Basically a country where 30 or 40 or 5060 percent of people are in the middle. And what government to get something done. And we aint doing it. David and doesnt mean that we wont. We have come from very hard and baffling times. Very pessimistic to times. David inappropriate behavior times as far as leadership. Bullying come through the mall. Im very we do come through them. These difficult times. These dark dark sky times. When you come through, were better for having done it read people talk about that was a simpler time back then. No it wasnt. There was a simpler time. Things have never been so bad are so dark. So for voting. Yes they have. And if you dont understand that, he dont understand the reality of our story. Like to point out the influenza epidemic with my parents and your parents probably went through pretty 1918 and 1919. 500,000 americans died of the disease. A disease that they they didnt know where it came from, didnt know if it would ever go away at all how to cure it. If that were to happen today, given the size of our population proportion to our population, 1,500,000 people would die. In less than one year. Now it imagine if there were in the nightly news overnight. Would all be even more terrified. Could be next in our family to die. Injustice and depression in the civil war, horrible times. But we came through them. Because we have the faith that we would and could. And because we understood that the much consequence, have accomplished alone. Has to be a joint effort. Thats what they have come back to and understand. Host the tolerance and insistence of truth in the good hearted and some the american people. Theyre theyre still playing them. Then you added, 2004 speech the you answered that 90 percent of american share those values. How does that square with what we did election last november. David this is not an answer. This is part of the answer. Lets not forget in the popular vote, Hillary Clinton one by almost 3m votes read so innocent though it was a landslide. And donald trump really one by very narrow margin. We have several major problems obviously. One is that that poison a big money involved here. The idea that members of congress dialing for dollars everyday. Half the time. The fact that where have become a nation of spectators. We sit around and watch things all of the time. Watch television, let somebody else do the performing to entertain us. Not to doing things as much as we should. And were not making anything on her own. Not getting out there having to solve these problems. The statue of everybody of course. Where eventually generous. Immensely ontopic. We care sincerely and with fervor about education still. And we should be infinitely proud whats been achieved in the last 200 years in the way of the greatest universities the world. The same problems. Yes the cost has gotten out of hand. But there is no institutions in Higher Learning anyone or comparable to our own. Omar has been in all of history. This is an immensely admiral an important accomplishment. Just as innocent and memorable that we are making advances in medicines such as no one ever imagined. I think that future historians will say looking back, the politics and the military and political upheavals all over the world. All very important. But look what was happening in medicine. Look what has happened just in our lifetime. We were looking at diseases the john kennedy in the new exhibit is about to open, the diseases the kennedy, rose kennedy, John Kennedys mother. When little file card that he had has as a child, and my wife and i each had two brothers who had infantile paralysis. Just even exist anymore. Scarlet fever. All of that spring to mention the dna or successful transplant organs. Spoiled. We have pin given so much that we are ungrateful and we should be making are teachers heroes. We should be celebrating them. [applause]. We should have major awards and statues, the Great Teachers that shaped the lives of so many people. I feel that our teachers are doing the most important work of any of us pretty and we all are to get behind them to make sure they understand we are all for them. [applause]. Host being married to an educator, i would second that. Before leave the subject of her current residence. We think john kennedy would think of trump steps pretty. David [laughter]. We all know. He would be embarrassed. He would be appalled. You wouldnt believe it. Weve never had anything like this happen. Never as anyone remotely so inappropriate the responsibilities of the presidency and the job. [applause]. And virtually everyday he makes sure that we know this ignores that we thoughts. [laughter]. Is if we have put someone in the pilot seat was never flown a plane. Kent doesnt think its important to know how to fly the plane. Just a little surprised about how much more complicated it is that he realized. [laughter]. Of the fact that this guy with healthcare, it was so complicated. I was in College History major. One of the things that a boy struck me would be through which history has seen through the different prisms produce social historians, economic historians political and demographic historians. Natural resources historians pretty goes on and on. But whatever prism you are looking through, you see history can see history differently. What kind of historian are you. David i am not a historian. I am not free to have no advanced degrees in history. Never studied history the way i would firework and academic. Im a writer. Who took up writing about people, real people and events that really happened. My job is to tell that accurately accurately as possible with the basic conviction that histories human. It is about people. But the Human Potential and limitations. It is about good people and bad people. Is about the home x. And its about stories the really happened. A big influence on me as a writer of history, was barbara, said that it no teaching history effectively writing about history. Tell stories. It is what i am trying to do. Im also trying to bring down to front and center stage, people live in the background more than they deserve to have been. John evans. Like the builders of the Brooklyn Bridge of the people who made it success at panama happen. And it women. Abigail adams. Now catherine wright, the sister of the two Wright Brothers. I dont think it wouldve succeeded and theyve never got an adequate credit for that. I hope that my book does that. Exist to the point where she has recognized pretty because not only have been important. But interesting. An admirable is human being. Host im also surprised as people who have been seen this heroes they do not care as well as the historian eyes is a renaissance and etc. I think john kennedy is very now read. David pending very well. Liberally in a point where we stand really pass judgments. Truman said have to wait 50 years for the dust to settle. 750 years. He will begin, its not just went before him, but he was followed him. As he compared to that. Learn the consequences of decisions he made didnt make. We need to look much more at the importance of the decisions that the presence didnt make is important is decisions that they did. Eisenhower made not go into vietnam for example. Decision the john adams made his president not to go to work with france which the whole country was trying to do. It would been catastrophic catastrophic if we had done so. This is all a big part of it. Kennedy, the problem will be set off so soon. We very rarely take the president serious as the others is only served one term. Theres a president who didnt even served one term. Content, look what a foot print, when markey left our sense of who we are. Host is someone who had written volumes about johnson. In their terrific books until great stories. It is interesting that you really have to look at the kennedy presidency seems to me in the presidency that falls because johnson might not have been inclined to be so ideology full with his predecessors, really took his predecessors to heart. And became an. Its amazing how that really many respects johnson may have been able to do things the kennedy could not have done. David it be hard by two been more different from each other. Im sure when you say you interviewed 11 president s pretty. Host nine. David [laughter]. I interviewed i think seven or six or Something Like that. And gotten to know those. What strikes me is how different they are from one another. Really different. Jimmy carter compared to say George Hw Bush bill clinton. Some of them in my view, deserve more focus and attention. The way that my instinct is, gerald ford deserves more attention than hes received. He deserves first rate biography. Because any think of all that happened in the very time that he was precedents, and when you think of what he coped with. Could kill them twice. His wife suffering from alcoholism. I was here on the profiles on the encouraged panel, the year you gerald ford profiles in courage or because of his pardoning nixon. And when he did that, you know it would probably cost him reelection prideaux most certainly. And he did it anyway. He did the right thing. Saved us all kinds of grief pretentious behavior. People all roles. The big difference today is start taking a look at gerald ford. I discovered it this, the volume of material that you have to deal with. As a researcher, as a biographer, is overwhelming and otherwise youre just sort of skimming through all this material. What is in this collection here. Could keep one doing research for full lifetime and get through all of it. But thats none of important that we all this wonderful material witnesses is staggering mountain to try to climb. Every book of the kind that i write and it biography and history is a joint effort. Two group project. Mia anderson copy editors page also have librarians and specialists that you want to interview. So when you see those acknowledgments in the back of biography mystery of those people are just there to be sort of tipping your hat. Those people all contributed enormously to result of the as it is. In a make it one more point charlie. The problem or not teaching history slows we should do. Not requiring history this course is requiring in college. A person colleges required of history. Thats wrong. I believe in required courses because for one thing, i think it is important. Yet americans have that stage of life are to understand some things are required. [laughter]. Surprise surprise. But the satisfaction from the ratification comes from working good people such as our in this library having help not just with think no their ideas. Suggestions with matthew might take. To make new discoveries. They are invaluable, he should never be in a new underestimated. Yes we have right now, some of thes finest writers ever, writing marvelous history and biography. Reaching a very large audience. People like robert carol and many others. We have superb documentary films being made. And broadcast by pbs and other networks. All that is important. Lofgren i think its because so many people today reach the age of 35 or 45 and 50 years old, they realize who dont know much the history of the other no. Im going to read that book im going to watch that documentary tonight. Host talking about history using revised pretty interesting things going on today. Your proud son of yellow. And im proud son of princeton. And because of the backgrounds, kristin has gone through agonies try to figure out exactly how to depict Woodrow Posen whose name is so closely associated with college. Now there are statutes. Develops to civil war leaders that are coming down. To the consternation of many who live in the south. When you think that finding revision history notes are those things proper. David start renaming everything. Because someone did something is no longer acceptable as being virtuous. Like owning slaves. Theres no end to how much you will have to rename including couple of our country. Have to take Washington Monument and so forth. I would much rather see a start to race statutes or rename monuments to those who didnt own slaves. And it did so contrary to the moment. Most importantly john adams. The only founding father president never owned a slave. In principle. This next president never undersigned, was son john quincy. There no great building same for either of them. The race statutes for either of them. I think taking the statue stands out is the right thing to do. Because most all of the statutes as you progress, but during the jim crow era. Numerous done at the time of the civil war. They were done in the early part of the 20th century. Network really saying that we who believe, and inequality of racial citizenship are professing we stand on this trip i would not have rename kaplan college. I certainly wouldnt take wilsons name off of buildings at princeton if it were my decision. I dont want us to start renaming our cities and towns. Im more interested in giving more attention to people we have ignored. Getting too worked up about too much attention to the wrong people. Host youve mentioned and you talked about the importance of history. And yet we are in a situation in this country where things are changing so fast. In this location of the job market for instance is incredible. There are those same 20 years, have the jobs maybe even more, the people will occupy what have not been invented yet. I was on the board of my college for eight years. The graduating seniors would stand up and we would sitting upon the stage looking at them and when i went in the port from first graduation i had was 2007. There were a handful of graduates and computer technology. When at the barn 2015 come the number was huge. Number of engineers, stand up is growing exponentially. Okay said the day said that if youre a student in college for me should study one of three things. Artificial intelligence, energy or the biosciences can talk about social sciences or humanities apartments of those things what are the given how fast things are changing. Few or do you think the kid should be more word as a graduate about what is changing and how change and how to adapt. How to prepare themselves for job market that is so uncertain. David an i may be stuck in my ways. So out of rhythm with the realities of modern hightech society, and i confess to it. Today is a computer. I dont know how to work the computer. Right on a manual typewriter. [laughter]. [applause]. Host which kind of a phone you have. [laughter]. You talk into a pop tart. David are you ready. Where the heck is it. [laughter]. Way ahead of all of you. There it is. [laughter]. And they tell me about all of the things they can do. And thats wonderful. Ill all i want is a telephone. I think the decline of the emphasis on the humanities the very serious mistake. I really do. Lets suppose that you come out of university with a degree in chemistry have a degree in hightech communications or whatever. None might get you very good job right away. That might be due to very important and constructive career. But if you come out of college knowing how to use the english language, you are going to be a rare bird of great value. Naturally. Almost half of the law schools in our country today, now require their incoming freshmen in the College Graduates to take a course in basic writing because they dont know how to write a presentable letter or report or analysis that sort of thing. They dont know how to express themselves in our language. This is not only handicapped, it is a risky trend. Any kind of reasonably Civilized Society incapable of using the english language in expressing yourself in words, and also have no sense of the pants of her country. The nation. His sweet really held back to serious drawbacks to your qualifications, leadership in all fields. It must be encouraged minor students in our universities and colleges. Theres a lot of us working hard to bring back humanities. And with good reason. Think of the jobs that are open and people can use english language, who know how to write. Who know how to think in the english language. Words are what we think with. Our vocabulary is declining. Very specific proof of all of this. Our children today, their vocabularies less when our generation is. Words are what we think with. Thinking by the way is important. [laughter]. One of my favorite of all discoveries in the diaries of john adams, they kept marvelous diaries. By the way no one would keep a diary anymore. It is true predict he can subpoenaed and used against you in court. But an entry january 15th or whatever, would take at home thinking. [laughter]. [laughter]. Could you imagine if somebody washington today were so right that for her diary is an honest record of what they did that day. Thinking. Host i would add one addendum to what you said. Perhaps reflects the profession for much income. Theres no question that the ability to write is something of a lost art for students. A very good friend of mine is actually president at princeton. I had dinner with recently and she was about to read five oral argument presentations for phd candidates. And i said how good were the theses and she said well, two of them were legibly written. Three of them were not very good. The addendum i would add is also the ability to present your argument verbally. David oh yes absolutely. Host to be able to present and defend your argument poorly. Warren buffett said recently that he could predict anybody was a good speaker and who could logically present an argument do it verbally to a crowd, and urge people to learn to speak publicly. He said you make 50 percent more in lifetime than you will if you cant do that. Search for me. [laughter]. Lord knows what i couldve done. But its important. Both of those things. I think what you are saying, so important because of that dislocation of the job market. You dont know what you going to be doing 20 years from now. And so in basic grounding, and moral thought and in the humanities and social sciences and history, because the critical thing is to be adaptive. You can adapt yourself to a changing environment in the workplace. Sue and i would like to read something if i may from one of John Kennedys speeches. I think cannot be more valid or relevant to todays situation. I think this is a man slid into the job still. But not new to what the proper objective of education and learning and Civilized Society should be. I look forward to in america which reporteds achievement in the arts as we reward achievement in business or state grant. Look forward to in america which commands respect throughout the world not only for its strength, before civilization. This country cannot afford to be material of rich and spiritually poor. Artistic Great Unifying and humanizing experience. Life of the arts, far from being an eruption, distraction and