[inaudible] [applause] president of the society and im delighted to welcome you to the Barbara Olson memorial lecture. This memorial lecture started as many of you know shortly after 9 11. This lecture started as many of you know shortly after 9 11, can you hear better mark ted olsons inaugural lecture remind you of what it means to be an american and how ourlegal tradition is a criticalpart of our identity as americans. That reminder is perhaps even more crucial today. Both ted was here today and barbara understood this connection. We want the lecture series to remind lawyers of it so they foster legal principles advanced individual liberty, personal responsibility and the rule of law and other lecturers have included justice scalia, Vice President cheney, ray randolph, edith jones, doug ginsberg, dennis jenkins, jeff sutton and justice neil gorsuch. Don mcgann, peter seals, john allison senators tom cotten and ben sasse. That brings us to todays lecture. It is my privilege to introdu
Im eugene meyer, president of this aside im delighted to walking of the 15th annual memorial lecture. This lecture darted as many of you shortly after 9 11 [inaudible] this lecture started as many of you know shortly after 9 11 can you hear better . Sorry . [applause] ted olson inaugural lecture reminded of what a means to be an american and how our legal tradition is a critical part of our identity as americans. That reminder remind is perhape crucial today. Both ted who is here today and barbara understood this connection. We want the series to remind lawyers of it so they foster legal principles that advance individual liberty and personal responsibility and the rule of law. Others lecturers have included Justice Scalia, chief justice roberts, ice president cheney, judges ken starr, robert bork, ray randall, edith jones, doug ginsburg, jeff sutton and then judge not justice neil gorsuch, also included former attorney general michael mr. Casey, from white as counsel don mcgahn, john
We are here with kevin for a big honor. E. T. Starts right now. Welcome to meadowwood napa valley. Look whos with me, kevin bacon. Or should i say mr. Legendary actor. Can you say that one more time . Legendary actor. We are going to talk about that and your show city on a hill. Now ben stars in a new movie that hits close to home. I made a lot of bad decisions. I got a lot of regrets. Ben plays an alcoholic in the way back. Thats his character bringing in the shower, fighting, and falling down the stairs. He says, quote, he was so proud of this one. Keep pressing, trapping, taking charges. You guys earned this tonight. It is a role the actor can relate to. Ben, who has been filming all week on the set of deep water in new orleans has been open and honest about his struggle. Just last month after celebrating a weekend of recovery he relapsed the weekend before halloween and owned up to it. Im not going let it derail me. He started training for this role when he was still in rehab last
Are you ready to have fun . Kevin, you dont got to ask. Of course i am. But will it be as much fun add you had in atlanta over the weekend because i just it was starstudded it was unbelievable. Listen to me. Tyler perry threw the party to end all parties, oprah, will smith, it was like the oscars as the stars helped tyler usher in a new era. What a night, what a night, what a night. Hey, hey. How are you . Stay ready. I brought the dress i can dance in. I got the jimmy choos i can moon walk in. She ready. Its trail blazing is what it is. Hey, look at you. Oprah was fighting back tears all weekend, media mogul tyler perry honored her and 13 other trail blazing africanamerican stars who have inspired him. How . Get this. He dedicated massive sound stages to each. The biggest stage, the number one stage here. Yes. Is for one person. Thats what i hear. Well, listen, im just honored to be a part of all of it. Will smith. Also honored, will smith, spike lee. The man. Its all love, baby. All
Shows but honestly a former independent bookseller. [applause] but i could not hack in the tough independent world so i joined the confines of forprofit corporations where things seem easier now i can oversee shows like this and talk to all of you. But i will not delay the amazing lineup of authors we have coming up. I just wanted to take a moment to tell a story and acknowledge a friend that many if not all of us have in common. Talking my way to get a job into running and independent bookstore in my hometown st. Paul i didnt know anything about independent bookselling unlike the other luminaries i knew woebegone but shortly after i took this job i got a call in the famous person in the book world into call me to meet the nondescript meeting at a hotel in january in minnesota. [laughter] so this chilly introduction was how i first got engaged with the American Booksellers Association and in that room were people that soon became my luminaries ken white before he was famous himself i a