Here, i will give you one statistic that i do not put in the book. I was told in 1970 that there were 160 some registered lobbyists in washington. There are now over 13,000. Second, i have started studying Early American History in considerable depth and i went backtoschool in my 60s to get a graduate degree in jefferson. The founders used the language of the ancient republican, greece and rome. And warned against corruption. Their definition of corruption was not bribery or quid pro quo, money under the table. It was putting special interests ahead of the common good. By that definition, washington today is a massively corrupt place. Brian let me show you some video of harry truman after he was out of office talking about his future as a next president. [video clip] some of them, when they became president were rich men. Some of them were in the same financial situation that i was myself. Those men who have had to go ahead and do what was necessary to make a living, did not under any
And warned against corruption. Their definition of corruption was not bribery or quid pro quo, money under the table. It was putting special interests ahead of the common good. By that definition, washington today is a massively corrupt place. Brian let me show you some video of harry truman after he was out of office talking about his future as a next president. [video clip] some of them, when they became president were rich men. Some of them were in the same financial situation that i was myself. Those men who have had to go ahead and do what was necessary to make a living, did not under any circumstances use the fact that they had been president to promote their own welfare and benefit. That is one of the great assets the country has had. President s of the United States are men who understand what it means to be the integrity of the greatest country in the world and that is all there is to it. I had offers from half a dozen people who wanted to pay me a great big salary. One of par
I left here, i will give you one statistic that i do not put in the book. I was told in 1970 that there were 160 some registered lobbyists in washington. There are now over 13,000. Second, i have started studying Early American History in and i wente depth backtoschool in my 60s to get a graduate degree in jefferson. Used the language of the ancient republican, greece and rome. And warned against corruption. Their definition of corruption was not bribery or quid pro quo, money under the table. It was putting special interests ahead of the common good. Washingtoninition, today is a massively corrupt place. You somet me show video of harry truman after he was out of office talking about his future as a next president. [video clip] some of them, when they became president were rich men. Some of them were in the same financial situation that i was myself. Those men who have had to go ahead and do what was necessary to make a living, did not under any circumstances use the fact that they ha
History doesnt work on the cable news cycle, it works on the cycle of generations. In her new book author Phyllis Lee Levin recounts the formative years of americas sixth president John Quincy Adams. Its next on booktv. Tonight its a great pleasure to welcome and mhs fellow, friend of institutions Phyllis Lee Levin. Shes a graduate of mt. Julio college. Shes been a reporter or editor and columnist for the New York Times as well as a writer and editor at vogue were among her many stories was inside the white house interview with a reclusive pat nixon. I would love to take a look at that at some point. Shes also the author of several books including Abigail Adams and edith and woodrow. She lives in manhattan and has also braved the post blizzards to join us here this evening. Lets welcome fellas. [applause] thank you. I am really very honored to be here and im also worried. All of you know a great deal more about this family than i do or at least have a view to work here. I feel like a c
Know a great deal more about this family than i do at least half of you do who work year. And if you like a cousins come to tell you about your family, uninvited. So we all have our opinions. My utmost since you arrived at even if you dont think im right at all. So i will begin right now. Thank you. The question i am asked most often about this book is simply this, why John Quincy Adams . And my answer is just this. I met it in the course of getting to know his parents, with whom he corresponded faithfully and lengthily combined with enormous affection and [inaudible] thank you. Unlikely as it may seem i came to abigail and john adams, s. Just been said by mademoiselle magazine, the New York Times and was [inaudible] sorry. Its not us. Its the in house system. All right. Maybe thats a sign from on high that i go home. [laughter] anyway vogue Magazine Editor and designer sara lee called to ask if i would be interested in doing a book on 50 historic characters. The author had been made t