Good evening. Im not sure the microphone is on, can you hear me . You can . Great. My name is Vanessa Beasley and im the dean of them at Vanderbilt University. Tonight its my Great Fortune to welcome you to this panel, the wonderful discussion that will have about the presidency of Richard Nixon. Im also happy to invite you to a conversation which will have on that same theme and question. Before we get started, in earnest though, it is fitting that we take a moment to remember the space that were in and who founded it. Tonight we are gathered in the First Amendment center in Vanderbilt University which was founded by. [inaudible] you may not remember him or be aware ofs legacy but he served as 43 years as an awardwinning journalist for the tennessean. As retirement he was editor, publisher and ceo. In 1982, he became the founding editorial director of usa today. He served in that position for a decade. He left journalism in the early 60s to serve in the Us Justice Department as Admini
Before i ask a question, i want to show you a video. I mustve had six or seven biographies written about me. Exciting upnot that until i was president. Have these amazing experiences. I did not really accomplish all that much when i was in high school or in college. Folks think around and they are looking for stuff. Then they try to dramatize things that are kind of routine. There is a part of you that says why would you care about this, it is not that interesting. How right is he. Once you choose to run for president of the United States and succeed, your biography is a major part of american history. Had a mucha actually more interesting, much more richly varied earlier life then we have really to a large extent known up until now. People are aware he grew up in hawaii. But the really transformative period of baracks life in his mid20s came when he was living in chicago for the first time, 1985 to 1988, working as a Community Organizer on the far south side, his first immersion in an
We still question the power of our democracy. Tonight is your answer. [cheers and applause] its the answer told by lines that stretch run schools and churches, in numbers this nation has never seen. People who waited three hours, four hours. Many for the first time in their lives. Because they believe that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference. Its spoken by young and old, rich and poor, democrat and republican, black, white, hispanic, asian, native american, gay, straight, disabled, disabled and not disabled. [applause] america to set a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individual or a collection of red states and blue states. We are and always will be the United States of america. [cheers and applause] this scene ager features a to month ago, november fourth, 2008 at Center Barack Obama declared his victory and makes history as americas first africanamerican president. An estimated 250,000 people gathering estimated 25
Barack obamas presidency. All things are possible. If the dream of our founders questioned the power of ourof democracy, tonight is your answer. [cheering] if the answer told by the lines that stretch around schools ande churches. Suppose that are rich and poor, democrat and republican, black, white, hispanic, asian, native american, street, disabled, not pp disabled, americans send a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals with a collection of red states and blue states we always have beene and will be the United States of america. [applause] [cheering] an estimated 250,000 gathering at chicagos grant park on the unusual mild tonight marking what could be the start of eight years in the white house for the 44th president prepares to leave historians begin to assess theo obama legacy. The three leading authors adding their perspective to the newanad terms in the white house. We are joined at the table with april ryan, my upclose view of the preside
Barack obamas presidency. All things are possible. If the dream of our founders questioned the power of ourof democracy, tonight is your answer. [cheering] if the answer told by the lines that stretch around schools ande churches. Suppose that are rich and poor, democrat and republican, black, white, hispanic, asian, native american, street, disabled, not pp disabled, americans send a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals with a collection of red states and blue states we always have beene and will be the United States of america. [applause] [cheering] an estimated 250,000 gathering at chicagos grant park on the unusual mild tonight marking what could be the start of eight years in the white house for the 44th president prepares to leave historians begin to assess theo obama legacy. The three leading authors adding their perspective to the newanad terms in the white house. We are joined at the table with april ryan, my upclose view of the preside