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
Have them here virtually from his home and we are going to talk about his new book about the 1948 election. Were going back 72 years another Election Year. You will be amazed at how it sounds the same in some ways but in some ways very different. The difference is the politicians were all younger than they are today so thats one big difference but a. J. Take it away and tell us about the overview of the book and which is a very good. By the way. Thank you. I like to say couple things first rate thank you so much for having me pay the Commonwealth Club is a wonderful place to be at here we are with a lot of people going through a lot of pain and suffering. Im just reminded why he fell in love with reading when i was six years old. Books can really transport you to another time and place and during all of this is really been a blessing. Regarding my last time with you id started this book back in 2017 when i talked about the accidental president and the book came out during the 2020 elec
Surrender of japan, in their reply, there is no qualification. President harry truman on august, 1940 five, announcing japans Unconditional Surrender following the u. S. Department of to atomic weapons, ending world war ii. Culminates with this event 75 years ago. In the midst of what is going on in the country, why is it significant to pause and never this event so long ago . Guest i do not know if it is significant, but it is interesting and that was enough for me. [laughter] significantsay was for me personally, because i, as the host of the sunday talk show, i live and breathe washingtons world today. And one of the joys about researching and writing and now talking about this book, has nothing to do with donald trump. I do not mean that either as praise or denigration. In this world that is highly polarized. A zerosum game, all of that. And it was kind of refreshing to go back to 1945, even though we were in the midst of world war ii. Because, susan, we were all on the same side.
Reply, there is no qualification. That is president harry truman on august, 1940 five, announcing japans Unconditional Surrender following the u. S. Department of to atomic weapons, ending world war ii. Your new book culminates with this event 75 years ago. In the midst of what is going on in the country, why is it significant to pause and never this event so long ago . Guest i do not know if it is significant, but it is interesting and that was enough for me. [laughter] you have to say was significant for me personally, because i, as the host of the sunday talk show, i live and breathe washingtons world today. And one of the joys about researching and writing and now talking about this book, has nothing to do with donald trump. I do not mean that either as praise or denigration. But, we live in this world that is highly polarized. A zerosum game, all of that. And it was kind of refreshing to go back to 1945, even though we were in the midst of world war ii. Because, susan, we were all
Libertarians and conservatives how much they have in common and how effective it would be between them. Certainly in most of what i write theres a certain amount that is oriented to diminish human liberty. Cspan do i remember you saying when you ran for mayor of new york that as far as you are concerned they would throw the garbage out the window and let people pick it up rather than have the government do with that . Guest your memory is an exchange i had with James Baldwin in which he was defending the littering of the street on the grounds that it was a form of protest against the city and not paying close enough attention. I said look, it isnt very helpful to use that as a means of protesting. It was really rhetorical. Cspan if somebody buys the book what do they get . Guest while, they get the best i can give them in various modes. Over the past eight years, they covered the collapse of the soviet union, they covered the death of some very important people, plus a number of person