(Washington) Joe Biden will award the prestigious “Presidential Medal of Freedom” on Saturday to a series of personalities, whose choice is sometimes fraught with political meaning a few days before the inauguration of Donald Trump.
The outgoing American president will decorate with the highest American civilian distinction the singer and activist Bono, the basketball legend Magic Johnson, the high priestess of fashion Anna Wintour, the actors Denzel Washington or Michael J. Fox, the footballer Lionel Messi, the designer Ralph Lauren…
It will also recognize committed personalities such as chef José Andrés, founder of the NGO World Central Kitchen, and primatologist Jane Goodall, a leading voice for environmental protection.
The 82-year-old Democrat also made more political choices for this medal which rewards “individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States” or to “world peace”.
He will thus decorate the financier and philanthropist George Soros, a scarecrow for some Republicans, and the Democrat Hillary Clinton, unsuccessful candidate against Donald Trump in 2016.
The first has “supported organizations and projects around the world to strengthen democracy, human rights, education and social justice,” according to a White House press release.
The second has “made history on several occasions” during her career, notably by becoming the first woman nominated by a major party for an American presidential election.
Bobby Kennedy
Posthumously, Joe Biden also chose to distinguish Robert Francis Kennedy, better known as “Bobby” Kennedy or “RFK”.
Minister of Justice when his brother “JFK” was president, Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 while running for the Democratic nomination.
“His legacy continues to inspire those committed to justice, equality and public service,” commented the American executive.
He is the father of Robert Kennedy Jr or “RFK Jr”, a vaccine skeptic chosen by Donald Trump to be his next Minister of Health.
These appointments illustrate Joe Biden’s desire to leave his mark, at least symbolically, before the return to the White House of his Republican rival, which is a huge disavowal for him.
“President Biden believes that great people always keep the faith, ensure that everyone has a chance, and put righteousness above all else,” the White House said in the press release presenting the list of 19 personalities chosen for this last promotion of the Democrat’s mandate.
Joe Biden presented another decoration on Thursday to a sworn enemy of Donald Trump, former Republican elected official Liz Cheney, who sat on a parliamentary commission investigating the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021 by supporters of the former and now future president.
The latter was indignant on Friday, describing the daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney as “completely corrupt”, and judging, on his Truth Social platform, that “Biden had only rewarded her because she hated Trump.”
