James Taylor kicked off the festivities at the John F. Kennedy library where President Barack Obama, surrounded by some of the nations top political figures, received the annual JFK Profile In Courage award.
Caroline Kennedy said, "This award celebrates the indispensable quality in public life that my father most admired: the courage to risk your career to do what is right."
Obama was introduced by President Kennedy's grandson, Jack Schlossberg, who praised what many in the room consider the President's crowning achievement, the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans in Congress and the Trump administration are in the process of trying to dismantle.
Schlossberg said, "We saw this week that it's a lot easier to criticize and dismantle. President Obama had the courage to govern responsibly."
After a round of thank you's and a humorous shout out to his wife for sticking with him, even after the Presidency, Obama delivered an indirect but clear response to those looking to scale back the nation's health care program, saying it was Democratic members of Congress who risked their careers by voting for Obamacare who showed the truest courage.
Quoting JFK's book, Profiles In Courage, Obama said those members of Congress showed their desire to maintain their reputation and integrity was stronger than their desire to hold office.
And Obama had a message for the current members of Congress. He said he hopes they understand that courage means, not doing what is politically expedient, but doing what is right.
