What the Medal of Freedom Means to Me: John Glenn
When President Obama presented John Glenn with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, he highlighted the incredible contributions the Senator from Ohio -- and former astronaut - has made to this country:
On the morning that John Glenn blasted off into space, America stood still. And for half an hour, the phones stopped ringing in Chicago police headquarters, and New York subway drivers offered a play-by-play account over the loudspeakers. President Kennedy interrupted a breakfast with congressional leaders and joined 100 million TV viewers to hear the famous words, “Godspeed, John Glenn.” The first American to orbit the Earth, John Glenn became a hero in every sense of the word, but he didn't stop there serving his country. As a senator, he found new ways to make a difference. And on his second trip into space at age 77, he defied the odds once again. But he reminds everybody, don’t tell him he’s lived a historic life. He says, “Are living.” He’ll say, “Don’t put it in the past tense.” He’s still got a lot of stuff going on."
