Biden's Citizens Medal Awardees Include Liz Cheney
US Pres. Joe Biden on Thursday was scheduled to award the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest civilian honor, to 20 recipients including former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss).
Facts
- US Pres. Joe Biden on Thursday was scheduled to award the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation's second-highest civilian honor, to 20 recipients including former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss).[1][2]
- The medal, which was established by Republican former Pres. Richard Nixon in 1969, recognizes citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country.[3]
- Cheney and Thompson led the bipartisan House committee investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the US Capitol. In a statement, Biden said Cheney "reached across the aisle" to "defend our nation" and praised Thompson for his "steadfast commitment to truth."[4][5]
- Other recipients this year include marriage equality advocates Mary Bonauto and Evan Wolfson, former Senators Bill Bradley and Nancy Kassebaum, and Vietnam War nurse Diane Carlson Evans.[6]
- Four posthumous awards were also scheduled to be distributed to Vietnam War correspondent Joseph Galloway, civil rights attorney Louis Lorenzo Redding, Delaware Judge Collins Seitz, and Mitsuye Endo Tsutsumi, who opposed Japanese-American detention during WWII.[7][8]
- This comes as Biden is reportedly considering preemptive pardons for Jan. 6 committee members before Pres.-elect Donald Trump's inauguration to protect them from potential legal action. Trump has previously stated that committee members "should go to jail."[5]
Sources: [1]Associated Press, [2]The Hill, [3]Newsmax, [4]CBS, [5]National Review, [6]The New York Times, [7]New York Post and [8]The Guardian.
Narratives
- Democratic narrative, as provided by The Globe and Mail and The White House. These honorees are a diverse group of heroes. Cheney, in particular, exemplifies bipartisan bravery. Once a top Republican, she sacrificed her career to oppose Trump’s attack on democracy with an unwavering defense of constitutional values. Despite GOP backlash, she proved herself a rare political leader.
- Republican narrative, as provided by PJ Media and Townhall. Giving Cheney this award is politically driven, rewarding her opposition to Trump rather than recognizing actual nonpartisan service. This aligns with Biden’s poor record on justice, including controversial pardons and reduced sentences like that of a convicted child rapist, further tarnishing his legacy.
