President Barack Obama, President Bill Clinton and their wives laid a wreath at the John F. Kennedy скачать в хорошем качестве

President Barack Obama, President Bill Clinton and their wives laid a wreath at the John F. Kennedy

(20 Nov 2013) U.S. President Barack Obama paid tribute Wednesday to former President John F. Kennedy's legacy, joining former President Bill Clinton to lay a wreath at Kennedy's grave and presenting a freedom medal that Kennedy conceived before his assassination 50 years ago this week. One on each side, Obama and Clinton held the hands of Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert F. Kennedy, as they made their way up the stairs at Arlington National Cemetery. First lady Michelle Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton joined the two presidents to place a wreath near the eternal flame that marks Kennedy's gravesite. Obama and Clinton placed their hands over their hearts as a bugler played taps near an American flag at half-staff. Obama made no public comments, but greeted Kennedy relatives gathered to honor his legacy ahead of the 50th anniversary of his assassination on Friday. The daylong tribute began earlier at the White House, where Obama bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on prominent Americans including Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey. Kennedy established the modern version of the medal, but was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas on November 22, 1963, two weeks before he planned to honour the inaugural group of recipients. In the evening, Obama plans a speech on Kennedy's legacy of service at a dinner at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History attended by current and past medal recipients, including baseball's Hank Aaron, astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, singer Aretha Franklin, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, activist Jesse Jackson and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Kennedy's grandson, Jack Schlossberg, is to introduce Obama at the dinner. Other Kennedy relatives are expected to attend, including Robert Kennedy's daughter Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and former diplomat Jean Kennedy Smith, a former medal recipient and John F. Kennedy's only surviving sibling. Friday marks 50 years to the day since Kennedy was slain while riding in an open car in a motorcade during a visit to Dallas. Obama plans to meet privately at the White House on Friday with leaders and volunteers from the Peace Corps program, also established by Kennedy. The Clintons' presence at the eternal flame where Kennedy is buried is sure to spark speculation about whether Obama has a favorite in the 2016 race to succeed him. For Hillary Rodham Clinton, his former secretary of state, her every move is scrutinized for signs of whether she'll run. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...