifted our spirits, strengthened our union, pushed us towards progress.'
The honorees sat behind Obama as he delivered introductions that would have handed as a roast – although in coded language the president swatted at Trump, over the Muslim ban and the president-elect's criticism of 'Saturday Night time Stay.'
'I all the time love doing this occasion. However it is a notably spectacular class,' he mentioned.
'We have got innovators and artists, public servants, rabble rousers, athletes, famend character actors - just like the man from Area Jam,' Obama mentioned.
Not like the nice actors really getting awards - Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro and Robert Redford - the president was referring to basketball nice Michael Jordan, who appeared within the '90s partially-animated movie.
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President Barack Obama addressed actors, activists, musicians, architects and philanthropists being given the nation's highest civilian honor
The film 'Sully' taught him to by no means journey with actor Tom Hanks (left), President Obama mentioned at at the moment's Medal of Freedom ceremony
President Obama needed to navigate his means round singer Diana Ross' fluffy hair, as she was one among 21 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Diana Ross' voluptuous black mane gave President Obama an issue as he tried to place her Presidential Medal of Freedom round her neck
President Obama places the Presidential Medal of Freedom over the pinnacle of Actor Robert De Niro, who he joked round with in regards to the many mobster roles he had performed
President Obama (proper) reminded his viewers at the moment how courageous it was for Ellen DeGeneres (left) to come back out on her tv present almost 20 years in the past
Actor Robert Redford was among the many Hollywood greats receiving the Presidential Medal of Honor at the moment on the White Home
President Obama was dwarfed onstage by basketball nice Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who the president applauded for defending his Muslim religion
THE STRUGGLE IS REAL: President Obama's largest problem in the course of the ceremony was making an attempt to determine the way to get the award across the subsequent of the 7 foot 2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
President Obama shares a hug with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar throughout at the moment's Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony on the White Home at the moment
President Obama mentioned he was tempted to make veteran broadcaster Vin Scully learn the citations at at the moment's ceremony. 'We should not make him sing for his supper like that,' he mentioned
Actor Rober De Niro was one of many Hollywood greats that President Obama awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom to at the moment from the White Home in Washington
Comic Ellen DeGeneres virtually did not make it into the ceremony at the moment as a result of she forgot to deliver her ID to the White Home
Actor Tom Hanks (left) and 'Saturday Night time Stay' creator Lorne Michaels (proper) had been amongst these receiving Presidential Medals of Freedom
Rocker Bruce Springsteen strolls via the White Home earlier than at the moment's Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony
Honorees included musician Bruce Springsteen (left) and actress Cicely Tyson (proper), with basketball nice Michael Jordan (again left) on the checklist
'And she or he's simply beautiful,' President Obama mentioned of Cicely Tyson, reminding the viewers on the White Home that Tyson's dad and mom had barred her from seeing motion pictures when rising up
Basketball nice Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (higher left) was applauded by President Obama for standing up for his Muslim religion
Total, Obama was giving out 21 awards, with two going to individuals already deceased.
His first presentation was to Invoice and Melinda Gates, for his or her philanthropic work over time after forming the Invoice & Melinda Gates Basis in 2000.
'First, we got here near lacking out on a Invoice and Melinda Gates unbelievable partnership as a result of apparently Invoice's opening line was 'do you need to exit two weeks from this coming Saturday?'' the president mentioned, shaking his head on the Microsoft nice.
'He is good with computer systems, however, ,' Obama added. 'Thankfully Melinda believes in second probabilities and the world is best for it.'
Obama moved on to those that envisioned among the nation's most memorable buildings, cracking a joke about honoree architect Frank Gehry's Santa Monica residence, 'which I perceive brought about some consternation amongst his neighbors.'
The president reminded the viewers that Maya Lin's concept for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial design wasn't initially effectively acquired.
'The mission that Maya Lin designed for her faculty class, earned her a B+,' Obama mentioned. 'And a everlasting place in American historical past.'
'So, all of you, B+ college students on the market,' the president joked.
Obama toasted two ladies in STEM, the late Grace Hopper, dubbed the ''first girl of software program' and Margaret Hamilton, who created the on-board flight software program for NASA.
He additionally instructed the story of how former Federal Communications Fee chair Newt Minow, receiving the award at age 90, knew the president from his youthful Chicago days – and really ran into Obama the primary time he took a Michelle Robinson on a date.
It clearly labored out.
Comic Ellen DeGeneres was virtually unnoticed within the chilly after forgetting her ID and never being allowed to enter the White Home for the ceremony
Honoree Ellen DeGeneres, the comic and discuss present host, virtually did not make it into the White Home at the moment as a result of she forgot to deliver her ID.
She posted an image to Twitter of her sitting on a park bench exterior the Pennsylvania Avenue landmark utilizing the hashtag #NotJoking.
The president grew to become a wee bit weepy when reminding his viewers how onerous it was and the way proud he was when, 19 years in the past, DeGeneres publicly got here out, paving the way in which for a lot of LGBT entertainers.
'But it surely's like Ellen says, "All of us need a tortilla chip that may help the burden of guacamole." Which actually is unnecessary to me,' Obama admitted.
'However I believed would break the temper as a result of I used to be getting type of choked up,' the president continued.
'And she or he did pay a value. We do not keep in mind this. I hadn't remembered it. She did, for a reasonably lengthy stretch of time. Even in Hollywood,' he famous.
'And but, at the moment, each day, in each means, Ellen counters what too usually divides us with the numerous issues that bind us collectively. Evokes us to be higher. One joke, one dance at a time,' Obama mentioned.
Obama lauded Lorne Michael's 'Saturday Night time Stay program', contrasting Donald Trump, who's mentioned that it is time for the 'boring and unfunny' present to finish.
The sitting president mentioned the present 'remains to be a problem to the highly effective - particularly of us like me' in any case these years.
Actor Robert Redford was among the many 21 recipients of the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor
Secretary of State John Kerry attended at the moment's awards ceremony on the White Home the place celebrities and sports activities stars appeared
'He produced a senator, too. That is fairly spectacular,' Obama mentioned, referring to Minnesota lawmaker Al Franken, an SNL alum.
Of actor Redford he mentioned, 'at 80-years- younger' he 'has no plans to decelerate.'
Of Cicely Tyson, Obama cooed: 'And she or he's simply beautiful.'
And of De Niro, the president joked about all of the occasions the award-winning actor had performed a mobster.
The film 'Sully' taught him to by no means journey with Hanks, Obama mentioned.
From shipwrecks to volcanoes, Obama mentioned, 'One thing occurs with Tom Hanks. And but someway we will not resist going the place he desires to take us.'
He is performed 'a crusty lady's baseball supervisor,' Obama mentioned, a nod to Hank's character in 'A League of Their Personal,' 'an every-man who fell in love with Meg Ryan thrice. Made it appear regular to have a volleyball as your finest buddy….'
Obama instructed the viewers with veteran baseball broadcaster Vin Scully on the checklist, he first thought that perhaps the award recipient ought to give the introductions, although quickly modified his thoughts.
'We should not make him sing for his supper like that,' Obama mentioned.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar he complimented for his basketball profession and for standing up for his Muslim religion.
'When a sport adjustments its guidelines…to make it more durable for you, you might be actually good,' Obama mentioned.
Even after the NCAA forbid dunking in faculty basketball, he was 'nonetheless the game's most unstoppable pressure,' he mentioned.
Obama created essentially the most photo-worthy second by making an attempt to get the medal across the neck of the 7-foot-2 basketball star.
A detailed second got here when the president was compelled to rummage via songstress Diana Ross' hair to position her medal round her neck.
Saving Springsteen for final, Obama famous that: 'I'm the president, he's the boss.'
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