L. Brent Bozell Introduction

"We save the best, certainly the most important, for last.

Hopefully we’ve enjoyed ourselves tonight, and had some laughs. But hanging overhead, and what should remain of uppermost importance to us is the reality that America is at war – we are at war – and while we enjoy our freedoms at home, including our most treasured liberty, the freedom of expression, there are hundreds of thousands of our military at this very moment, in faraway corners of the earth, fighting, suffering, and giving their lives so those very liberties may be preserved.

It is always an honor to have members of the armed forces with us in this room. Tonight we are especially privileged to have in our midst a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, the United States’ highest military award, for his actions in Vietnam. I ask him please to rise: Retired US Army General Robert Foley.

America’s veterans, ladies and gentlemen, are America’s best, America’s heroes.

I would now like every member of the armed forces, active and retired to please stand, if you’re able to do so, and be recognized.

But there is another hero, not with us tonight.

Michael Murphy was born May 7, 1976. In September 2000 he joined the United States Navy and a year later was enrolled into the ranks of the elite Navy Seals. Deployed to Afghanistan in 2005, Lt. Murphy found himself detailed with a four man team to locate a high-level Taliban leader. Ambushed and vastly outnumbered in a ferocious firefight, what Lt. Murphy did next would cost him his life, and also earn him in 2007 the Congressional Medal of Honor, the United States’ highest award for selfless valor in combat and upholding the highest traditions of the US Naval Service.

We give you that story…

Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and welcome to the stage Daniel and John Murphy, the father and brother of Lt. Michael Murphy.

And now please welcome to the stage MRC Trustee Mr. T. Boone Pickens for a special presentation."