David is the author of a number of books and he is here to talk about some of the past. His book about arnold rothstein, has book about 1920 the year of six president s, 1960 lbj versus jfk versus nixon, and ted silent cows almanac, the wit and wisdom of calvin coolidge, and ted williams my life of pictures. He has also written and produced a wma hq documentary local heroes, baseball and Capital District diamonds. Reviews for his harry truman lively itabout how is, illuminating portraits of candidate, and the evenhanded appraisal of truman is especially compelling. The journey he takes to election day is one he has definitively become the best at leading. His work has been compared to theodore whites classic them a of the president s series. After three homeruns, i think pietrusza is the undisputed champion of chronicling americans president ial campaigns. He holds a masters degree in history the university at albany and has served on city council in amsterdam new york and is the , rec
After that handsome introduction by president truman. You can see the president seated in the background, taking it easy and waiting for the speech to begin. Mr. President , ladies and gentlemen of the convention, my fellow citizens, i accept your nomination and your program. I should have preferred to hear those words uttered by a stronger, a wiser, a better man than myself. But after listening to the president s speech, i even feel better about myself. None of you, my friends, can fully appreciate what is in my heart. I can only hope that you understand my words. They will be few. I have not sought the honor you have done me. I could not seek it because i aspired to another office, which was the full measure of my ambition. And one does not treat the highest office within the gift of the people of illinois as an alternative or as a consolation prize. I would not seek your nomination for the presidency because the burdens of that office stagger the imagination. Its potential for good
Your television provider. Ladies and gentlemen of the convention, my fellow citizens, i accept your nomination and your program. [ applause ] and now, my friends, that you have made your decision, i will fight for that office with all my heart and soul. [ cheers and applause [ cheers and applause ] and with your help, i have no doubt that we will win. Help me to do the job in this autumn of conflict and of campaign. Help me to do the job in these years of darkness and doubt and crisis which stretch beyond the horizon of tonights happy vision, and we will justify our glorious past and the loyalty of silent millions who look to us for compassion, for understanding and for honest purpose. Thus we will serve our great tradition greatly. I ask of you all you have. I will give you all i have. That was our contender this week, Adlai Stevenson, accepting the democratic nomination for president in 1952. We are joined by historian Richard Norton smith here in Adlai Stevensons old study in libert
Convention, my fellow citizens, i accept your nomination and your program. [ cheers and applause ] and now my friends that you have made your decision, i will fight to win that office with all my heart and my soul. [ cheers and applause ] and with your help, i have no doubt that we will win. [ cheers and applause ] help me to do the job in this autumn of conflict and of campaign. Help me to do the job in these years of darkness and doubt and crisis which stretch beyond the horizon of tonights happy vision. And we will justify our gorgeous past and the loyalty of silent millions who look to us for compassion, for understanding, and for honest purpose. Thus we will serve our great tradition greatly. I ask of you all you have. I will give you all i have and that was our contender this week, Adlai Stevenson, accepting the democratic nomination for president in 1952. We are joined by historian Richard Norton smith here in Adlai Stevensons hold study in libertyville, illinois. Richard norton
Half it or so ago for his last book and this time we have him here virtually from his home and were going to talk about his new book about the 1948 election so were going back 72 years to another Election Year and youre going to be amazed at how similar it sounds in some ways, in other ways its different but in some ways, the politicians were all younger than they were today so thats one big difference but aj, take it away and tell us about the overview of the book. Just a very good read by the way. I want to say a couple of things first. Thank you so much for having me. The Commonwealth Club is a wonderful place to be and a lot of people are going through a lot of pain and suffering. For myself, im reminded why i fell in love with reading when i was six years old because bookscan transport you to another time and place and during all of this thats been a blessing. Regarding my last time i was with you i had already started this book. It was to that 2017 when i was with you, you talked