good follow-up to eisenhower. it was a challenge. he is very different. eisenhower was older older, different generation five-star general world war ii, kennedy was much and your common three decades different perspective, level of energy, political views. with some of the actions, eisenhower was faithful to his wife but kennedy had not. that was a challenge. >>host: how did you? >> he was flawed like

anybody else but he did in engage in a paris the did undermine the some of his policies to a degree but not too much attention to it because that was his private life. but also not to be ignored. but what were his decisions. >>host: what is one decision you think was consequential? >> one of my criticisms leading to a new policy, talking about civil-rights as if he would be the representative who are black america. but he did not do much.

he you was a bystander. he made that commitment but then did not. but that does change 1963 when he witnessed through papers and television the birmingham riots, protest riots, protest, the fire hoses, the dogs disrupting the protesters and he was horrified. that is when he began to understand we have to do something. soon after he spoke out eloquently against segregation and the need for additional legislation. that led to a civil-rights act and voting rights act.

>>host: the was his presidency successful? biv vicki did not achieve everything piece that out to do. he was more out to be reelected than push for issues. he learned as the president of the first year he struggled with foreign policy issues with the berlin crisis a summer meeting in khrushchev that did not go well. he admitted. he learned to be more calculating, think before he spoke, a tendency to use rhetoric that is the most inflammatory come led talk about the need to build a fallout shelter.

it raised levels of fear that a nuclear war might occur but with the cuban missile crisis, he is much more restrained. he tried to keep their rhetoric cooler. >>host: professor what is the new frontier? >> he wanted to have a different. [cheers and applause] this a campaign promise. a new direction. he believed the policies of the fifties had grown stale and the country had not been enough to show its greatness. the fifties had steady

growth but he thought the u.s. should do more in science. thinking of the state's program, he had it as is goal to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade and put to a lot of resources into that. but hope for the future. to challenge the country to have hope. >>host: what do teach your? >> par merely u.s. military and diplomatic history. 20th century. occasionally a cold war course, kennedy, modern presidents also the u.s. survey by a introduce

immensely to introduce students of varying backgrounds. >>host: how long have you been at liberty? >> finishing eighth year before that five years at texas tech then came here to start the a graduate program. and valium chair of the department. >>host: talking to david snead chair of the department and author of "john f. kennedy: the new frontier president" nova publishers to come

>> i was blackmailed changing test scores, harassed, that i turned in my instructor and day out did me. i was removed from my job to access computers working at the chaplain's office. secretary gates came out that third-party outings were not allowed that stopped against me. but i was so frustrated with "don't ask, don't tell" i helped to build the network where we could network together then collectively voice our concerns to the military and public. a lot of people were out serve members we just connected social media

around the world we have 4700 members that are connected, and no longer a loan you can post but the two big reasons i agree is it is important to give the courage there are gay people in the military. i hope by putting out the stories of their people realize there are so many out there that are gay. it is okay. also i gave this book to someone on my base against "don't ask, don't tell." he was crying.

i really had no idea. i think this project has been a huge success. >>host: you are watching booktv on c-span2 as visits to universities we're at liberty university talking with professors who are authors. adjoining us is david dewitt author of "unraveling the origins controversy" also professor of biology