Cannot imagine john f. Kennedy on his 100th birthday. He will be forever enshrined as a man in his 40s. Had he lived, he would have been 100 today. How should he be remembered . Guest i think did he so much in his short life, and many of his ideas are just as relevant today. His way of governing through inclusion, his big ideas of service, whether it be the peace corps or other things, his big ideas of innovation, the race to the moon, so many of what he was fighting for in the 1960s are important to what were looking at in 2017. Host let me share with our audience one of the iconic inaugural speeches from january 1961, senator john kennedy was sworn in as president of the united states. Now the trumpet summons us again. Not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need, not as a call to battle, though in battle we are, but a call to bear the burden of a long Twilight Struggle year in and year out. Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, a struggle against the common enemies of man, tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and Global Alliance . North and south, east and west, that be en sure a more fruitful life for all mankind. Will you join in that historic effort . Host how did that speech come together, and why, 50 years later do, we still reflect on what he said . Guest so, first it is one of the most iconic inaugural addresses. Its also one of the shortest. During the transition, when he was president elect, he reached out to many colleagues and asked for ideas and brought those together, but the words and ideas are really John Kennedys and what he believed, and he really felt that, again, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country, he really believed by calling on the better angels of people that so much can get done, whether it be means going to the moon, peace corps, its a speech thats watched over and over nd over again, even today. Host on this day when we reflect on those who died on the field, j. F. K. And the eternal flame, he was assassinated on november 22, 1963. How quickly did the family come together and determine that this would be a lasting tribute to president kennedy . Guest noing one was expecting this. People in 1963 were thinking about a reelection campaign, but clearly the family came together and looked at different ways to memorialize president kennedy. The biggest way is what president johnson did in terms of legislation, civil rights and others. Those things, what john kennedy started, Lyndon Johnson continued and did a great job with. But there are, for example, the living memorial in washington and the Kennedy Center for the arts. The arts is something very important to the president. And then we continually show things at the j. F. K. President ial library museum, including a new exhibit that just opened this weekend. Scommoip yet he was a man not without his flaws, as we now know. His own personal life. How does that play into the memorialization of president kennedy . Guest were all humans. We all have flaws. President kennedy had flaws as well. We try to be transparent. When john Kennedy Information office, there was an annual survey that showed 75 of the people trusted government. Last year that same survey showed 19 . Part of it is, there was more transparency. He had 64 press conferences while he was in office. So we try to be very transparent by opening up files, digitizing them, and really letting people have the raw information so they can make their own judgments. Host this is one of the great what ifs by historians, but would vietnam had been any different had he lived . Guest it absolutely would have been very different. Theres debate about some of the details, but theres a lot indication that we wouldnt have been in as deeply, as long. But again, we could spend a whole hour just talking about that and some of the evidence behind it. There are a lot of what ifs, both in domestic and have been in in foreign policy. Host let me share with you one of the headlines this morning, front page of the washington post, the german chancellor, angela merkel, must go it alone at the nato summit last week. I mentioned the german leader because, of course, one of the more famous speeches by president Kennedy Information berlin, where he talked about east and west, a very divided city, and a divided country. As you reflect on the situation today and what president kennedy said back in the early 1960s, your thoughts . Guest he really felt internationally, we had a responsibility. He talked about it in the inaugural address, reaching out to people in Foreign Countries and in far away cities and villages. He talked about it by on march 1, within the first year, the peace corps had been established. As of now, there have been peace corps volunteers, 225,000 volunteers in 141 countries. He worked on nuclear disarmament. He had conversations, he actually had conversations with the soviets, with khrushchev, but doing a joint exploration as well, and the alliance is so much more. A lot of that came because he traveled. He traveled both when he was a student and early in his congressional career. So he understood a lot about the world. Host did he expect the size of the crowd that he berlin when he traveled to west berlin . Guest no, he was so moved by that, that in june of 1963s speech, he actually took the speech that Peter Sorenson had written and really threw it out and gave an extremprains speech. So when he talked about we are all berliners, that was really based on how moved he was by the roughly half a Million People in the square. And actually today, as part of the symbolism of his legacy, the john f. Kennedy library in boston has part of the berlin wall in our museum. Host we are reflecting on john f. Kennedy, because had he lived, he would have been 100 years old today, born on may 29, 1917, in brookline, massachusetts. Joined by be steven rothstein, the director of the john f. Kennedy library foundation, which does what . Guest so we work very much with the national archives. All the president ial papers are owned by the national archives, 13 president ial libraries. We work with them to help amplify, share information. We also coordinate the profile in courage award. Just a few short weeks ago, president obama came and received work on education, civic education, and other additions in Close Partnership with the national archives. Host let me also go back to june of 1963, the same month he traveled to west berlin. He gave a speech on civil rights. Of course, he was assassinated before president Lyndon Johnson could sign the civil rights legislation in 1964 and in 1965. But heres how john kennedy set up the debate. President kennedy we are confronted primarily with a moral issues. Its as old as the scriptures and as clear as the american institution. The heart of the question is, whether all americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities, whether we are going to treat our fellow americans as we want to be treated. In america, eat lunch in a restaurant open to the public, if he cannot send his children to the best Public School available, if he cannot vote for the Public Officials who represent him, if in short he cannot enjoy the full and free life which all of us want, then who among us would be content to have the color of his skin changed and stand in his place . Who among us would then be ontent for the councils of patients and delay . 100 years of delay have passed since president lincoln freed the slaves, yet their heirs, their grandsons are not fully free. They are not yet free from the bonds of injustice. They are not yet freed from social and economic oppression. And this nation, for all its hope and all its hopes, will not be fully freed until all its citizens are free. Host a televised address june 11, 1963. Steven rothstein, that was really an evolution for president kennedy from his early years in the senate to the white house, correct . Guest absolutely, absolutely. You know, this was not one of his Top Priorities when he was a member of congress. But he evolved and learned a lot. One of the great things i have respect for president kennedy, he did learn as he had more facts, and he really made, as he said, the civil rights issue a moral issue, and really galvanized a nation, combined with amazing leaders, reverend king and so many others, the march on washington, john louis still leading the fight in congress and so many others, but he also worked with the First National commission on the status of women, the First Commission looking at intellectual disabilities and other things. So he really believed that were better by including more people, including racial diversity. Host lets bring in our callers, from michigan, good morning. Caller good morning. Good morning. Thank you for cspan. Cspan. Im a veteran from john f. Served during the cuban missile crisis, the russians world. Ing to blowup the i was also involved with James Meredith, ox fared and mississippi, the first black ban oxford, ed to enter mississippi. I was there. I was on the campus. Five feet from James Meredith at different times, i 101st airborne division. I dont understand why the reflect what he accomplished on the cuban crisis concerning russia. If we didnt trust russia back should we trust russia now . Host thank you for the call. Get a response. You for your call and thank you for your service, sounds like you have been important th many issues and our country is better off because of your efforts. That john kennedy, after set ay of pigs, worked to up better communication, he established the situation room that hadnt been there. Hotline and teletype to ussia, he, the daily security briefing, the navy seals, the get beret, he wanted to better information, those were important bay the time we got to crisis, his sile brothers and others kept us from hat could have been a tens of millions of people could have been affected by that. Service. For your host guest is graduate of williams college, boston, rtheastern in talking with steven rothstein, executive director of the j. F. K. Foundation, i realize this is a whatif question, as well. The chance to ask president kennedy one question about his years in the white would it be . Be a i think it would fivepart question, because there wouldnt be just one. Terms of thinking about the impact, you know. Ould he have known that today there would be people in peace corps serving all over the country . Corps would have led americorp and of other things, this idea service is needed today more than others and what would be his advice. Northkingsley, charlotte, carolina, good morning. Caller good morning. What i would like to mention, discussion ute to is i was the day kennedy was killed. Was at my mothers in nigeria. And hat she was crying popular he was a very president. [indiscernible] kennedy assassinated, my mother was in tears. Host thank you for the call. November 22, 1963. Steven rothstein. Guest thank you again for that for that memory. There are people all over the world, as you indicated, that affected on that day. I remember i was in elementary making flags and when i heard this was, i was drawing an American Flag when i about this news and stayed glued to the t. V. For the next 3 days. Life that was cut shofrt, but even more than the of hope e have a lot and ideas about his ideals and what would have been and so it to all of us to find ways to continue that, think big monshot. Ke the when people talk about big ideas today, they refer to it as a moon shot. She brought us the first moon shot. It is our hope we continue those spirits as we celebrate the anniversary. Host only immediate surviving ember with the death of Jacqueline Bouvier john f. Kennedy junior, caroline ambassador to japan n. This video, she had this to say. Kennedy, may e 29th would be my fathers 100th birthday. Ive thought about him and missed him everyday of my life. Rowing up without him was made easier thanks to all the people who kept him in their hearts, inspider them to work and fight and believe in a better world, to give something to this country that has given so much to so many. Underneath my ng fathers Oval Office Desk when i sitting on his lap, he would points out the white shark and purple shark who boat, i could never quite see them. He said they liked to eat socks would have his friends throw their socks overboard, which i loved. Kennedy inspired a generation that transformed america, march for justice, they peace corps, in the inner cities, in outer space. Carried on that work, fighting against poverty, violence and war, championing rights, healthcare and immigration. S my father said in his inaugural address, this work will not be finished in our lifetime. To continue to pass these values on to our fwragrandchildren. Video aroline kennedy in put together by the library. Carrying on ole in the j. F. K. Legacy. Guest she is great. She was in japan for three back, since shes come shes gotten reengaged and just in the last few months, she had been to events at the Kennedy Center for the arts, kennedy government and the Kennedy Library and supporting all of those in the memory of father. Host to robert joining from athens, alabama. Morning, thank you for waiting. Caller good morning. You just presented something kennedy that spoke about something that i watched, people in as black the united states, we were so president kennedy and started lincoln, they something that gave us hope. Passedlook today as time and were here today, people are away the ng to take rights of black people. State whereng every republicans control, and i am why, what do g they want to take away the rights of black people . Served, im a veteran, we served in the military. Thank you so much for this presentation today. We love president kennedy. Thank you. Alabama, frert athens, thank you. Steven rothstein. Guest robert, thank you for the call. Are right, something very important to president kennedy, e worked, as the earlier clip talked about, making it a moral issue. In some way we have come a long since 1961, 62, 63, in other go and have more to there is more discrimination, racial injustice, economic to continue e have to work and work on areas both n our neighborhoods, to volunteer activities in the communities and through state, ederal and international legislation. Thank you again, robert, for the call. Host can you talk for a moment the relationship between president kennedy and Lyndon Johnson during the three years white house . Guest first, Lyndon Johnson was a legislativejust leader in the senate, but to elected. Kennedy get i think it is fair to say they started off not being particularly close, didnt have relationship, it grew over time. A thousand days is a very short president kennedy was in 1036 days. It is not as close as some other president s and Vice President s. Lyndon johnson defsh deserves a lot of credit for continuing nda and the work that john kennedy started, particularly in racial and Voting Rights acts areas in that work. Host and so much has been kennedy, o robert f. From your perspective, how significant was that to the sne dy prez dense guest critical. President kennedy had complete Bobby Kennedy and they knew each other so well for entire lives, that was very important. Bobby played a critical role, we whatif, were reminded in this sense, and then 47 years senator Edward Kennedy served in the senate and workingd the legacy and on issues like immigration and equity. 1958, wrote a nation of immigrants, one of three books he wrote, that book as relevant today. The work that bobby and senator did, are part of the mix, as well as sisters from Special Olympics and Kennedy Smith and so many more. Host how many survive of the siblings today . Guest there were nine, jean Kennedy Smith, the nine of us, a it look courage people at. Host jeffrey from san diego, good morning. Morning. Good im really glad that you are peoplehis show to remind how important kennedy was to not whole r nation, but the world. On thankful you are putting this presentation. My question is, with the Trump Administration currently in right now, it seems to me ratcheting back all prot aggress made over so many probably i fear trump more than any kind of isis i ever would. I wonder what you think president kennedy would think of right Mp Administration now . The jeffrey, thank you for call. Guest i dont know what he would have thought about donald trump, but he thought it was important to bring people ogether, thinking about immigration, the book he wrote and legislation immigration to civil rights. Was important to bring the world together through his work in peace corps. John kennedy on his big un arms to bring down the race, the American University speech, those areas, he also bring people together from volunteerism, i think he would have taken basic ideas, as well as that of courage, whether pt109 he rage from personally exhibited to when he served in second world war, not people remember he had lost his older brother, the Kennedy Family themselves are family on this memorial day. It is important to keep that in mind. Courage from profile and courage, the book he wrote, people stood how up for their beliefs. He felt that was important, not stay with the wave of the time, you are in office to stand up for core beliefs and help lead. Thafrmgs for the call. Is a photograph in the washington post, 43rd and final Birthday Celebration put together by Jackie Kennedy onboard the president ial yacht surrounded by family and friends bradley, his brother Edward Kennedy, robert was he like to be around from those who remember him . Guest so first, i did not know personally, but from all the people i talked to, he was wit, took his t job, but not himself seriously. Water, you e mentioned sequoyah, he found energy in the water. Reason the Kennedy Library is right on the water is because kennedy felt this was fitting tribute to her husband. Of time with his kids and loved being with them family. And traveled extensively as younger, when he was younger internationally, obviously running for president he started over the went all place. He took did not take himself seriously, took issues seriously and had a great time. Also, loved being with family, in hyannis port. Host how serious were Health Issues during the white house year . Guest he had Health Issues throughout his life. Ne thing in the museum, rose kennedy, his mom, kept notecards andll the kids immunization on one for jack kennedy, an xample of our transparency, it showed number of things he had, things, and other on. S and measles early after world war ii and pt109, recover, he had to was given last right twos different times during his life. Was very brave and courageous, but he did have pain. From mississippi, good morning. Caller good morning, thanks for show. Looking back on america, evil going d an evil future on. If you look at it, you have to you are civil rights, fighting against a person uncivilized. To do the e we had right thing in america, some assassinated,n get at them. Or thrown it goes back to jesus christ, he died for our sins like everybody else sins to another person. Think this unjustice, looking forward, wend going have to address locking up evil people f. We dont address that, will continue to have people that holding positions. Now today, weve had a black and the he couldnt stop innocent of black, young people in america with their hands up. Dim, dim king at a future, sadly, if you look at it rights, for civil freedom, fighting for justice. Who are we fighting against . Enemy like ight an looking at terrorism, looking around the world and call like saddam ple hussein and fighting other that wend not realizing have people right here in the united states. I live in mississippi, up under rebel flag, we dont have anyone, even black people in senate or Congress Addressing the problems. You know, its like we go steps ds, take two forward and five steps backwards. Were fighting, you know, for again. I dont know, we have a real dim uture dochlt we have any more john f. Kennedys or any other person going to come forward or god to come out of the sky and correct all the wrongs in you, well thank get a response. Steven rothstein. Thing john kennedy thought us, not to be envious, optimistic. During the 1960 campaign, he debate with e nixon, kennedy debate, went to at 2 in y of michigan the morning. 10,000 students were waiting, first time he talked about peace corps and asked students, would you be willing to go abroad and signed up. F students that is a sense of optimism, we progress, we ot of have a long way to go on many issues. Involved, is to get get involved, run for School Committee or city council, make sure people vote. The last Midterm Election in 2014, we had lower turnout from young people than any time in 40 years. One way is to get more people to vote, increase amount of kids have in school on civics and government. There are specific things we can john kennedy k taught us to come together, big things we can do. Shot, we knew little about technology at the time and e said by coming together, we can go to the moon, bring a man there and bring him back safely decade. Nd of the john kennedy didnt live to see it, we did do that. Mind, that first capsule that went up had less power than iphones or s smartphones do today. With big ideas come together and solve big problems, but only going to work if we all into it. Ffort host final question, how is the library, the foundation reflect this day on the john f. Kennedy centennial . Uest weve had a multi day celebration. Where saturday we honesored eace corp and president kennedys legacy, yesterday nasa with an astronaut and space suit engineer. Were doing navy flyover, 3 p. M. , again, navy flag within a cape for a viewers people fyour are in boston, we encourage you to come by today or any time in year to see the new exhibit. Rothstein, on this what would have been the 100th cspan, where history unfolds daily. In 1979, cspan was created as a Public Service by americas Cable Television companies. It is brought to you today by your cable or satellite provider. Cspans guest on newsmakers is senator patrick leahy. He is a member from onetime chairman a Senate Judiciary committee and the dean of the senate which means he is the longestserving in this summit in the fifth longestserving senator in u. S. History, thank you for being with us. Senator leahy thank you very much. Let me introduce our reporters, the chief Congressional Correspondent and the congressional reporter for the Los Angeles Times and chicago tribune. Thanks her being here. As we start this thursday afternoon, we have just heard the trump travel ban has had another downturn in the federal court. Im wondering what your