charge. and we have top-notch elite capable of moving from generation to generation. what we have to do as a country; however, be is be alert to the fact the world has become more complex about our values and ease the asupervisions about not american exceptionalism but americans universalism are at lee historically premature and probably not attainable in the lifespan of anyone this this room. this is going to be an more complex potentially more dangerous world in which common sense a sense of responsibility, deliberate planning, will prepare elite and far more informed public about the world of the -- of america's intelligent conduct. look, to take a very specific example and i'll end on that.

one of our panelist talked about the need for a deliberate and moderated mesh iranian accommodation. we don't get that as a real danger in explosion that region. can we get if the public is not well-neffed about the complexity and the necessities of an intelligent accommodation. if the u.s. congress itself is not even sufficiently well-informed to realize that meddling now with additional natural actions can be highly negative for our own interests. that -- those are the illustrations what we have to cope with. and on a far more intelligent constituent single female is the point of the departure for an america that can be thrive in the complex world in which it preimminent society but certainly not a hedge monic society. >> thank you to both members of

the -- to all members of both panels. and especially [applause] [applause] [applause] let me, first of all, thank charles not only for writing the wonderful book but moderating the panel. i thank the panelist on this panel and the previous panel, i think it is true lay treat to not only hear the doctor but also hear the reanymore sense of those who work with him. also the insight and perspective. i think particularly for our students and for our mission, i think the importance of big ideas and importance of freeingic thinking, the

importance of history and many issues often in short supply in a way in which we think about our policy and national security underscore. i think is also important that as we thought about the historical issues here. thinking about this to underscore the importance of having looking back at the era of him and those who work with him. with the historical eye and the lessons it presents for us today. and i think -- i'm glad that we had the opportunity to hear from this panel. and would like to invite everybody a reception. we have after this. and we can continue the conversation. thank you. [applause]

[inaudible conversations] visit booktv.org to watch any of the programs you see here online. type the author or book title in the search bar on the upper left side of the page, and click search. you can also share anything you see on booktv.org easily by chicking share on the upper left side of the page and selecting the format. booktv streams live online for 48-hours every weekend with top non-fiction books and authors. booktv.org. [inaudible conversations] we're here at the national press club talking about jefferson and -- ham theton. >> it's a comparison of the two. it covers their entire lives from their youth through their political in the 1890. what i tried to do was just look and see what shaped each one. what shaped their thoughts. and who really focused much of

the book focuses on the partisan battle of the 1790 and what lead hamilton to his economic idea. why jefferson opposed those ideas. it turns out that a lot of things they fought over are the same sorts of things that politicians are fighting over today. the size of the government, and the intrusiveness of the government, the distribution of wealth, foreign policy. all of those things were part of their partisan. >> can you tell me what specific influences from each of them you see that are still floating around government today? >> well, i think jefferson, of course, is associated with the notion of individual liberty and small government. hamilton supported a much stronger government and really

laid the ground work for the modern economic system in the united states and becoming industrial revolution and the 189th century. and so in many ways, i think the world that we live in today is more hamilton's world. because it's an urban world with the modern economy and very large government. people few people live on farms anymore as jefferson would liked. so in a sense, i think hamilton really won the battle. although for contemporary jefferson was the one who appeared to have won. >> what do you think hamilton would have to say about the power of the federal reserve today? >> i think he would probably support it, really. i think he wanted a strong government and a government that can manage the economy. he really wanted it to be --

he wanted a national bank and the federal reserve really manages the banking system and the united states. so franklin, i think would have supported it. jefferson would have been appalled by. >> so what do we learn about either man or both men in this book that we didn't already know? is there something new you have uncovered? >> well, i think what i came to appreciate hamilton more as over the years as i worked on the book. and particularly i came to appreciate him because of his military service during the revolutionary war. he did serve throughout the war. he saw a lot of combat. he was in seven major battles. he lead a major attack at worktown, 5% of his men were died in that attack. but with jefferson, i think, what i came to understand was i

think his fight was not just a fight over banks and funding the cet and that sort of thing. but i came to see that jefferson had a belief in the american revolution as something that would be a birthday of a new world. that would change the world. and he saw hamilton as blocking the american revolution and preventing it from coming to fruition. and he saw hamilton as sort of a spokesman for going back to what had existed in the colonial era. so i don't think jefferson was entirely right about that. but i think he was right in that if hamilton yafm won out, then well would be in fewer and fewer hands and that wealth would

dominate politics. i think it's largely what we're seeing happen now in the 21st century. >> thank you very much for your time. >> okay. thank you. ..