In a ceremony at the White House Rose Garden Monday, President Trump awarded golf star Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions to the sport and his historic career. But members of the liberal media groaned because the two men had been friends for years. NBC Nightly News went so far as to have one of their analysts claim Trump had cheapened the award.
In the middle of their report on the ceremony, NBC White House correspondent Kristen Welker commented on how, “Now, some critics are questioning Mr. Trump's decision to give what is considered a lifetime achievement award to someone who still has a flourishing career.”
She then played a soundbite of MSNBC analyst and Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson suggesting Trump had sullied the “hallow” nature of the award. “He gives this award, which was a hallowed award, maybe someday it will be one again, to people he wants to associate himself with. And so, he likes golf,” he decried.
Meanwhile, CBS anchor Jeff Glor led into the Evening News version of the story by describing it as “a story of two friends who have stuck together.”
“Woods is now the youngest athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, an honor President Trump announced the day after an improbable Masters triumph. For more than a decade, they've been golfing partners and business partners. Tiger is designing a Trump course in Dubai,” reported CBS’s chief White House correspondent Major Garrett.
CBS interviewed Woods biographer Armen Keteyian who agreed that golf star deserved to receive the award, but thought that “there’s no question there is a branding and a marketing opportunity through the eyes of the President.”
In a similar vein, Garrett then noted that, “Last year, the President praised Tiger for not criticizing him.”
This wasn’t the response from the liberal media when former President Barack Obama handed out over 120 Presidential Medals of Freedom to his friends in entertainment, Democratic politicians, Democratic donors, and Democratic activists.
Obama’s recipients included: Senator Ted Kennedy, President Bill Clinton, Tom Brokaw, Bill and Melinda Gates, Robert De Niro, Madeleine Albright, and Gloria Steinem.
And they claim Trump cheapened the award.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
May 6, 2019
6:52:50 p.m. EasternJEFF GLOR: The President tonight presented Tiger Woods with the nation's highest civilian honor. Major Garrett says it's a story of two friends who have stuck together.
(…)
MAJOR GARRETT: Woods is now the youngest athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, an honor President Trump announced the day after an improbable Masters triumph. For more than a decade, they've been golfing partners and business partners. Tiger is designing a Trump course in Dubai. Armen Keteyian co-wrote a bestselling biography of Woods.
ARMEN KETEYIAN: Certainly Tiger is, I believe, very deserving of this award, but there’s no question there is a branding and a marketing opportunity through the eyes of the President.
GARRETT: In 2013, Mr. Trump went out of his way to salute Woods, saying he stuck with him after his personal life spilled into public with a series of extramarital affairs. Last year, the President praised Tiger for not criticizing him.
TIGER WOODS: You may like, dislike personality or the politics, but we all must respect the office.
GARRETT: Woods joins Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Charlie Sifford, the man who broke golf's color barrier, as recipients.
(…)
NBC Nightly News
May 6, 2019
7:13:45 p.m. Eastern(…)
TIGER WOODS: I've known Donald for a number of years. You know, we've played golf together. [Transition] You may like, dislike the personality or the politics but we all must respect office.
KRISTEN WELKER: In 2014, Mr. Trump named a villa at one of his golf resorts after Woods and announced that Woods would design a course for his Dubai property. Now, some critics are questioning Mr. Trump's decision to give what is considered a lifetime achievement award to someone who still has a flourishing career.
EUGENE ROBINSON: He gives this award, which was a hallow award, maybe someday it will be one again, to people he wants to associate himself with. And so, he likes golf.
WELKER: Still, for Woods, it's one more history-making moment in a life that's had so many. Kristen Welker, NBC News, the White House.
