Record for bringing in diverse and intellectually challenging and informed speakers. Tonights is no exception, and if you havent heard bill brands before, i think youll be delighted. If you have comments, in the past as i know many of you have, youre in for another treat. Please join me in welcoming my colleague, glees whitney, to introduce our speaker. [ applause ] well, thank you very much, elaine, for that warm introduction. We really treasure our partnership with the ford. Its always a treat. We will continue to bring you excellent programs that stimulate the mind and the heart for Public Service and love of our history. Happy washingtons birthday to our cspan audience and also to the audience here at the fort. Its really neat to be here recognizing washingtons birthday. This is one of the reasons we wanted bill to be here on this special day. Its always a pleasure to host bill brands. Weve had him back to west michigan so many times, ive lost count. But its been enough that he sho
President . Arthur called me on the phone and said youre in tennessee and james k. Polk is a tennesseen. And he said i want you to do one thing. He said allen evans has done a paper back that excerpts his diary, his president ial diary. Just take a weekend and read it and tell me no. And i read the excerpts from the diary and i could say no. I was fascinated about the man. Did you know much about him before this . I knew his grave was behind the capitol. There is no marker in nashville except a plaque on the side of a dirty motel wall. His old home place in columbia is preserved and ive been there many times and ive been there since. But i knew virtually nothing about him and almost nothing that was good. Result of what was done to him during his presidency over the mexicanamerican war left him a bad reputation. A reputation as a warmonger, and the attacks on him in congress in the latter days of his administration reminded me a great deal of the attacks on Linden Johnson at the end of
Biography for the series of books on the president. I said arthur, i dont have time. Im retired. And he said i want you to do one thing. Allen evans have done a paper back that excerpts his diary, his president ial diary. Just take the weekend and read it and tell me no. And i read the excerpts from the diary and i couldnt say no. I was fascinated by the man. Did you know much about him. I knew he was a tennesseean and im a tennesseean. I knew that his grave is behind the capitol. There is no marker in nashville except a plaque on the side of a dirty motel wall. His old homeplace in columbia is preserved and i had been there many times and have been there since. But i knew virtually nothing about him and almost nothing that was good. His reputation was the result of what was to him during his presidency over the mexicanamerican war. Left him a bad reputation. A reputation as a warmonger. And the attacks on him in congress in the latter days of his administration reminded me a great dea
John seigenthaler, author of james k. Polk, howd they talk you into doing a biography on this president . John seigenthaler sr. Arthur schlesinger called me on the phone and said, youre a tennessean. Polk was a tennessean. Why dont you write a biography for this series that times books is doing on the president s . And i said, arthur, i dont have time. Im retired. He said, i want you to do one thing. He said, alan nevins ph has done a paperback that excerpts his diary, his president ial diary. Just take the weekend and read it and tell me no. And i read the excerpts from the diary, and i couldnt say no. I was fascinated by the man. Did you know much about him before you started on this . You know, i knew he was a tennessean. Im a tennessean. I knew that his grave is behind the capitol. There is no marker in nashville, except a plaque on the side of a dirty motel wall. His old home place in columbia is preserved, and id been there many times and have been there since. But i knew virtual
Books is doing on the president. I said i dont have time. He said i want you to do one thing. He said alan evans has done a paperback that excerpts his diary, his president ial direry. Take the diary. Take the weekend and read it. I read the excerpts from the diary and i couldnt say know no. I was fascinated. Did you know much about him . I knew he was a tennesseeian. Im a tennessean. I knew his grave shined the capitol. There is no marker in nashville except a plaque on the side of a dirty motel wall. His old home place in columbia is preserved and ive been there many times and been there since. I knew virtually nothing about him and almost nothing that was good. His reputation as a result of what was done to him during his presidency over the mexicanamerican war left him a bad reputation. A reputation as a warmonger and the attacks on him in congress in the latter days of his administration reminded me a great deal of the attacks on Lyndon Johnson at the end of his administration ove