President Obama Honors First Popularly Elected African American Senator

ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports:
Calling Former Senator Edward W. Brooke's life an "unlikely" journey President Obama today honored the first popularly elected African American senator for receiving the highest honor Congress can bestow, the Congressional Gold Medal.

"I think today's honor bears a unique significance," Mr. Obama said in an afternoon ceremony in the Capitol rotunda, "bestowed by this body of which he was an esteemed member; presented in this place where he moved the arc of history; surrounded by so many — myself included — who have followed the trail that he blazed. "

The President said that Brooke spent his life "breaking barriers and bridging divides across this country,"  recalling his journey growing up in a segregated neighborhood, serving in a segregated army, and ultimately running for office on the Republican ticket in Massachusetts.

"One reporter pointed out that he was black, Republican, and Protestant, seeking office in a white, Democratic, and Catholic state — and also, quote, '…a carpetbagger from the South and…poor' — Ed was unfazed.  It was, to say the least, an improbable profile for the man who would become the first African American state attorney general, and the first popularly elected African American senator. "

The President said that was Brooke's way to do things – to ignore conventional wisdom and the naysayers and trust that people would judge him on his character, commitment, record and ideas.

"I don't know anyone else whose fan base includes Gloria Steinem, Barney Frank, and Ted Kennedy — as well as Mitch McConnell, Mitt Romney, and George W. Bush," joked President Obama, "That's a coalition-builder. "

Mr. Obama praised Brooke for reaching across the aisle – a feat that he said few have matched since and invoked his friendship with the late Senator Ted Kennedy from Massachusetts.

"While Ted campaigned vigorously for Ed's Democratic opponent, the two later became lifelong friends.  And four decades later, Ted would campaign even more vigorously to secure Ed's nomination for this medal.  So while we grace Senator Brooke with this honor today, perhaps a better tribute to him would be to embrace that spirit: to compete aggressively at the polls, but then work selflessly together to serve the nation we love."

-Sunlen Miller