Bill Clinton: “President Franklin Roosevelt once said that the conditions for art and democracy are one. Citizen activist and arts…”

“President Franklin Roosevelt once said that the conditions for art and democracy are one. Citizen activist and arts patron Barbara Handman has dedicated her entire life to ensure that those conditions are met. Her sustained support for the arts, fighting to keep some of New York's historic theaters from going dark, serving on the city's theater advisory board, and many other activities have enriched our Nation's cultural life. Her passionate advocacy of the first amendment has enlarged our vital freedoms. When we celebrate the arts today, we also celebrate the commitment of Americans like Bobbie, whose activism and generosity are essential, and just as essential as our artists, to the flourishing of our arts and the preservation of our ideals. Ladies and gentlemen, Barbara Handman. [The President and the First Lady presented the medal and congratulated Ms. Handman.]”