Oh no, he…did..not. Oh, yes he did!! George W. Bush snuck one by me by awarding William Safire the Medal of Freedom. Here is what he said:
William Safire joined the White House staff nearly 38 years ago, as a speechwriter to the President. President Nixon once introduced Bill this way: “This is Safire, absolutely trustworthy … But watch what you say, he’s a writer.” (Laughter.) Writing has been at the center of Bill Safire’s eventful life, going back to his days in the U.S. Army and as a PR man in New York. As a young speechwriter drafting remarks for a New York City official, he used the word “indomitable.” When they asked Bill to find a better speech-word, he suggested “indefatigable.” (Laughter.) They fired him. (Laughter.) We’re a little more lenient about speechwriting here. (Laughter.)
From the White House, Bill moved to The New York Times, where he spent more than 30 years as a columnist who was often skeptical about our government, but never cynical about our country. He always was committed to the cause of human freedom. His wit and style and command of English earned him another spot — his own page in the Times Magazine every Sunday. Bill has said that his “On Language” column attracts more mail than any of his other work. People write me letters about language, too. (Laughter.) Bill Safire has also written novels and a respected political dictionary. He won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. He’s a voice of independence and principle, and American journalism is better for the contributions of William Safire. Congratulations. (Applause.)
William Safire’s role in selling the Iraq war dwarfs anything Judith Miller did. William Safire should be wrapped in a burlap sack and beaten with hammers. Medal of Freedom? Bush is such a mutherfucker. And it just cheapens the award for the other worthies, like B.B. King, Buck O’Neil, and Ruth Colvin.