stick with him. he never did our lycee, we should not a war and certainly as you say, resigned in protest. would that have made a difference, possibly, but he did not feel that that was something you wanted or should do at the time. >> the relationship today have the bushes and the pols. >> you know, i don't really think that they speak a lot. i think that they are altogether in april -- april. president bush said nice things about vice president cheney. but cheney was in the audience with the cabinet and the kid. on stage and had a speaking role. yellen to library, videos narrated. portrait of the first lady and pictures of the daughters. and even a statue of the dogs. there really is a not very much in there. he did not like the idea that he was running things other people

think that. he was the decider. >> we have been talking with peter becker, chief white house correspondent of the new york times, also the author of this new book days a fire, bus to have. >> not to really a reality show. i had to wait. [laughter] >> it was 10 minutes early.

>> no. i got stuck. did he get through? okay. that will open a. how're you? >> day now the president tried to plot your book? >> i was assured there was a guest bush shortly but that would be enjoyable. >> there was a whole group of us that were stock. >> literally. >> two blocks away and i could not get there. i was stuck.

>> see how far this town has gotten? [laughter] how are you? how is it going? that's nice. when i go to the bookstore i find your book everywhere but my book know where. [laughter] >> i think it is yours now. [laughter] >> nice to see you. i saw you last week or the week before behind me. i was going to do york. it was the early-morning train. right? things are good?

there you go. a long night. [inaudible] really? that sounds interesting. let's do that. that sounds great. will play in the back. hello sir. how are you doing it again? this is my neighbor. we ran into him all the time [laughter] thank you. i appreciate it. thanks very much for coming.

how are you, buddy? my competitor at the post. he is a good guy. right back there. i will not stop anybody. can you imagine and? >> just him going to use the fund-raiser. but they were stopped across the street? he was at jefferson. it is the story out of utah. good timing. will lead how to take the lookout things going for mike out there. little different.

that is his story that you will read. that is a great story. how you doing? he is one of us and writes a column regularly for "the washington times." she is part of the guild if he likes it or not. [laughter] >> that is true. >> absolutely. is a good? it should be good. very ambitious ambitious, tiring, rebate up -- leaving. there you go.

the very healthy. [laughter] would you like to drink? can i get you a drink? thank you for coming. >> do you have someone writing a song? >> we talked about that. if you can think of some great songs about bush or j.d. i think discretion is the better part of valor >> congratulations how're you feeling? >> [inaudible] >> things are going great.

[inaudible] and this is all on video. [laughter] he really is fantastic. he is great. but it is good for him to have a chance to run something like jim. he is so energetic, he has the metabolism and inspires in his staff. you will love him. he is terrific. we will mourn for his loss. but i am glad he will be there. thank you so much. the books are in the back. i would be happy to. how are you?

great to see you. thank you for coming. i appreciate it. who isn't here? you know, . how are you? how are you? thank you. how are you doing? good. my wife was stuck 25 minutes. [inaudible] >> i don't think so but that is amazing. >> have you heard?

>> no. i am told a vice president cheney is reading it. i have not heard anything good or bad. spee fisa. [inaudible conversations] by the end of the night it will be shorter and shorter. i was off for a year and half. thank you.

how are you? good to see you. thanks for coming. >> absolutely. absolutely. fantastic. thank you for inviting us. >> we had our rehearsal dinner here. [inaudible conversations] >> i hope it is a best seller. >> this is state number three. i don't know how it works. >> for the first week but then next week i go on the road.

we will be about a stone's throw away. i am looking forward to that actually. at the reagan library we have other people coming out to. >> i have been telling my publisher because all those great events the reagan library has then they have never been there? i missed it with the other yvette so i am looking forward to get there. if for no other reason i just want to visit. all of these libraries are so interesting. i have been dying to see at. the pictures make it look very extraordinary and agree and. >> you can see the ocean it

is a great location. >> how often are you out there? we back about every two months. we have our ford meetings. >> that is very nice. thank you. i did not want to ask. is she okay. good for her. that's terrific. it is so nice of you to come. >> you must know this but i did not. >> i did know about this. she is right behind you. i am visiting "politico" with this was broken and

they are very happy over there. we are not so happy back here. i am excited for him to have a chance to run something. just so you know, i have this little thing here. just so you know, . [laughter] >> the truth is the same even if this is on the record. >> but his energy and vibrancy. thank you for coming. i think it will be exciting for him. and for us. >> but now here at the bureau now that i am unemployed i cannot afford its but. >> just to go off and write.

>> you are the most gracious on facebook. there is plenty to praise it. >> there was a great story yesterday of court in on syria. a terrific story from the white house how they have the managing syria. [inaudible] i think that is right. very revealing and interesting. with. >> and love to the excerpt in the magazine.

>> what did you think? >> he is a great believer in that he will be vindicated. [inaudible] one of the keys is to write your own history. he writes his own box -- books. what i like about the review was from sunday said it is the good phrase. no excuses.

it is a choice. he has also been critical. [inaudible] [inaudible]

how are you? are you good? did you read the book? >> not yet. >> i sent it to you. >> you did? they called me yesterday i got a package. >> that will be it. i want 2.0 -- to point out. butted is good to be done. six years. i am not trying to compete. [laughter] i will be doing austin, a dallas, houston.

>> congratulations. i am so excited for you. >> courted what saved us when he was in the white house. he was a spokesman and. how are you? good to see you. so nice to see you. . .

>> the journalist greg hines, but nothing from the principle either the president or the vice president. but the people are here so at least they haven't thrown water in my face or wind in my face. my wife said that would be better. it would be a controversy. >> you are too two popular. >> i don't think that's it. so we will see. they have not read it yet. good, not too bad, right? oh come on.

>> no, it's great. so are you getting out and getting a chance to talk about this? >> yeah, i'm doing a bunch of media this week and starting light late next week i go on tour in 20 cities. crazy. >> i would think it would be very supportive of the survey. >> yeah, exactly. how are you doing? what are you up to? >> i've been busy and trying to do extracurricular writing. >> do you have a new book? >> i'm sort of stepping up and doing so my regular things. >> that's great. you do a good post of the day. >> thanks. i'm trying to stay out there and keep up. eventually i will figure out how to do this. >> you should do another book. you are so good at it. both books for me this one, the

lbj one which is fascinating. you connected those two things in an interesting way. a duality of that narrative. i think i told you but it was very helpful to me. >> i remember that great lunch we had, we talked about it. >> you are mentioned in there for that. >> thanks. >> you are very well-timed. it came along at a time i needed somebody to talk to. >> i don't want to monopolize you here but congratulations on the book. we have a lot to catch up on. it's good to see you. >> thank you. >> i will let you mingle. >> how are you? >> you kicked it off with greta. >> it was great. i was driving when i heard it.

it's a copy. it's staying then it's written on. >> i actually want to read it. >> all right. i don't care, whichever you buy. i just want them to think it works. [laughter] >> we are excited for you. is susan here to max? >> yeah. >> bears your little guy, not too little. you were saying in the interview interview -- i guess he just did his thing. >> yeah. he did his thing and he said

what he wanted to say. history can't touch him now anyway. i just think he is like an done. i don't want to play the game anymore. i understand that. i understand the impulse. i would like to try different events. he said baker, are you stalking me? >> kind of. >> ones an interview? thanks, buddy. >> we are going to do the talking for a second. do you mind? >> thank you.

>> do you need your hair trend coax it looks very good. i like it. >> i will use a key. i need something metal. >> will you ask these people? >> right here. okay everyone, this is the moment that you have been waiting for. peter baker has a few words to say. can you gather round everyone?

here is susan glasser. >> hello. hello, you hear me? hello? hi. hi everybody. i don't think you can hear me through the microphone. thank you so much for coming. please come closer. thank you so much for coming and thank you to my friend tom. i am susan glasser and i want to welcome everyone here tonight. thank you so much. i'm not going to belabor the point except to say i think everyone here knows my husband and they know that he loves a good book party. [laughter] usually he likes to throw parties for other people and to celebrate their accomplishments so it's incredibly wonderful and special for me and co2 be here to celebrate peter and the

publication of his book. [applause] >> what is it called again? >> "days of fire." a few people, and i promise this will be brief, have offered upwards of encouragement and advice that any and i just want to thank everybody for coming in to say you would hear lots of things about what a great book this is and what a big accomplishment and how is "the wall street journal" said this morning peter baker has managed to write a fair book about the most polarizing presidency since andrew johnson. [applause] you know and i know this is washington so working hard on being nice aren't necessarily the qualities that lead to success in this town but i can say that no one worked as hard as peter did on this book and so i am so thrilled to celebrate

his success tonight. his friend mark leibovich is here for a few anthropological observations about the evening. you will all be appearing in his next book called this town, this sequel. >> welcome to this weeks edition of logrolling in america. now i just, i can certainly second and attest to how hard peter worked on this in the two of us suffered together. we used to have breakfast every few weeks and at the diner. the bush world and the cheney world are very tough laces to crack and then when you put them together and you have like this really tiny black box of the relationship you realize what a big challenge it was and then you have people actively trying to thwart him and it was just such an incredible thing to see this thing realized. peter is as loyal and is decent and as good a colleague and

friend as you could ever imagine. as someone who has charted some qualities about this town that are not always flattering, i think peter is essentially the opposite of all this stuff. it sounds like he nailed the book very at i will praise a book that i haven't read yet. >> what's it called again? >> "days of fire". it has an index, yes all of those things. at risk of sounding a little bit too sincere, i am so proud of peter baker and when i saw the book come out, i felt such an incredible sense of ownership and an incredible sense of pride and i wanted it to do well. everyone should read it, savor it. buy it. two copies, three copies.

anyway, thank you all for coming. [applause] >> i am david leonhardt here on behalf of peter's colleagues to say congratulations. the main reason you should read this book in the main accomplishment of the book is that it's so entertaining. the scene of karl rove having to argue against dick cheney's choice as vice president with dick cheney sitting there is worth the price of the whole book and it just goes scene after scene like that. we all knew that peter baker would write a fabulously reported entertaining book. the great surprise of the book is how incredibly relevant to today it is, how much the world has come around to the world of the low shears. iran and iraq, serious civil liberties national security the economy that is still weak after all these years and maybe even above all think about the origin of george bush. george bush rose to power on one of the most impressive campaigns

we have probably seen in our lifetime trying to overcome a deeply unpopular congressional republican caucus. it's basically the same challenge that the republican party is today. a great thrill of the book is you are living in this entertaining past while you get to see the future as well so congratulations to peter, to susan and theo and everyone who worked on it. peter is either the nicest great journalist are the greatest nice journalists. thank you all. [applause] >> hi. my name is chris and i'm peter's editor. [applause] as an editor i go to lunch a lot and ever since peter delivered the book i have been buzzing about "days of fire." "days of fire," yes. this brilliant book. but i leave the flat copy words behind when i tell people it's

like watching all seven seasons of west wing. but in bizarro world where everybody is a republican. [laughter] you don't just read "days of fire," you binge read it. so as an editor you also believe in a book like crazy and do everything you can to get it ready to launch. and then you have to let the market and the reviewers have their turn. and in just a few days, that the book has been on sale, we have had some incredible, incredible reviews. i don't know if he is here but david frahm wrote this. peter baker is transported backward in time from some more dispassionate future yet "days of fire" is not a dispassionate book. its mood might rather be described as poignant,

sympathetic to its subjects, generous to their accomplishments and extenuating none of their errors. what peter baker has done in "days of fire" is come to a full and fair reckoning with the legacy of the 43rd president. david frahm you really got it. [laughter] but peter you got it first so here's to you and your magisterial book. [applause] >> thank you all for coming. i can't tell you how wonderful this is to be here. this is a special place here and i don't know how many people here know this, but their teen years ago susan glasser gave me a great favor of having a reversal -- were herschel dinner here before we got married. the space is the same and i feel the spirit is the same intimates a special night. i'm thrilled to have her here

and theo who missed it 13 years ago but is here today. it feels like we are often, we are always doing big things on books. the first book i did was published one week after we got married and a second book which susan and i were together about putin's russia was delivered to the publisher the day that theo was born and this time around we are in the middle of our household of two exciting projects. theo has started fourth grade and is doing famu was and susan has created new political magazine coming out february 14. make sure you look for it. it's going to be great. [applause] i don't want to talk long. i do want to thank david was a fabulous boss and a great friend at the same time and that's a terrific calm --

combination. mark leibovich and all of us at the diner. i got a lot out of a lot out of the too hearing about mark's grade adventures in this town. we can only hope that other books do as well as that one. and chris poppell though, my editor, amazing editor, so important to the product here. this would not read the book it is if it were not for her but don't blame her for the things that were wrong. all of the things that are right or because of her. i couldn't be more grateful to you and all the folks at doubleday, thank you so much. [applause] i could go on a long time. i'm not going to do it but i do want to thank david frum if it's appropriate to thank your critic. [laughter]

i do think he got what i wanted to do with the book and the line he used company describes the bush years and 23 words in his leap better than the entire 650 pages of my look does. he says it started off with another pearl harbor and ended with a great crash in between vietnam. that is where you get the title "days of fire." he used his second and not for a book to describe 9/11. all eight years were filled with days of fire that he and the vice president had to confront within their own interesting partnership as it developed in a shakespearean way. i want to thank david and i don't know if jonathan carl is here. thank you so much. a great review. very generous. christian carol carol is also here i think. magisterial, magisterial is code for long. [laughter] those are the words i want you to go home with tonight.

"days of fire." the new subtitle, beach philosophy read i want to thank the people who are here from the bush-cheney white house administration many of whom were incredibly generous to take the time to talk with me sometimes more than once, sometimes three, four, five times and e-mailed akin for it. the patience and the willingness to cooperate with a book they had no control over and no knowledge about how would turn out. they told their story and it came out in a fair and accurate way. i'm not going to name anybody because they might be in exile from whatever bush-cheney alumni society is but i want to thank you all for doing that. [laughter] i want to thank, i want to thank president bush and vice president cheney for giving us a very interesting administration to write about. [laughter] it's endlessly fascinating.

we will be writing about it for years to come and i think this is one effort among what will be many to define, shape and interpret this history. i'm going to end it with that. thank you so much. i probably have forgotten everyone else. my host committee, john and mike and everyone else who is here. anybody else? my parents are here, ted and martha. [applause] they are here. thanks for coming. and with that eat, drink and be merry and remember "days of fire." [applause] [inaudible conversations]

up next next on booktv, margaret macmillan international history professor at oxford university examines the lead-up to world war i. this is just over an hour. [inaudible conversations] >> welcome everybody to today's council on foreign relations meeting. a look back at the buildup to the great war with -- i am the editor of world policy journal and i would also like to welcome cfr national members participating in this meeting the livestream. you know, i was saying at lunch that i had a little surprise for r