Medal of Freedom Recipients Announced

President Obama announced on Thursday the 16 recipients of the Medal of Freedom—the highest honor available to American citizens whom the president considers "agents of change." Some of the names include Harvey Milk, the gay rights advocate who was assassinated in 1978; Sidney Poitier, who broke ground for black actors on the silver screen; and Chita Rivera, the multi-talented Puerto Rican entertainer. Ted Kennedy, who fought for health-care reform for much of his career in the Senate, will also receive the honor. It is hard to ignore the political subtext of the award, as the president is currently locked in a knock-down drag-out fight over Kennedy's signature issue.