President Bush unexpectedly choked up and began crying this afternoon while posthumously awarding the Medal of Honor to Navy Seal Michael A. Monsoor at the White House.
(Photo by Mary Calvert, The Washington Times)
With Petty Officer Monsoor's parents and siblings sitting just feet away, Mr. Bush addressed a crowd of military personnel, government officials, and friends of the selfless soldier, who was killed when he dove on a grenade to save two other Navy Seals nearby on Sept. 29, 2006, in Ramadi.
The East Room audience included the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and several other cabinet secretaries and high-ranking government and military officials.
White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, Deputy Chief of Staff Joel Kaplan, Chief Counsel Fred Fielding, and top presidential adviser Barry Jackson all attended the ceremony as well. It was the fourth Medal of Honor awarded to soldiers in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's the highest military medal awarded by the U.S. government.
The mood in the East Room was somber even before the president arrived. The audience stood as Mr. Bush strode in, and he walked to the podium and stood silently as the Marine band played the presidential anthem, "Hail to the Chief," from the hallway.
Mr. Bush then read out a brief account of Petty Officer Monsoor's childhood and told a few anecdotes. The soldier's mother and father, George and Sally, sitting in the front row, looked down at the floor for the most part. As Mr. Bush recounted the soldier's hardheadedness as a youngster who wouldn't be stopped from wearing plaids with stripes, his mother nodded. A row behind them, Petty Officer Monsoor's older sister, Sara, sat with her two surviving brothers James and Joseph, visibly working to restrain herself from crying.
When the president turned to Petty Officer Monsoor's actions on Sept. 29, 2006, Sara Monsoor cringed at the mention of the date, and began to cry as Mr. Bush recounted the story (click here to watch a local TV story from California where Sara talks about her brother).
Mr. Bush, who has met with hundreds of families who have lost loved ones in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, appeared to be in full control of his emotions until he neared the end of his remarks. His voice began to catch as he talked about Petty Officer Monsoor's funeral, and he became visibly emotional when he addressed the soldier's parents.
"Mr. and Mrs. Monsoor, America owes you a debt that can never be repaid. This nation will always cherish the memory of your son," Mr. Bush said.
"We will not let his life go in vain," he said emphatically, hitting the podium with his right hand, but his voice began to break.
"And this nation will always honor the sacrifice he made. May God comfort you. May God bless America," Mr. Bush said, struggling to get out each word.
The president stood, unable to speak for a moment, and looked at Mr. and Mrs. Monsoor, waiting for them to come stand next to him, but also looking as if he hoped that his mere words were enough to give them some solace for their loss.
He tried to talk a few times, and finally gained just enough composure to tell them, "Come on up."
As Mr. and Mrs. Monsoor came up and the recitation was read, the tears streaming down the president's face were visible from the back of the room, forty feet away.
— Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times
