That working together should not be assigned as weakness, but a sign of strength. These students are fully dedicated to the work and to reviving these principles not only back into our government, but also into everyday society. These students have learned to the example of senator ford that those ideals and principles or what it takes to best serve your constituents and community as a public servant. The less than principles our students learn our ones they will use throughout their lives. They may be High School Students today, but they are also our nations in the states, and communities future leaders. On behalf of the ford center, i would like to welcome and recognize several of our dignitaries we have in attendance today. We have the honorable joseph mckinley, the honorable jeff taylor, the honorable david payne come and the honorable j wethington, mr. Joe boland and susan mile, jim gooch. Honorable mayor tom watson and city commissioners bob glenn and larry conder. Officials from our county government as well. Welcome to mr. Bill goodman, executive director of the kentucky humanities council. We appreciate you all being here today and for your continued support of the ford centers mission. [applause] and now i would like to introduce senator fords grandson and board of directors, mr. Clay ford. [applause] you everyone. Thank you for being here today. What a wonderful opportunity. I first want to thank Elizabeth Griffith, our executive director, for all the wonderful work you are doing on behalf of our students. I want to thank our former director, who is with us here today, and all the work he has done to get us to this point. Special thank you to my wife diane. She pours her heart and soul into this organization, that is for sure come and she has worked very hard to build this program and has absolute confidence in our mission that not only are we going to make a difference, but our students will make a great impact on our communities in the future. What an important day for the ford center. We want to thank leader mcconnell. We are so proud to have him here to speak about granddad and his career. We as a family, we are very proud of his accomplishments of ,hem of course, but we miss him and what he meant to us as a granddad, as a great granddad, as a father, and as a husband as well. That is what we miss the most, but we are proud of his legacy, and specifically this piece of his legacy. It encourages students to engages citizens of their community and to do it in a simple way that encourages cooperation and compromise. Granddad love to quote henry clay. And specifically that compromise is negotiated hurt. We have to hurt a little. You have to hurt a little. I have to hurt a little in order for us to move ford. We want to instill that same sense of compromise in our students, and we think the best way to do that is through what we call fantastic experiences come and we want to thank leader mcconnell and his staff for specifically one recently with our seniors in washington, d. C. He took a tremendous amount of time, maybe one of the busiest people on the planet, and took a tremendous amount of time to discuss issues with our students , to discuss the history of the capital, which was fascinating. He also talked about my granddads career and answered many of our students questions, so it is a wonderful opportunity for us and we want to thank phil maxon as well, who spent a terminus amount of time helping us to get prepared and answering a lot of our students questions as well is spending the day with us, so thank you, leader mcconnell. That was a special expense for us and we certainly appreciate it, as did our students. Granddad and the leader have the opportunity to Work Together over many years that affected kentuckians. They did not always agree, but had respect for each others abilities and worked hard to make sure that passing legislation was going to benefit their home state and its constituents. Lucky tons have been have two senators in my opinion representing them that were able to rise to such levels of influence. As you know, Mitch Mcconnell is the Senate Majority leader. He was elected to that position unanimously by his republican colleagues in 2014, and again in 2016. He is only the second kentucky are ever serve as majority leader in the u. S. Senate. The first Alvin Barkley led the democrats in 19371949. First elected to the senate in 1984, mcconnell is kentuckys longestserving senator and made history as the only republican challenger to defeat the incumbent democrat and is the first republican to win a statewide kentucky race since 1968. In 2014, he was elected to a record six term by receiving broad support across kentucky, winning 110 of 120 counties. Mcconnell currently serves as Senior Member of appropriations, agricultural, and rules committees. He is the proud father of three daughters and married to secretary of labor, the 18th secretary of the department of transportation. Servedee secretary chao as george w. Bushs u. S. Secretary of labor. When you mention power in washington today, three names come to mind. President trump, how speaker ryan, and leader mcconnell. It is an honor to have the leader with us today. Ladies and gentlemen, Senate Majority leader Mitch Mcconnell. [applause] thank you very much. Thank you so much. It is great to see all of you and to be here today. Whatto give you a sense. His speech is about it is part of a series of talks on past prominent u. S. Senators from kentucky that i have been doing up the last couple of years. Our commonwealth has been blessed with a Rich Heritage that has contributed much to our nations development. I hope to convey a bit of that political history of some of the distinguished individuals who served as senators from our. Tate i might say we have had a bunch of them since we went into the union and 1792, and i think it is safe to say some were more significant than others, and obviously among the most significant was wendell ford. As a part of this effort, i want to thank a couple of professors from around our state. They helped on the research. Today, as you know, the focus of my remarks is on wendell ford, one of the states most distinguished and enduring public servants. I would note that the senators legacy continues to live today through the many ford Center Scholars in attendance today, and as clay pointed out, i got a chance to interact with earlier this year and to see again today. I am pleased that so many s family havedell joined us today, including clay and his wife diane, their two. Hildren also here are the senators son steve and his wife sarah, the senators daughter shirley and her husband bill, and the senators brother reverend ford. I would also like to welcome neil ford, morgan ford, and emily pendleton, and finally at one to thank behind me, Elizabeth Griffith for helping to set up this event today. Of my remarks,ct it is especially fitting to be in owensboro. A dean at the university of kentucky one set of senator ford, he said, i dont know of a link between a Government Official and a community that is as close and obvious as the link between wendell ford and owensboro. That link was there from the very beginning as wendell was born not far from here near yellow creek on september 8, 1924. He was born the second of four children to ernest and irene ford. Irene was a devoutly religious woman from home wendell would inherit his compassionate nature. Wendells brother raburn described her as saintly. Wendell ford inherited his chest for hard work and love for hard work and love of people from his father, ernest, who everyone , who farmed, started a family insurance business, and later became active in Democratic Party politics, serving and the state house and state senate. Legislature,state he worked closely with Earl Clements, and he would later call him his political father. Many of yous as know would go on to become governor, u. S. Senator, and u. S. Senate majority whip in the 1940s and 1950s. Wendell followed in his footsteps in each regard. With a father as a state senator, wendell experience politics from an early age. Onfrequently accompanied em senate business. Four of his grandchildren followed in his footsteps and have served as pages in the u. S. Senate. In addition, wendell learned how to farm from his father. He was expected to pitch in and do chores come and he did. , 30ell groep milking cows cows to times a day, and experience for which he later attributed his firm handshake. [laughter] a farm in grained a number of enduring habits. One of which was being an early riser. His grandsons recalled one stretch when they spent several weeks with wendell because the family home was getting remodeled. The boys never had to worry about being late for school while staying with her grandfather. He was up early and expected the same from them. Wendell himself attended Daviess County high school, where he was popular and was named most talkative. [laughter] an able student who would later show great skill and arithmetic. He would prove to be the consummate vote counter. However, he struggled with geometry. That when heled took geometry, he felt like that pi are squared, hi and his that said we need to take you out of that school, pies are round. Wendell took a job at jcpenneys in downtowns own borough and that a coworker. He asked her out and as ford reminisced, she said she would let me know. Fortunately for wendell, a friend interceded and convince jane to go on a date with him. As wendell recalled come i never dated any other woman after that. Not long after High School Graduation on september 18, 1943, wendell and jean were wed. He purchased a wedding ring by selling an adult cow. As he recall, i told her you got a guernsey and a calf on your finger. Almost without fail going for it referred to her as miss ford. The couple would have two children, steve and shirley. Jean loyally supported wendell through all his campaigns and had her own way of handling the demands of public life. Needlepoint. Wendell concluded it was her therapy for being married to a politician. She produced afghan blankets for the lives of three u. S. President s. Once jean submitted a needlepoint blanket 28 state fair anonymously and won second prize. Jean also helped others, crocheting 300 blankets for an fence at the washington dc childrens hospital. Window began coursework, but Family Responsibilities and world war ii interrupted his studies. While he was stationed in the withary, jean moved to be him. Every week his father sent a five dollar bill. s urging, fordan took the bill and bought stakes for both of them. The stakes he was given a Silver Dollar in change. I almost spend it two or three times, wendell recalled, but i kept it to remind me of that evening. For the rest of his life, wendell periodically took the coin out of his pocket to rub it or tell people of its origin. In time, the service of the dollar coin the surface of the dollar coin became smooth, but it always remained a cherished keepsake. Toer the war ford returned kentucky and went into the family insurance business. In 1947 on his lunch break, he decided to run an errand and pick up an electric razor. That area and would come to have a major impact on his future. During that fateful stroll, wendell happened upon paul get gataway. They struck up a conversation and he persuaded wendell to join the group. Long, ford was leading the chapter of thejcs. Before long he became state president. Was positioned to lead the delegation in kansas city. Song, shaketo and , he was elected national of the jcs. Chairman it was his responsibility to stay in touch with chapters. One visit went to a Small Community in Washington State where one member reefed him on the latest jc project. Just raised we enough money to buy a fire truck for our fire department. Ford asked, how did you raise the money. The washington native said the deal or let us have a ford convertible at cost. We raffled that and raised enough to buy the fire truck. Ford was impressed. He inquired, what is your next project . The man replied raising enough. Ney to pay off the ford his time in the jc not only expose them to promotional efforts, it catapulted him into the upper reaches of kentuckys civic life. In 1955, ford was selected as one of the outstanding men in the commonwealth. Worked as he, ford is a director for gubernatorial es in 1959. Olm after his victory, ford became a top staffer in the governors office. His employee in 1961, and less than a decade later would be governor himself. What factors accounted for wendell ford jcs andrise in the later in state and National Politics . Endell was tenacious when he set his mind to do something he would not quit. The late senator of arkansas said opposing ford on an issue reminded him of fighting with his wife. I win justents aint over yet. On the campaign trail, he would not be outworked. Wendell left nothing to chance. As he once said when iran in november ition worried there would be a ride in. He worked doggedly and took few vacations. He said vacation for me is not shaving and not wearing a suit. As a negotiator, he was effective at the various jobs he undertook. Wendell does not get everything he goes after, but almost always comes away with something. sthird key ingredient to ford success was a genuine love of people. Ford had a great ability to recall the names and faces. This came through to kentuckians , who agreed by name even if he had not seen them, literally, in years. Former senator 11 related an anecdote about senator fords. Indness an a staff member brought his son to work. He left his son to play with paper, crayons, and a stapler under the supervision of several coworkers. He returned to find his son no longer at the desk where he was left. A quick search followed here the envoy was found just outside the office in the Senate Hallway where he stopped senator ford and attempted to sell him a book of artful pages of crayon pages stapled together for a nickle. Senator ford was in the request of trying to get the young man dime asg to accept a appear you to the suggested nickle. Ford called himself a dumb old country boy with dirt between his toes. Anything of the kind. He had learned at the knee of ens,father, earl clem and he learned his lesson well. He never lost a kentucky election. Ford never forgot about his roots. From hawaii described his demeanor, even after the man from owensboro became a prominent senator. There were no ribbons, frills, or bells. What you saw, you got. They said he was truth personified. Heford often said to people met for the first time, just call me wendell. For decades, Democratic Party politics in kentucky were torn asunder by 2 rival factions. Led faction that was more conservative, and the Earl Clements faction that tended to be more liberal. Clements out of the block, but benefited from a decline of divisiveness in the 1960s. In the word of a kentucky state historian, ford represented a new wave of leadership in kentucky politics. Following his work for governor combs, in 1960 three he managed a successful governors race. Soon after, he became a candidate himself for the state senate right here in this county area taking on, no less, then majority leader then majority leader. After hardfought campaign in 1965, kentuckians went to the polls. On election day, ford anxiously awaited the results. After spending the morning providing doughnuts for volunteers, ford found himself with nothing to do. Out to thed barbershop in town. That was the beginning of 2 day traditions. Getting his hair cut and winning his campaign. Excuse me. Sen. Mcconnell in that primary in davis county, ford won the election by 305 votes. He would serve two years in the state senate, but it was productive. During his tenure in the upper chamber, ford secure 22 bills. As he was rapidly ascending the political ladder, ford suffered a personal blow in 1967. That year his father passed away. s was more than wendell father, he was his closest political advisor. Following his passing, wendell leaned even further on his fathers friend, formersenator clements. He ran for office, state governor. The sitting state attorney general. He won the democratic primary by 631 votes. Won a general election even though the democratic governor lost. Meant ford would serve as Lieutenant Governor during the tenure of republican governor louis. In 1971, ford ran for governor, but he had a problem. Democratict for the nomination was going to be his former boss, holmes. In what must have been an extremely uncomfortable conversation, they met in his office to discuss matters. Neither one would budge. Forward with go the race and defeated his former boss in the democratic gubernatorial primary. Ford had prevailed as the underdog in the primary. This was not the end of the race for ford. He was opposed to the general election by two candidates. At one end of the political spectrum he was challenged by a republican, and on the other and by the old war horse himself, Happy Chandler, who is running as an independent. He always did, campaigned tirelessly highlighting the outgoing governors unpopular five cent sales tax. He ridiculed it as nunes nickle. Once again, he won the election. He was aided by capable Campaign Team that included future senator huddle and future governor. In office, he was highly productive. He repealed the sales tax on food, medicine, and agricultural equipment. He adopted in insurance reforms, created the First Program to provide impoverished defendants with legal counsel, and assisted coal miners afflicted with black lung disease. Ford reorganize state government, which had dissolved into an assortment of seemingly independent principalities. He was confronted with nearly 40 bureaucracies at the start of his turn, but consolidated them into nine by his departure. He and many others consider this is finest accomplishment as governor. Ford devoted resources to the university of law will Northern Kentucky university, as the last two had just entered the university system. Martin luther kings birthday was made a holiday nearly a decade before it was adopted nationwide. With all of these achievements, that fordurprising gained a National Profile as governor and was chosen chairman governors iner of 1973 and 1974. Though he worked intensely, it was not all a grind for him. He embraced some of the ceremonial trappings of being the states chief executive. One perk is giving the garland and trophy to the winner of the Kentucky Derby. Ford was on hand to present historic winners. Yet the good fortune to present the honor to the great 1973. Ariat in next year, did so for the 100 winner of the run for the roses candidate. The derby big fan of and used to tell a humorous story that reflected the commonwealths deep attachment to the event. He recalled, at one Kentucky Derby someone spotted a vacant chair inside a luxury box. An elderly lady was sitting in the adjacent seat. The passerby exclaimed, this is the first empty seat i have seen all day. The lady replied, well, it belonged to my husband, but he died. Encourage her lives, the man inquired, why didnt you give it to one of your relatives . Replied,ave, the lady but they are all at the funeral. [laughter] like so many kentucky chief executives before him, he was frustrated by the state constitutional provision which prevented governors from running for reelection. Like his former opponent Happy Chandler and his mentor Earl Clements, ford decided the senate would be the best place to continue his public service. He decided to run for the u. S. Senate in 1974. Standing in his way was my former boss, marlow cook of louisville. He had served one term in the senate and was running for reelection. Incumbency was not an advantage for republicans in 1974. That year, the watergate scandal was the Major National issue. Ford campaigned with his usual gusto and was elected by substantial margins to the first of his four terms in the senate. He resigned as governor on december 28, 1974. Julian carroll seceded him. On capitol hill, there are two types of members. Show horses and were courses. The farmer strives for headlines, the latter strives for results. Wendell ford was every bit the work course. Probably saw, ford himself as a constituent senator. He was in the senate to serve kentucky. Doggedly for a kentucky interests, despite their unpopularity in many corners of the nations capital. , i alwaysto remark say we in kentucky have beautiful women, bourbon, cigarettes, horses, and coal, some of it is habit forming. He had been described as an almost compulsive campaigner. When the opportunity arose for wendell to run for chairmanship of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign committee in late 1976, he jumped for it. In fact, wendell is one of only three senators who chaired their Campaign Committee three times. The other is George Smathers and jerry goldwater. A lot of people may not realize c is it works at the National Level to elect democrats to u. S. Senate. Similarly, the National RepublicanSenatorial Committee works to elect republicans to the u. S. Senate. The house has two party Campaign Committees of its own that perform the same function. These committees play an Important Role in which party aint taints control of the senate or house. Cheering a party Campaign Committee can help lawmakers move up the leadership letter here that was the case for wendell. During his six years, he racked chairs. He chaired the Senate Rules Committee from 1986 to 1994. The body that considers changes to the way the Senate Government health. I net governs in itself. By 1988 ford gained stature to run for party whip. He unsuccessfully challenged the incumbent from california. In 1990, cranston was in poor health and embroiled in controversy over the savings and loan scandal and decided not to run for whip ford. Through his hat in the ring. In congressional races it can be hard to pin down your colleagues if they are for or against you. Politicianse on occasion can be cory about that. Wendell left nothing to chance. He kept a sheet of paper. On the lefthand corner of his , with the names of senators for him and those he was unsure of. When a senator committed to him, androte a thank you note asked for assigned proxy card. A tactic he had learned from the senator from west virginia. Ford shrewdly got his commitments in writing. s predecessors with senator Edward Kennedy of massachusetts, who failed to take similar precautions. In 1971, kennedy was running for reelection as with, but was challenged by robert byrd. Kennedy went into the election believing he had the votes to be reelected, but he did not. Beat him in a nail biter. Later that year at kennedy gave a speech describing his failed attempt to remain with. Here is what kennedy had to say. Thank the 28 Democratic Senators who pledged to vote for me, especially the 24 who actually did. [laughter] says i haveervice received more threatening letters than anyone else on capitol hill. It wasnt until the january flip election that i realize most came from my colleagues in the senate. Since i lost the fight, many asked me when i realized i was in trouble. Frankly, it was the morning of the vote when my staff told me we had nailed down robert gore and ted sorensen of new york. Here was the problem. Tidings, yarborough, gore, sorensen, had all been defeated for reelection and could not vote. A broader truth about the challenges in leadership elections. Ford learned his lessons and was unanimously elected majority whip in 1990, the number two position in senate leadership. I remember fords triumph. Republicans and democrats typically have leadership elections on the same day. In 1990, another kentucky senator had his own leadership election running for the chairman. That senator lost, however. That senator was me. That december, kentucky senators won one and lost one. The duties of the web are not necessarily intuitive to people. The primary functions of the web are t persuade Party Members to support legend, encourage attendance at votes. The expression whip is of british origin. And 18thcentury member of parliament and conservative philosopher appears to be the first to use the phrase. He likened the british lawmakers trying to secure the attendance whipd support of to the around. The member of a Hunting Party who, brandishing a whip, try to ensure the hounds on a fox hunt stayed focused and did not drift off course. Having held the position myself, i can assure you it is a difficult job. Dontand once said, votes flutter down like handbills from an airplane. They dont shake off the. You have to work to get them. Senators are very protective of their own independence, and are often not easy to persuade. In senate leadership, you have few sticks tod aid you in your efforts. He held position of democratic in 1999,l he left winning reelection three times. Despite the tremendous commands placed on him as whip, ford always placed a premium on family. Senator john glenn recalled talking to fellow senators one august about the upcoming vacation. Many of them to exotic locales. Ford hadn inquired if plans, he said im traveling to kentucky to go fishing with the grandchildren. The like his opponent in 1971 gubernatorial race, Happy Chandler, wendell preferred being governor to senator it he recalled when you are governor you can get things done. Get it done, walk outside, put your hand on it. Wendell still got a great deal done in the u. S. Senate. Senator, wendell championed motor voter legislation, energy issues, contributed to the federal Aviation Administration authorization act and the medicalfamily leave act. Aviation in particular was an area of expertise. He served as chairman of the subcommittee on aviation. In many quarters he was viewed as the authority in the chamber on the issue. Ford used to say his legislative interest in aviation came from comic books. As the seniority in the senate grew, ford piled up honors and accomplishments. In 1992 he received more candidates than any received more votes than any other candidate at the time. Passedh 1998, ford barkley is the longestserving senator from the commonwealth, longestins the states serving democratic senator today. In his fourth term, wendell decided the time had come to retire to owensboro. He chose not to run again in 1998, and retired undefeated, having never lost a kentucky race. In the years that followed, ford spent a great deal of time with his family and supported the ford government education center, near where we find ourselves today. On january 22nd, 20 15, ford passed away at the age of 90. His passing in many ways marked the end of an era. History of thehe commonwealth in ways few others had before him. ,ormer president bill clinton who i dont often quote, described fords approach to public life as followed, fight as hard as you can until you cant win, then Work Together. Such a lesson not only captures the spirit of wendell ford, but i would submit it is a good lesson for individuals in any walk of life. Thank you, so much. [applause] once again, i would like to thank everyone for coming today, and i encourage you to join us at the ford center at the museum of science and history for a small reception. Thank you. This weekend on american 8 00ry tv on cspan3, at on lectures and history, Messiah CollegeProfessor John fea on shaped the 1776 pennsylvania constitution. The continental congress, the representatives from the colonies, have instructed after the july 4 declaration all of the colonies, now states, to form new governments. At 4 30 p. M. Eastern, secret service and fbi agents reflect on protecting president reagan following the assassination attempt. When i heard the shots go off, i nearly went for my weapon because i recognized shots had gone off. I only had seconds to determine where the shots for coming from. By that time, you saw the smoke coming from the gun, individuals moving directly towards the assailant, i moved to directly towards him as well. A historian on the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and the hemmings family. People as property to be bought and sold. That was a thing that many members of the hemmings family, despite what ever privilege Sally Hemmings and her children had, they all lived with the specter of the possibility that could happen, because the law construed them as property. Jefferson construed them as property. For our complete schedule, go to cspan. Org. American history tv, author and historian Gary Gallagher discusses the wartime experience of general Edward Porter on theer who served staff of robert e. Lee before becoming the souths most noted artillery officer. He also looks at his career after the civil war and talks about the importance of his memoirs for historians. This took place at the Virginia Historical society in richmond. It is just under an hour. Mr. Gallagher confederate general Edward Porter alexander participated in all of the battles in the western theater as well as in tennessee. He wrote two books, which are still regarded by many scholars as the most influential of the personal accounts to come out of the civil war. Our renowned speaker will assess alexanders book and how influences historians and other writers. A. Gary gallagher is professor in history of the American Civil War at the university of virginia and a great friend to the Virginia Historical society. He has spoken here on several occasions and has done research here in the Rich Holdings of our civil war manuscripts. He was a member of the class in 1988. I wont tell you how old i was at that point. We were glad to have him then as today. He has also mined the collection of the Confederate Memorial Society at the museum of the confederacy for his essays. That question, that collection, as you may know, will be housed at the Virginia Historical society where it will be preserved, catalog, and digitized as part of a new Civil War Research center. This wil