MEDIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “President Trump enjoys a unilateral executive move. For trade negotiations, he has tariffs. For several of his political allies, he has pardons. And for a growing number of athletes, donors and assorted Friends of the White House, he has the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Since he began giving the medals out last year, he has presented 14 — he bestowed the latest on Thursday [10-24-19] to the racing magnate Roger Penske — but that is a long way from President Barack Obama’s record of 123 over two terms. He is on track to award the fewest of any president since Richard M. Nixon. But lately, Mr. Trump seems to be picking up the pace and basking in the tradition of a presidential ceremony before turning back to the political battles at hand. This week’s ceremony for Mr. Penske was the second medal Mr. Trump has given out since the impeachment inquiry began, and the seventh such ceremony he has held this year.”
–Katie Rogers, “Trump’s Respite From Bad News Cycles: Medal of Freedom Ceremonies,” The New York Times online, October 24, 2019