Secretary Of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld to be Presented with Hudson Institute's James H. Doolittle Award by Vice President Dick Cheney

5/12/2003

From: Jennifer Butsch of the Hudson Institute, 202-223-7770 or 317-797-5641 (cell)

News Advisory:

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld will receive Hudson Institute's prestigious James H. Doolittle Award this Tuesday, May 13, at approximately 12:30 p.m. at the Mayflower Hotel Grand Ballroom in Washington, DC. This 13th annual award celebration will honor Rumsfeld's contributions to the defense and security of the United States. All attendees must be seated no later than 11:30 a.m.

Vice President Dick Cheney, the 1998 Doolittle Award recipient, is the invited keynote speaker. Rumsfeld and Cheney's friendship dates to 1969 when Cheney served as special assistant to Rumsfeld, then Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity in the Nixon administration.

As a public servant and a business and civic leader, Donald H. Rumsfeld has been a powerful presence in public life for more than forty years. He has been given difficult assignments by five Presidents and, in carrying them out, has become an exemplar of achievement and integrity. First renowned as a political prodigy, he is now, decades later, the energetic leader of the Department of Defense in a time of war.

The recipient of the nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in l977, Secretary Rumsfeld is remarkable for having added another quarter century of service to the nation. He is a long time friend of Hudson Institute, which is delighted to present him with the James H. Doolittle Award for embodying the finest virtues of American public life.

Other Doolittle recipients include Ronald Reagan (1991), George P. Shultz (2002), and Henry Kissinger (1997). Hudson Institute's award for outstanding contributions to the nation's security is named after General James H. Doolittle (1896-1993). Doolittle, a pioneer who envisioned America's eventual dominance in military aviation, is best known for the ingenuity with which he led America's initial attack against the Japanese mainland in l942. In addition, this year's event pays special tribute to the skill and courage of our armed forces.

Hudson Institute's mission is to be America's premier source of applied research on enduring policy challenges. Hudson Institute shares optimism about the future and a willingness to question conventional wisdom. We demonstrate commitment to free markets and individual responsibility, confidence in the power of technology to assist progress, respect for the importance of culture and religion in human affairs, and determination to preserve America's national security. For more information about Hudson Institute, visit the organization's website at www.hudson.org or call 800-HUDSON-0.