Americas missing home from the vietnam war. Heres the book. We are delighted to have you with us to talk about it and welcome to the washington history seminar. Its fortunate to have Chris Mcdermott from the department of defense with us as a commentator. Welcome to you as well chris. I am Christian Ostermann and i direct the Wilson Center History Program and im delighted to be cochairing this seminar and as always which eric garner from George Washington university. Today, eric will introduce our speaker and moderate the discussion. As many of you regular viewers know, the washington history seminar is a collaborative decadelong effort of our two organizations, the Wilson Centers story and Public Policy program , International History center of the historical association. Prior to the pandemic we met on a weekly basis at the Wilson Center. Now we are pleased to come to you via zoom and facebook. Behind the scenes there are individuals who help produce this event, peter beer stecker of
[indistinct conversation and footsteps] [indistinct conversations] members of the United States senate and the bilateral chiefs joined by the acting dean of the diplomatic corps, his excellency [upbeat orchestral music] [indistinct conversation and street noises] [hail to the chief plays] [orchestral music plays] announcer ladies and gentlemen please direct your attention to the inaugural platform. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, mark milley. [upbeat orchestral music plays] [upbeat orchestral music continues] [indistinct conversation and crowd noise] [upbeat orchestral music plays] announcer ladies and gentlemen leadership of the United States house of representative, republican stevens co. Police and minority whip the honorable james clyburn. Republican stevens sc alise and minority whip the honorable james clyburn. [orchestral music continues] announcer ladies and gentlemen, leadership of the United States senate. The honorable Patrick Lahey and misses marcia lahey. Democr
Today started with President Trump leaving the white house at just past 8 00 a. M. , he traveled to joint base andrews just outside washington where he made farewell remarks before boarding air force one for the last time. The honor of a lifetime. Greatest people in the world. Greatest home in the world. We have accomplished a lot. We love the american people. It has been something very special, and i just want to say goodbye, but hopefully it is not a longterm goodbye. We will see each other again. Thank you very much. [reporters calling after] [helicopter blades whirring] [chatter] marine one departed from its usual path to andrews and just blew up the National Mall past the capitol, in eight minutes he will be landing at Andrews Air Force base, scheduled to make remarks there. They are scheduled to bring that to live as well. President elect biden is due to depart blair house this morning as well in the near term. Blair house is right across from the white house. He will depart ther
Saying democracy is precious and fragile, but emphatically reminding americans and people around the world who were watching that democracy has prevailed. Do you believe that . I believe it survived. Yeah. I got a little echo in my ear. Is it just me . Im very resonant. On these big occasions, my voice is very resonant. It wasnt my voice. Continue. I would say democracy survived. Is the president right to say it prevailed . Absolutely. Why . Because his job is primarily to capture the imagination of the American People. Yeah. To motive the american spirit. But were in a bad way, and i think that today was about relief and was a reminder of us being more than our worst. Ordinarily, you and i have covered a number of these, never in these kinds of situations. But i usually tire at a certain point of the different pomp and circumstance and the fife and drum. At a certain point, i get it. Lets get through some of this. Not today. Today i needed every piece. You did. Every single piece. I w
As dc is locked it down. Political divisions unfolding. Cant be ignored. Top republicans, Vice President pens, Senate Leader mcconnell did not attend trumps farewell. You will see the map bidens swearingin. The incoming Senate Leader Chuck Schumer wants to ban donald trump from Holding Public office again and hes discussing an impeachment timetable as the divisions live on. No change in the political environment. Its still a divided society and that means incoming President Biden will have a tough job bringing us together in a tough job pushing through his radical plans in a divided bitterly divided congress. This a bitterness is apparent just about everywhere. Big business actively censoring conservatives. Newsrooms, college campuses, social media and even publishers joining that cancel cousins cancel movement. We will not be brought together if trumpeters keep up their attacks. We will not enjoy trumps style prosperity if socialists exercise real power in the in the midst of a pandem