David
Rockefeller was a consummate businessman, a great humanitarian, and a
serious scholar. He was a kind, good man to all who met him. Hillary and
I are grateful for his friendship and his remarkable life.
Throughout his life he used his fame and fortune to do good here and
abroad. His many efforts included the establishment of the Council of
the Americas five decades ago, which was instrumental in my
administration’s efforts to alleviate the financial crisis in Latin
America and boost trade in the Americas and the Caribbean. His
tremendous support of arts and humanities in America gave millions of
people in communities across the country the opportunity to experience
our great heritage of painting, dance, music, and so much more. For
these efforts and many others, I was proud to present him with our
nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
We
celebrate a long life well-lived and send our gratitude and prayers to
his family and all who supported him on his remarkable journey.
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