Buffett was one of 15 people to receive the Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honor, during an East Room ceremony at the White House. The honorees included artists, athletes, world leaders and civil rights activists.
“For all the money he's earned, you don't see Warren Buffett wearing fancy suits or driving fancy cars,” Obama said before hanging the medal around the Oracle of Omaha's neck. “Instead, you see him devoting the vast majority of his wealth to those around the world who are suffering or sick or in need of help.”
Buffett entered Tuesday's ceremony between Maya Angelou and George H. W. Bush. When asked about being honored alongside the renowned poet and respected former president, Buffett pointed instead to two other medal recipients.
“The ones you should compare me with are Bill Russell and Stan Musial,” Buffett told The World-Herald, laughing.
He then conceded he would have a hard time matching up against Russell, the Boston Celtics low-post great, or Musial, the Hall of Fame first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals.
“There was a lot of athletic talent up there, and when I left there was still as much as there was before,” he said.
Buffett is chairman and chief executive officer of Omaha-based Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., and he advised Obama's presidential campaign.
His fortune is estimated at $45 billion, according to Forbes magazine, nearly all of which he has decided to donate to charity.
Along with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Buffett created the Giving Pledge, a campaign that encourages wealthy Americans to donate at least 50 percent of their money to philanthropy.
The Medal of Freedom is presented to individuals who have made “especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”
Obama said there is meaning behind the selection of each recipient. The decision to honor artist Jasper Johns, for example, reflects the value of originality and imagination.
“When we award it to a Warren Buffett, it says we'd all like to be so humble and wise, and maybe make a little money along the way,” Obama said.
Obama praised Buffett's savvy investing sense, his personal devotion to philanthropy and his leadership in encouraging other wealthy individuals to donate.
“We know Warren Buffett not only as one of the world's richest men, but also one of the most admired and respected,” Obama said. “Unmoved by financial fads, he has doggedly sought out value, put his weight behind companies with promise and demonstrated that integrity isn't just a good trait, it is good for business.”
Obama also commented on Buffett's famed frugality.
“I should point out he's so thrifty I had to give him a White House tie the last time he came here to visit,” Obama said. “His was looking a little shredded. So then when Bill Gates came, he wanted one, too.”
No comments:
Post a Comment