Us from history books as the great compromiser. During his 49year political career, clay served as secretary of state, speaker of the house, and as a u. S. Senator. And he was a contender, making sure president ial bids including the election of 1824. 1832 against Andrew Jackson, and 1844, when he ran against james k. Polk. Tonight we are on location at ashland. Henry clays home in lexington, kentucky. For the next 90 minutes, we will explore the life and legacy of this man. Unsuccessful in his long quest for the white house, yet having an outsized influence on American History. We are in henry clays parlor. Let me introduce you to jim klotter, 25 years now as kentucky state historian. Jim thanks for being with us. Glad to be here. Why henry clay . Why is he relevant to americans living in our time . Think a couple of counts. First of all, his famous counts, i would rather be right than be president , still speaks to us. Its a clarion call to people across whatever were during. Whether
And now the contenders. Our series on key political figures who ran for president and lost, but who nevertheless changed political history. Tonight we feature former House Speaker henry clay of kentucky, known as the great compromiser. The program was recorded at clays ashland estate in lexington, kentucky, its about 90 minutes. This is an encore presentation of cspans original 14week series which first aired in 2011. This is a portrait of kentuckys henry clay, known to us in our history books as the great compromiser. During his 49year political career clay served as secretary of state, speaker of the house and as a u. S. Senator and he was a contender, making five president ial bids, including the election of 1824, 1832 against Andrew Jackson, and 1844 when he ran against james k. Polk. Tonight we are on location at ashland, henry clays home in lexington, kentucky and for the next 90 minutes we will explore the life and legacy of this man. Unsuccessful in his long quest for the white
Ashland. Henry clays home in lexington, kentucky, and for the next 90 minutes we will explore the life and legacy of this man, unsuccessful in his long quest for the white house, yet having an outsized influence on American History. And we are in henry clays parlor r parlor right now. Let me introduce you to jim plotter, historian. Thank you for being with us. Good to be here. Why is he relevant to americans living in our time . On a couple of accounts, his famous quote, i would rather be right than be president. Its a call to people whatever were doing, which is to do the right thing. In a sense, politicians need to remember the country and sacrifice for the country and i think that is still something that we need to remember, as well and the man known as the great compromiser, and a man that forges these compromises that not only kept the nation together, but were constructive and those are the kinds of things we need to remember about henry clay as well as the things that he did in
1844, when he ran against james k. Polk. Tonight, we are on location at ashland henry clays home in lexington, kentucky. For the next 90 minutes, we will explore the life and legacy of this man, unsuccessful in his long quest for the white house, yet having an outsized influence on American History. We are in henry clays parlor. Let me introduce you to jim klotter, 25 years now as kentucky state historian. Thanks for being with us. Glad to be here. Why henry clay . Why is he relevant to americans living in our time . I think a couple of counts. First of all, his famous counts, famous comment, i would rather be right than be president , still speaks to us. Its a clarion call to people across whatever were doing. Whether were in politics or Something Else, to do the right things. He also said, you know, that in a sense, that the politicians need to remember the country and sacrifice for the country. I think that is still something we need to remember, as well. The man known as the great
she did escape. valued her freedom much more than the relationship with the president and the first lady. he sent people to catch her. they never could find her. she ended up living in new hampshire. but he went to those great lengths and a lot of our early presidents didn t understand the desire for freedom was so strong much the among around them, they thought it was an act of disloyalty for a slave to escape. we can t understand that. but that s the way the early president s felt. host: the president s who had been signers of the lek alationlationlationlation def independence, more than any freedom of their homeland what caused african-american to escape enslavement. guest: yeah, it s the fundamental contradiction. a lot of people say these were people of their times. the presidents were creatures of the times. i think do expect our leaders to transcend the times. our early presidents did not. host: abigail told him not to forget the women. he talked in their c