platform to do it >> linda -- [applause] >> well, i'm going to do the other side. there are many, many wonderful things about being a white house child. i would not get to be here today. but the other side of it is -- and i come back to this a lot when i was heading up this women's commission, women are often seen in reference to someone else. i want all i want all of you to go back and look at the obituaries in the paper. the 1st line is usually wife of. in my case the 1st line i expect, in my obituary we will be daughter of.

in the 2nd piece will be wife of because i have gotten daughter of president and mrs. johnson, wife of governor and mrs. rob. and i think that we all your to have our own place no matter how big or small it may be in the world we want to be identified. so i tell my children, if they get to read my obituary i wanted the way i wanted. [laughter] i want the 1st line to be professional volunteer. now, i am in -- being a professional volunteer because that is what my parents taught me to do. when i got a job after college and get my 1st

paycheck my mother said well, now, who are you going to give it to? i thought, how. and and her belief was that you should give your 1st paycheck away. of course being a smart girl that i am, i had trees put in johnson city in memory of my grandparents. but that was just a given. we have been very blessed. we are not financially stressed. you can't afford to give that away. in the most valuable thing i have is my time. twenty-four hours a day. so whereas i can with varying amounts of money, my time is the most valuable thing really that i can give away. that is what i have tried to do professional volunteer and do not have as many paid jobs by my name. and that is what i learned from my parents.

i feel very very blessed, all of the experiences that they gave me. remember, catherine, 1st line -- [laughter] -- professional volunteer. i might add that barbara bush was right in their. when i was chair i asked laura bush to be on our committee. i am not a dumb woman. i asked her to be on and got her to be on our advisory committee because we want people who care about literacy to be up there supporting is. [applause] >> we obviously never lived in the white house. we were freshman. my parents made it clear that we could tag along for anything that they were doing. my sister and i both what

we benefited from was the exposure our parents offered we travel to africa, asia latin america and got to see all the initiatives that they were implementing firsthand and i think that completely shaped my career. i run a nonprofit focused on global health issues. linear obviously. my parents allowed me to be exposed to what they were working on, cared about the people he worked with everyday. the other thing is everyone who works in government is serving and are excited about service to other people. everyday i work with young people who want to serve in global health, health and that is my way of trying to encourage more people to do what i saw my parents do

everyday. [applause] >> she said everything i was going to say except that -- two quick things. we got to meet so many incredible people commanded encouraged us to come and meet -- a really great friend. he wrote as an email to tell us he job -- he got this job because he wanted us to know before it was released. i got i got to go to ethiopia with him. we fought over who he loved more. after our five days in ethiopia he chose me. [laughter] i think being able to be exposed to someone like that who has changed the landscape of our world that is so incredible. i am a teacher as to be able to meet this woman as i am teaching in inner-city

dc, it does not even really sink in until now and to be able now with journalism to interview people like mary fisher who told me that betty ford was the most inspirational person in her life command i just interviewed her last week. my parents 1st of all their friends are important, but people. they want to surround themselves with interesting people. i think that we tried to know all of these people as much as we possibly could and still stay in contact with them. [applause] >> well, i would like for each of you -- and we will start with linda -- to tell as one of your favorite stories about something that happened at the white house. it can be funny, about you, your parents just some behind-the-scenes thing that the press never found out about and now they are because it will be on c-span something that everyone here --

[inaudible conversations] >> gosh, i have been doing this for so long i think i have told everything i ever did but one of the wonderful things about being in the white house is the people you meet. you know, people in the theater people in the arts. all sorts of fancy folks. for instance, gregory peck. [laughter] when chuck was governor we invited back to come and spend the night in the governor's mansion because they were doing something in virginia. i would not have dared to do that. when i called and told him who i was they would remember. so anyway, one day presidents' day carl

sandburg came to the white house for tea on lincoln's birthday. we had this tea party in the lincoln bedroom. and my mother was very, very excited and impressed. i was studying american history, so i immediately went and got my textbook and brought it in and asked him if he would sign -- [laughter] some paul of his. i took it back to school and hopefully get in a. anyway, mother in the lincoln bedroom, at bedroom at least in our day -- and i hope you did not change it. [laughter] that is one thing about being there. i cannot speak for anyone else, we thought that it was our house. any changes that were made

where do they put that portrait that we put over they're? anyway, we went in there and on the desk is a copy of the gettysburg address. and this was written out by abraham lincoln to benefit and even then they were doing those things where they sold to have sold on the graphs. this was this was going to be sold to benefit the baltimore sanitary fair which was an early red cross type of project. and so mother brought it over and said to mr. sandburg and here is one of the five copies of the gettysburg address and lincoln's own handwriting. to which mr. sandburg said everybody really could write. [laughter] [laughter]

>> there is a lot of stories i could tell some of them i should not. >> we have time. >> of course. [laughter] >> two quick ones. seven or eight days before we get to move into the white house. when we finally moved in the 1st night i was there i called my my best friend from high school, grade school elementary school kevin kennedy. you have kennedy. you have got to come over here, this is unbelievable, good government housing. we took -- and you could not do this today because it is much different because of terrorism and what goes on in the world, but at that time we carried my two 18 -year-old kids carried it up today they have guys up there dressed in black and antiaircraft guns, you could not do it to my but we a but

we took my stereo up there, sat on the roof of the white house. i think we were playing led zeppelin stairway to heaven. it literally was like dumb and dumber. and so that was my 1st night. the 1st dinner -- and i will be quick. the 1st dinner we had as a family and there is this tension. i don't know if you know this, you do not know the staff. they have been there for years. you rotate through trying to get to know each other. everyone is a little formal. sitting at the family dinner table myself, dad mom, my sister sue to horses in. everyone is trying to figure it out. trying to take the edge off. he looks and sees this wonderful fireplace in the room and says gosh, we used to go to avail for christmas. we always love to have a fire.

one of the one of the people that work there must be the president telling us to light the fire. they went over and let the fire. had not been used in ten years. now, smoke is billowing out. [laughter] this is their 1st dinner with the staff. the smoke is coming back into the dining room. susan and i are coughing and trying to get up. i will never forget my dad looked at me and said sit back down. he goes, don't we just love the fire. he had such a good heart. trying to make them feel good. those are my memories. [applause] >> well, one thing the same thing happened on lucy's 1st night in the white house. she had a friend over and started a fire in her bedroom.

and smoke went everywhere. zero, i no all about how to open everything. this will be great. no. the added part was she was in her nightgown. she was 16 years old. all of a sudden smoke is everywhere. she goes and climbs up on her desk to stand up and try to open the window facing pennsylvania avenue. and she looks up, sees the smoke. [laughter] trying to cover up. they are to put a sign up do not use. danger. >> i don't think we ever had a fire. [laughter] >> i am glad. that would be the last thing that the bush twins could have done like the white house on fire.

[laughter] that would have really helped with our college education. [laughter] i think one thing is you can still get up on that roof because i have my 1st kiss with my husband up there. kind of embarrassing. luckily i am married to him. barbara is embarrassed. awkward. humiliated. i thought we were telling our secrets. >> ignore these people. you are just talking to me jenna. >> one thing, you know, we grew up when my grandfather was president for holidays we knew all of this really, really well. so extra special. many of them were still there. have become a leader.

really excited. mainly because i get to see them. interviewing mr. obama to. i heard you are going to do that. call somebody who called somebody. they had become like family. they helped us out when we saw a ghost. i will let you tell it. >> another twins story. >> and the book. >> apparently in the white house, i don't know. i'm not sure. family dinner. done a lot with the grandchildren. so she said to the white house, grandchildren.

zero, man, they have ordered dinner in the bowling alley. not true. it was a snack. [laughter] >> it was not about dinner. >> but i do believe there was dinner served in the bowling alley. >> okay. easier to blame us for more things. >> and we took it. >> so should i tell them? >> yeah. >> this sounds crazy, except it happened. jenna and i -- well, jenna since we are twins we actually usually sleep in the same room even though we are adults. came running in my room one night terrified because she had heard someone singing opera. >> out of my fireplace. >> out of my fireplace.

and it actually was led zeppelin. [laughter] and i did not believe for. the next night we were sleeping in the same room and it happened again except this time we heard like olden times creepy piano music coming out of the fireplace. and then -- able to go to sleep because we were both working in dc and able to go to sleep and say that is just willard are. played on the piano. but we had to sleep. we just pacified ourselves. the next morning i was getting up to go to work and somebody who worked at the white house. i said, buddy, 1st of all, and down really scared me a little bit. you are not going to believe, the last two nights i have heard this piano music coming out of the fireplace in my room.

was the piano top-down last night? oh it is always down. he said, you would not believe the things i have seen or heard. >> and we have never slept alone. >> we really, i mean, we believe in ghosts. we would not, except this happened to us. >> we believe in ghosts. >> and mom and dad had a golden retriever the lives of the white house with them dog and liberty. one one night the dog out of the middle of the night and woke data nudged nudged him, dad got out of bed, left mom sitting there. he took liberty down the family elevator to go out the diplomatic entrance and it was like 2:00 a.m. he goes out the door the dog runs around and this is business. dad goes dad goes to walk back in the white house and the doors locked. [laughter]

and the secret service don't know he is out there, two in the morning in his pajamas with the dog. it lets you know that our life is just like yours. dad knocking on the door in his pajamas with the dog trying to get back into the white house in two in the morning. >> did he ever get in? >> he got an. >> obviously. >> the same thing happened to my mother, little different the grand staircase that you come down well, mother is always trying to make sure that we did not spend any more money than we needed to. so one night after a state dinner she had gone back up stairs, upstairs, put on her nightgown and knows that the light was on right outside the door to get on the grand staircase. and so she being very careful, put 1 foot to hold the door upstairs and then tried to lean out and turn the light up.

well, she did not make it. it. the door closed behind her and that she was in her robe and she put her face up she describes this. i'm not telling too much but she just much downstairs like she was supposed to be walking around with her robe they were all finishing the party up. she just walks she just walks right through, the elevator, go back upstairs again. [laughter] >> unfortunately i am getting the eagle eyes. thank you all so much for telling us -- [applause] [applause] [applause] >> they were wise and and

mothers, some had children and grandchildren who became president and politicians. they dealt with the joys and trials of motherhood the pleasure and sometimes chaos of raising small children and the tragedy of loss. just in time for mother's day, first ladies looks at the 1st -- the personal lives of every first lady in american history, many of whom raise families in the white house. based on original interviews from c-span first ladies series published by public affairs them unavailable as available as hardcover or e-book and makes a great mother's day gift. >> this sunday night at 8:00 p.m. eastern on our original series we look into the lives of 21st ladies.

the only first lady to date born outside the united states and played an important role in her husband's 1824 presidential campaign yet had difficulty when the approval of her mother-in-law former first lady abigail adams elizabeth monroe and louisa catherine adams sunday night on c-span original series 1st ladies, influence an image examining the public and private lives of the women who fill filled the position of first lady and their influence on the presidency from what the washington to michelle obama sundays at 8:00 p.m. eastern on american history tv on c-span three. >> concluding with a 1994 event from the ronald reagan

presidential library. speakers include peggy hoover brigham, susan ford bales, and maureen reagan. begins with remarks by former first lady nancy reagan and historian richard norton smith serving as the reagan library library director at the time. this is now are in 45 minutes. [applause] [applause]

and now our own 1st lady ms. nancy reagan. [applause] >> thank you. [applause] thank you. thank you. good morning. i am delighted to welcome you all to a very special program. i hope you had a a chance to see at least some of the remarkable new exhibits called madam president on your way in this morning. for the next six months visitors to the library and museum will be introduced to each of america's kayfive an ounce only to the close they were or artifacts that they used and that causes they championed and families they raised. some of these women are historical celebrities others are all but unknown to us today but each

deserve to be remembered for their contribution to the life of her time. 200 years ago martha washington said that as first lady she felt more like a prisoner of state than anything else a complaint echoed by some of her successors, as a matter of fact. actually, it was the daughter of president, margaret truman whose light best to find the position of first lady when she called it the 2nd toughest job in america. madam president is about much more than 1st ladies. the families who temporarily reside there become part of our extended families. this morning we are privileged to have as our guests several former inhabitants of 1600 pennsylvania avenue. better than any historian political scientists robert

hoover brigham, luci baines johnson, susan ford mail and maureen reagan can introduce us to the human dimension of the presidency. for these women have lived at the center of great events that spanned some six decades in the process of experiencing joys and sorrow trials common to any american household. his history is really too important to leave to professional historians. it belongs to all of us. the white house in which abigail adams hung her laundry and mary todd lincoln endured the horrors of the civil war and that is what this morning's program is all about. and it is just the beginning over the next over the next few months the library will

stage theatrical performances recalling eleanor roosevelt, edith wilson, eisenhower and german. time magazine white house correspondent we will be here in august while helen thomas, dean of the white house press corps will share her own reflection on modern 1st ladies in september. all of this in keeping with my husband's desire for an institution that is lively and dynamic is america herself. fortunately, we have a director who shares our vision of a library that is more the library. his name his name is richard norton smith command he will be our moderators morning. i would also like to express my own thanks to richard for all that he has done since becoming director of the library. we have never been happier with the library than we are today command it is all due

-- where are you richard? you, richard. [applause] and the team that you have put together. richard peggy, luci susan, maureen the stage is yours. let me thank you for coming. i no i no that you are in for a real treat. thank you again. [applause] >> good morning, everyone. welcome. delighted to have you here. amid remembrances attending the death of richard nixon perhaps none were more touching than a story told by lucy bates johnson. president johnson's daughter recall the letter dated

july 111974 less than one month before mr. nixon resigned the presidency. in the middle of his greatest crisis the president took time out to welcome an infant child named rebecca johnson. we know how proud and happy your father would have been to know that you chose his mother's name for your daughter. as ms. johnson herself told newsweek magazine, there was no reason for the embattled president to show such kindness certainly no political gain to be had. was the main her words come and extraordinary act of thoughtfulness from a man in the midst of a terrible ordeal. it was something else as well a small but telling example of the special relationship that binds all those who have inhabited the white house. ..

soon after her father was hospitalized in north carolina with tuberculosis. she was a frequent she was a frequent guest on sometime

resident where she experiences side of her famous grandparent all to bring a weakness for the general public in those years of the depression. not long before he died former president hoover restored in public esteem by his international work in government reorganization was asked by a friend how he had managed to survive the period of ostracism that coincided with fdr's new deal to which he replied by all live them. [laughter] it wasn't quite that simple. he had a strong and devoted family including a beloved granddaughter who by then had followed in his footsteps by attending stanford university before going on to wellesley cow college and the new england conservatory of music. mrs. richard t. briga moves in chester county pennsylvania. [laughter]

no historian is accurate all the time. [applause] we have for many years raised thorough bred horses and when she and her husband remained active in a variety of civic causes. you have heard some ring of luci baines johnson of her sensitivity as well as her sense of history. unlike peggy luci was a young woman when she entered the white house unexpectedly in november of 1963. she wanted nothing more than to be a normal teenager. life in the white house is many things but normal it is not read luci's mother said as much when she gave her daughter the following sage advice, don't ever do anything you don't want printed on the front page of the paper. [laughter] this would strike terror in the hearts of most teenage girls but luci rose to the occasion ever more impressively than the time

overnight and 66 wedding. according to one newswoman at the time nobody was invited except the immediate country. [laughter] and notwithstanding a press controversy over a nonunion bridal gown that day went off gloriously. soon after luci left the white house for texas and in what she is poignantly described as the normalcy that never quite materialized for me as it does not for any member of a famous family. in the ears and choose the voters up to many causes identified with her public spirited parents. she has been an active supporter of various educational and health programs as well as public television youth services and her mother's national wildlife center. she's also business woman chairs the lbj holding company. somehow along the way she is found time to mother five children including that infant rebecca whom richard nixon

welcomed into the world 20 years ago this summer. like luci johnson susan ford never expected to live in the white house. to serve serve as host to set a white tie affair following her mother surgery's surgery for breast cancer. there she was at 17 the youngest hostess and the legendary alice roosevelt at the turn-of-the-century wearing uncomfortable white gloves and standing in an endless receiving line before taking to the dance floor with a group of distinguished if not nimble footed diplomats. when her father first became vice president susan's mother told her she and her brothers could no longer wear blue jeans. that's not fair -- fair they replied. on the data fortunate in the white house susan at the brother surprised reporters by appearing in you guessed it blue jeans. what else would you wear on moving day out susan? anything else would be silly and

unofficial. there is nothing silly artificial about susan ford bales. she became a frequent guest on television and is taken mother's crusade to educate women about the dangers of breast cancer and the importance of its early detection and yes she still occasionally wears blue jeans. unlike our other guests maureen reagan was an adult when her father became president yet her lifelong interest in politics would make her at least a part-time resident of 1600 pennsylvania avenue for much of the reagan presidency. in at least one crucial respect she anticipated. to this day she likes to tease him and reminded him that she was a republican before he was. [laughter] as such she has been a tireless campaigner so much so that president reagan himself has referred to her as the real politician in the family. during the reagan administration

she served as the countries represented to the u.n. commission on the status of women. she was cochair of the republican national committee. like her father she has never shied away from controversy or cut her views to fit the political fashion. this includes publicly disagreeing with her father and her party over the equal rights amendment and being both persistent and persuasive in advocating more women in public positions. maureen is the author of a memoir. she remains active in california politics and highly visible as a radio and television commentator. would you please welcome our distinguished panel. [applause] our format this morning is quite simple. we are going to ask each of our panelists beginning with peggy to speak to you about their own

experiences and then when they are done we will open it up for questions from the audience and hopefully interaction by the panelists. so peggy the stage is yours. >> in deference to my aging back because i couldn't stand up there at the podium for 10 or 15 minutes so we are all going to sit. [laughter] i wasn't quite sure and richard has never told me. i have known richard for quite a long time and that's the reason i had fun with him when he said i only had four children and i wondered which one he left out. richard was the executive director of the hoover library and as such i have been to australia with him in the outback. we flew this is a slight

digression but i want to get back at him. we flew from los angeles to brisbane australia and it was a 14 hour trip. we arrived, most of us, all worn out. that's a long trip. not richard. richard went out in jobs 25 miles. [laughter] back to the white house. as you can tell i was only from two until six between 1928 in 1932. and i think i cross the united states 12 times by train in those years. we would be greeted at union station by my grandmother and i will get to my grandmother in just a second but due to her early training in girl scouts and the avigdor she has very peculiar distance reaching call

and we would hear it starting way down the platform as we got off the train. my brother hated it. it embarrassed him. [laughter] anyway my grandmother was born in iowa just like my grandfather in the same year, 1874 in waterloo and the older two girls girls, charles and florence wead henry. when she was about 11 florence's health was such that she had asthma but charles henry thought it might need better to move the family to california. they arrived first in whittier and then after a little bit they went up to monterey and made their home in monterey. it was lucky for my great grandfather that he had a tomboy

for an older daughter because they would take off into the sierras or the coast range or wherever camping exploring. she was a tomboy and there's a lovely picture of her when she was 17. she looked like annie get your gun. she had the pack and sitting with a rifle like this you know. she had a very puffy sense of humor. she was quite an athlete. she loved the outdoors and i will get to that in a minute because california meant a great deal to her. she went to san jose normal school, got her teaching certificate and she happened one afternoon to go to a speech by dr. brenner of stanford of the university who was talking about mining engineering.

she suddenly thought, that's what i want. it has everything in the outdoors that i love so she went after the talk to him and said the think a woman's could take this course and he said i don't see why not. so she was the first woman to receive a mining engineering degree ever. the lab assistant was my grandfather and he went after graduation he went to australia to work for a brief mining company a gold mining company in australia. a couple of years later had just graduated from stanford and she received a cable. he asked her to marry him.

he had been engaged by the chinese government to go to china and would she marry him. she wired back, yes. so he arrived to monterey one day and they were married the next day and they took off that night on a slow boat to china. [laughter] that's how they started their married life. she had a remarkable ability to hear and understand languages. she picked up mandarin chinese with a tutor immediately and not just the speaking of that but also the calligraphy of it. she handled her whole household and chinese at that time. and of course that was when it took over and they finally had to leave but it was a very exciting time for young bride. i know there are lots of tales of her being oblivious to

gunfire etc. but what i wanted to get around to is the fact that they went all around the world. he would have mining opportunities in places like irma australia, outback. the home office was london so both my father and my uncle were born in london. she had a very remarkable capability because you never knew where you were going to be. you couldn't take a whole lot of your belongings with you to set up a household so she chose a few things that would make it always seem icon. that could be at any camp in leonardo all of the places that i was with richard. and my richard who is down here too. my husband.

that would be home but i think always in the back of her mind she knew that where she really wanted to make her homeless california. when i finally had an opportunity she designed the house and they built what we call the house on the hill at stanford university. i can remember going there as a child. i remember that much more than i remember the white house. i can tell you all kinds of things about the white house but i'm sure these girls have more present things to tell you about life in the white house. i wanted to get across to the fact that no matter where she went where there was in england or rallying the women to help get all the stranded foreigners, americans home when the war broke out or whatever she undertook kind of was making her

wait until she could come back to california. one of the main things of her growing up but she did with camping and everything was juliette juliette lowe of the girl scouts quickly latched onto her her and she became a prime moving force in the girl scouts. she was national president several times and she felt that the training opportunity that one could have in the girl scouts would prepare young woman for the past use of her life. she was not a person who polarized situations. she was the person that said how can i fit in and make this work the best? that is how she managed to live in rangoon and perth and places like that. how can i make the best of where

i am. her life with the girl scouts there were a lot of values. it was not a privilege to be a girl scout because there were no troops where i lived. but her early training was very formidable for that. she had a great deal of presence presence gracious. her nickname to those around her was the lady, not lady bird at the lady. and her granddaddy was achieved. so we have the chief and the lady. thank you.

give me a drink of water. thank you. not at this time of day. [laughter] i am not lemonade luci and my grandfather was in the white house at the time of the prohibitions that we had to watch those things. [laughter] i will jot back just a bit. six weeks ago i was in west branch i was celebrating their 120th anniversary of my grandmother's birth. if you didn't think that made me feel old. and i had with me a daughter and a son and a grandson who had come also. i thought my goodness i am a bridge between the the turn of the century which is almost 100 years ago and my children and my

grandchildren. i have three grandchildren. i think that's about all i'm going to get after five children of my own. so what i did was to tell them about my grandmother. i thought i was supposed to talk mostly about my grandmother and not about my life in the white house. she was remarkable. she had a remarkable sense of humor. she was very athletic. when i was 11 years old and she was 68 she took me on a two-week packing trip behind yosemite. [laughter] we had a marvelous time and there is a marvelous picture of her sitting on a horse and she had a big brand and she was as happy as can be. now i wanted to get back to why she loved california so. it was the epitome of heaven is

far she was concerned and she built this house at stanford. you could look out across the santa clara valley and the architecture is very unusual. it's a so the dash sort of hopi indian. it has levels that go like this like adobe style. little stairways that take you up and you can get up to the very top and see everywhere. she only lived there from 1933 until 1943. at that point my grandfathers activities really required his being in new york city. he found the waldorf was really the place where he could meet with people. he had to have people around him all the time and so she finally agreed to move back permanently

with him. they gave the house on the hill at stanford to stanford to be used as the presidents house. so she moved back in 1943. she passed away in february. i don't think the dash of new york city were quite the same as ours out here. later on you can ask me questions but i think i have given you a little bit about idea of what she was like. [applause] and i did that without notes. [inaudible]

well i am getting properly educated. that is what life in the white house is, a continuous education. where did all the years go? as i watched with tender recollection it seems like yesterday that tricia nixon cox was graciously hugging me and whispering in my ear, don't worry, we will invite you back. [laughter] the scene was january 20, 1969 the day president nixon was inaugurated read my family left the white house as its residents for the last time. mother had always referred to the white house as the ultimate in public housing. [laughter]

so we had never thought of ourselves of any other way except tenants. nevertheless this chapter of our lives was over and that left me with emotions that surfaced in tears welling up in my eyes, tears of gracious tricia notice. there is a common bond that i believe unites all residents of the white house regardless of age, gender or politics. it's a bond of shared experience, having been there. it's that bond that is brought me here today to share with you what life was like for me during those five years of my father's presidency. where did it all begin? everyone who was able to recall november 22, 1963 noses at the where they were and what they were doing when president kennedy was shot. what is exceptional about my situation is how much it impacted my life on all fronts

and forever. i was a junior in high school 16-year-old student at national cathedral school for girls. i was just entering a spanish class when a fellow student came running in and announced that president kennedy had been shot. these words were like a blow to my chest. a metal -- matter of moments the bills began to churn barely a sound that will forever be known in my memory. sever hundred girls a rose without a word and march double file toward the jena this served as our chapel. we marched and then we knelt as if commanded by an unspoken power that consumed us all. somehow everyone knew instinctively tragedy had struck and we all had to dismiss our adolescent focus.

the ministers announced the unspeakable that president kennedy and governor connolly had both been shot and that their condition was unknown but what was known was that they needed our prayers. we prayed. then we were dismissed. to this day i do not know what others did the except that i wanted out in eight days into the courtyard. i had no recollection of what stayed with me. all i recall was being very much alone and very scared. i had never known violence personally before. the unknown devastated me and paralyze me. what would be president kennedy's fake? will be governor connolly stayed? no one has even mentioned my father and i knew he was with them. what happened to daddy? president kennedy was my president but he was also my father's boss and my friend. governor john connolly was my

governor but he was much more to me. he and his family had been my families all of my life. we had all lived in the same house work together. together played together. where were my parents? i heard footsteps and then a voice yelling man on campus -- was what it meant. i looked up and realized it was my father's secret service agent agent. i knew then what fate had rendered. i try to run it away as if that childish act would reverse the offense. jean yelled at me to come back and i did. i will always be grateful to the secret service for the sensitivity they showed in sending someone that i knew. i buried my head in jean's arms. he confirmed the unspeakable. president kennedy was dead.

uncle johnny was in surgery and expected to live. daddy would soon be back on his way to washington. we went to the head mistress's office where jean told me he would need to take me home. once they are i was desperate to do something that i thought would be useful. in the south when someone died we would eyes make a casserole. i knew that this would not be that sort of situation. [laughter] yet i couldn't abide the limbo that i was in. apart me felt that somehow if i kept a vigil at the television i would somehow serve some sort of doodle full world. another part of me felt i needed to do something did matter what but to do something. after my parents return i knew there was little time for mundane but necessary projects. i was right. life was never the same for me

out of -- after november 22 1963. after the funeral i went back to school. one morning i heard probably the closest thing i ever witness to an argument between my parents. daddy told mother they were going to move into the white house on december 7. mother responded any day but that day. my father said alas that they work the best for mrs. kennedy to move out and for the secret service for us to move in. i couldn't for the life of me understand why mother was making such a fuss about it. as a post-world war ii baby had no appreciation for wide that move was such a big deal to my normally ultra-accommodating mother. over the next five years in the white house i came to have a much greater appreciation for historical events like the december 7 bombing of pearl harbor and its impact on my

parents generation. we moved on december 7 and mother never said another word about it. our first night in the white house i nearly burned it down. [laughter] mother and daddy needed a few hours off so after the move they went to walter jenkins and jenkins daughter beth spent the night with me. my first night in a white house was my first chance to appreciate some of the comfort privileges of being a member the first family. my new bedroom had the unbelievable luxury of a fireplace in my bedroom. we decided to light a fire. within a matter of moments my room was full of smoke. i douse the fire with glasses of water and groped my way through the smoke saturated room to the window. luckily below me was a card. as i was just forgot i was

horrified that the officer might look up. it was mortified but the smoke was stifling. i didn't have the luxury of calling and looking the other way. i managed to open the eight-foot window. with the guards saw or didn't see he never mentioned and i certainly didn't ask. in a matter of moments long after any need for help, had passed help came. my first week in the white house i spent helping get the smoke stain off of my walls. the teenagers life and the white house is accompanied by the answer to every teenage mothers prayers and the embodiment of every team's worst nightmare. a 24-hour mandatory law enforcement chaperone. [laughter] ..

>> >> as often as midnight on sunday on the campaign trail. in the summer i held my first job during the week to campaign. i would love my work to literally savage my academic life ideas my a trading over

the next 20 years there are always upside and downside to the life in the white house i gave the my big year at summer camp because i thought the secret service would ruin it for others but instead i found a lifelong volunteer commitment one of my favorite campaign stories is in south dakota i was in my mother's room went over heard a conversation with my mother. mother was booked and didn't feel comfortable on the

campaign trail and this is the only weaken off since the campaign had begun. and jack said lucy had every right for the weekend off but the campaign was desperate. we had no alternatives. klay heard them say the handwriting was on blowball i knew there is no way i could persuade them that my date should take precedence. my only hope was to avoid confrontation i stepped into my closet thinking they would not look for me. they came when they didn't see me they called the secret service to confirm that was in the white house so they decided to wait until i came back. [laughter] after 20 minutes i realize i could not sit in there any

longer i appeared. that would be my destiny. the campaign could make me go but i would be sorry i would have the least creches attitude ever. but i discovered to my for was some of the nicest people in the world live in spearfish south dakota. [laughter] to realize how hard it is to be resentful when people are appreciative and loving? [laughter] and then i could not even be tacky. but the people were just too nice. ignorance breeds prejudice i was pretty a jury about what my parents were going through when said rabbi was much less judgmental by the time the campaign was over i

no longer felt like an outsider. for my first day in the white house i realized i needed to educate myself this was all i and my to do list but never made my calendar. my senior year in high school i realized i would never get along on my own. with to term papers designed one from american history and how it affects the white house. recently the students at school was irrelevant for the perceived future. i just wish more had

tailored experience to enrich their lives as much as those term papers did. after the novelty had worn off i resented living there but never the privileges i was prejudiced about politics to the aid to the term papers with stuart painting of big stiffs picture of george washington. every time i see his face i envision it i felt immense pride to risk her life when

the british burned the capitol in 1812. but the residents have made to which. i was able to the kennedys so i converted it into a pantry and kitchen and dining room. to eat next to the public room. i donated my personal salary of a toilet paper holder that was left behind a pantry door. somehow these discoveries made it a more timing experience somehow i never again felt so alone. i graduated from high school from the dean of the

cathedral announced during the campaign. in september entered georgetown university but if i stayed my hardest she thought a cab the 2.zero gpa [laughter] she might as well said it was because my daughter was president of united states because of my development told vision problem have gone unsolved for so long. the first semester i had 3.four gpa with the national catholic women's honor society. it was sweet revenge. ironically the made my peace of politics through the campaign and wife in the of life hell -- life in the white house to feel normal deal the way i could envision that to happen was to bury my way out.

[laughter] so that 19 years one month than today's i married i was the first wedding in the white house in 50 years even though it took place in the shrine because a reception took place in the white house i wanted to be buried in a church and there were too many people memories about the kennedy funeral. so to be oblivious how politically incorrect it was hiroshima was bombed on this day two years before my birth my wedding was picketed. my son was born just before my father met the leader in the ussr. to agonize then he credited

the where he said to the prime minister of the soviet union might understand you have grandchildren my first fran job was born we bought what they want peace but we have a chance that most don't have that we can do something about it and let's get to work. april 11 my exciseman became one of the of many volunteers of vietnam. he joined the national guard when i met him but we could not convince the world that i range that he served one year sure that somehow he was getting preferential treatment. to was at the white house often when he was overseas each night while they were

facing more the last words i would hear is how many boys did you kill today? your not isolated from the protesters. of all of my white house memories then give me that the english image of my father night after night watching the vietnam casualties he so desperately wanted out of the war it was tearing apart his presidency. no one had more to game - - game but yet a peaceful resolution eluded him. while my brother-in-law was literally of the way to vietnam my father announced he would not seek another term he was willing to give up his political career which was his life to try to

bring us to the peace table. but anyways i lost my youth in the white house but i was an eye witness to history of privilege to receive and what will always revere. i have been on the front row when the public accommodations was signed in the front row with the voting rights act i went to independence misery so harry truman forced health-insurance received the first medicare card and i witnessed the citing of medicare and elementary and secondary education signed into law the one of the first volunteers for project headstart i watch my father tries so hard to and chief so much we have come so far on january 20th when

tricia nixon notice those tears and i i. is -- in my eyes. [applause] >> also mrs. reagan and more rain to have this year it is a privilege. the all the other one i had then to was my father's is interesting to see how it is different. i could listen to the receiver ever because i did the same thing 10 years later i know things changed and then they changed since we were there but the white house belongs to everybody in america but only if you get to live there to learn

the secrets and the nooks and crannies to breathe the history. americans are understandably very curious about what goes on at the white house and what is life like on a day-to-day basis that is why all if you are here today. you can imagine in the questions we have been asked from the mundane to the magnificent i only wish i had a diary of what questions i have been answered. but, we got there in the unusual way but my days started with a note from longworth the daughter of theodore roosevelt and she said have one hell of a good time. [laughter] i took that to heart. [laughter] some of the things that stick out in the mind it was

always an issue at the white house. and then to be criticized from the press but they stuck up for us to say leave the kids alone. but for her sticking up for us that did not always work out to my vantage my mother did an interview for "60 minutes". [laughter] that basically i could have an affair. and did you can imagine being a 17 year-old teenager going now with guys who has seen your mother on tv. [laughter]

and in any event but it is between living in a convent along with some secret service agents when your parents said you could not do what you used to do before you had them because when we lived there and i would stand in front of the clock so they could not see what time it was. i am home but she would never looked at the clock. they didn't have to stay up because they would just call down to say what time did susan indebted? it was logged this ideal left this time you came back it is all of the record.

[laughter] but all they said in the views of a normal girl became of interest to lots of people. i was writing a column in seventeen magazine. i show those to my daughter nl they read that it was great to get the vip treatment in one particular evening of course, i was in in total of. but i was a engaged to rod stewart. [laughter] there are great disadvantage is.

but have the people i don't know who they talk about. that is pretty cool but we did have the privilege to be there for the bicentennial. that was one of the most wonderful moments to receive memorabilias of every kind and form you cannot imagine and beautiful quilts then the fourth july then to go see the tall ships in new york city that was one of the most incredible savings -- things. that web take a lot to move somebody provide was duly impressed.

it still brings tears to my eyes to think of the patriotism how proud i was to be an american as many parents will understand it is hard to get a teenager not to eat with their fingers so imagine teaching for children let alone a 34x and two nights. [laughter] not only challenging to learn it as fast as we could that is and how my mom set the table in virginia but to learn that we did all the right things. but another fed the story is for the bicentennial coming to new though white house for a state dinner this was

so white tie dinner mother and dad had the prince come up to the family quarters to receive them and as they cavemen up the elevator my brother was standing there with his shirt unbuttoned his socks and no tie he looked at mother like oh no. the queen said that's okay i have one of those at home also. [laughter] we all are very normal. i got to throw the first frisbee of the great wall of china. so everywhere i would go there would follow me

around. when we went to the receiving line all of this said in his eye is list of they goodness the tabloids were not there. [laughter] i used to walking into cabinet meetings there was a few meetings i wouldn't to get my allowance or ask if i could go someplace that was standard and normal i would not walking with dr. kissinger or rockefeller with the people that i knew the staff had it awakening especially since lucy because having teenagers there or if you have lived through them the midnight snack and the friends coming

over we went through bags and bags of potato chips in one day and cayennes of cop you always are looking in the of refrigerator you didn't want to the pretty little cookies. you wanted stuff. [laughter] when we first moved we would make a phone call to go to the white house operators they finally realized that wasn't going to work for me so they just gave me a private line and i think realize it was kind and is to be but i realized it was more for the operator. [laughter] there are voters out there you cannot upset these

people. [laughter] with c of course, got her driver's license eric had mine at the time my dad said you are a girl you dough and need a car until your 18. said the agents had to drive me around on my date but i did escape once which is not a pretty experience. i did get my car brieux's have to leave your keys in the car because of there was an event or a state dinner they would move your car but i did have my own eventually and drove myself around and they would follow me i thought that the schaede and ball was taken off my flight

at that point but to be less than honest if i did not acknowledge the other side to the vigor and the white house is a burden to be so intruded on your public life every detail bisected by the press it is more than living is the glass house but there seems to be a lot of lack of compassion for the first family by the press i certainly would not want to live there today because there really think it has taken some of the dignity away from the first family and respect that we have for the first family. [applause] as a former member of the

press there are people who would disagree but i think if we gave up privacy back to the first family a share more voluntarily. thank you. [applause] >> it was radically different from the one peggy live didn't. >> not only that i did not have secret service. only a nanny. [laughter] >> is about the same. [laughter] the only difference the secret service is like a herd of little brothers.

[laughter] >> but physically it was different that is what brought home to me in 1984 was the centennial under roosevelt and all the members of the family who could not, was part of the roosevelt cousins those who had young children and at that time they came straight down and not the grand staircase so they would tell wonderful stories about getting the huge silver platters use them as toboggans down the staircase [laughter] if he think of what has gone on from abigail had drug --

abigail adams and uphold the nobody has figured out what to do but at the time this year as their her mother found everybody that she could and brought them back and has the story goes says that she wandered through that got to the wonderful invention of the dining room on the second floor that we could eat in our jammies as she wandered around she said i remember this room. here i had not my appendix. [laughter] i would think about that every night when we would sit down to dinner. [laughter] the white house has a sort

the hospitality of all the families that have lived there you feel that not just as the visitor but when you go there to live you leave some of yourself behind as well. it becomes a warmer and more hospitable place one thing i did night at -- notice there was the smell on the second floor there was no sound i said how long does it take to feel comfortable? they said about 30 days. they were right idiocy leica museum anymore but a place to call home. then my husband came for the first time he was there by himself and is in a manic

state don't ever leave me here alone again. [laughter] the quiet is deafening but he got used to a. there were a great many things that we loved. we'll be was up but the and came to the white house quite often and to this day he has never understood why he will be on the south lawn. he would look get our little patch of grass is this it? [laughter] he'd never did understand. i got a great education one day when squirrels to digest grabbed the net and then

take it up they gather then taken up. i did not know that but to relieve did in these happy squirrels were screaming bloody murder as this little poodle is running around to grab everything and he had a mouthful. the people is in the white house who served the white house who are there through many generations is probably the most unique group of individuals i have ever met. and getting down on his hands and knees i remember the chief usher it was the inaugural flight 1985.

the first one was staying at blair house. it was silly to move over there but they did go over for a small glass of champagne. so we had not come back to the white house. and when we caved in i was embarrassed to find him standing in the reception room because usually if i was out late we would say go home or go to bed. i had not said that. age has its privileges of was the last one to come in. i said i am so sorry i apologize he said it happens

only once every four years and i burst into tears you are waiting for somebody else in four years. >> was walking down the tennis court but there was a groundskeeper there i said you know, what is wrong with the bird? could you find out he said no. i really thank you ought to do that so i walked out and i thought no, no, no. excuse me my father will be very unhappy if this bird dies here nobody try to find out what was wrong with it. >> when we got back there is a pigeon wrapped in a towel waiting for the spca to discover that it was dying of old age.

[laughter] but it didn't die in the president's id - - plants. [laughter] but to be although white house grounds there were underprivileged because the trees did not bear any fruit so there were no acorns. said every weekend he would bring up plastic bag of acorns that he had gathered at camp david every day he would put them on the patio outside the oval office every day he would weigh as the squirrels would come to take the acorns and on fridays they would literally be knocking on the glass. [laughter] at the very end to of the illustration there with the meeting held in the oval

office every day very close to the inauguration. the squirrels came to the door then he realized all the years he said my dog would make use of those in my father was incensed in said they place a little plaque to say beware of dog. [laughter] there is a lot of residual effect and that is one of the things of the state floor were taken down and refinished and it was gorgeous. 10 years later there was no

need to take the doors down again but by the time the regins got there it was 30 years later and the build up of the wax and dirt covered up of the and lay so it took money and time but they're all stripped and put back out. wide you want to do that? >> it is several times but needs to be done again. every things like that in different places with the constant upkeep of the beautiful house. but to remember it is not it is the honest to goodness house built by a president and george washington to be a place for national

entertainment. then he began the process. we had our share of fighting like we have a pitcher but my husband says i know you are here somewhere. [laughter] but it is okay. but there was a lady in waiting traveling who was a piece of work. [laughter] she happened to be seated next to my husband and was very mild mannered and

doesn't get upset too often but she would carry on about how the privacy had dead just so a devastated to renovated their trip and on and on. and then try to explain of the state department security. but then you have to understand they would feel a great friendship and if anything happened to there would be devastated. of course, we would make every effort and that did not stop her and he said perhaps a few paid more attention it would still be alive.

[laughter] >> i said i think that is wonderful. [laughter] carry on. the lighthouse operators a wonderful group of people for somebody who'd traveled in 1980 i was in 27 states but then i was in all 50 some as many as a times free travel to hundred 50,000 miles in one year. but i was in the state of california five days. period. and when you travel all the

time the phone will bring and isn't where are you? that is right almost title the book. so many times in 1985 we brought in a cruz in the mediterranean and a reporter that was less than professional decided we were targets of this hijacking but had nothing to do with us but it made a great story so when we got to london that we finally got a hold of the hijackers i called him from london people were coming up to us in the middle of paris i love to be an american. i called the switchboard said he was awake and i said

you are really great team and he said where are you? i said london. [laughter] within two fighter donald regan and i was in taipei and i called him somebody called me at 5:00 in the morning to say wake up you were on the news so i said you are brilliant where are you. [laughter] that have been so lot. you could see they would dispute everything. one day president reagan was looking at a piece of legislation and. and then had a very sleepy voice and said where are

you? it is australia 3:00 in the morning is a something i can do for you? he said it is said to meet. it is an impostor. [laughter] key as a switchboard it if he could awaken somebody in the middle of the night but i would go to room the only dead in the room would fit my husband he thinks i married him only for that. 617 inches of would say could you please find my husband? and 45 minutes would go by. he was probably having dinner but they were so

mortified they could not find him. can we get you a beeper? they didn't want to say they could not find him they said he is probably eating dinner and he will call when he gets back but they were super. my claim to fame was eight years i dialed to whoever answers coming-of-age know who it was. >> except. >> is is not that easy anymore. i had to give a list from helen thomas. [laughter] it was a fantastic experience.

every day i would look out through the trees and by the time you get there you know, it is a finite amount of time and will magowan for ever and then when they finally people of the paint off you to see the flame marks from the war of 1812 and you really begin to feel the history even more than any other time. the memories fade time does that. is every day i try to regenerate those memories as i was there to make sure everything was taken care of to take pictures of different times of the year of certain things but i was

always privileged to be there because a lot of people worked to make that happen. i always wanted to be able to recreate those people that since of community. weird hair because of you. >> but never stopped and the like everybody else when it comes time to leave, i cried. [applause] >> maurer has spoken of her

own but everybody has a sense of privilege and i want to thank them again for sharing a lively and intimate look at white house history. we have a few minutes for questions. i haven't heard from our some time but but but the other is about the little girl but when i was entering

first grade at age six, six, 1933, i did have a secret service then. and in the car it was a sensational blue roadster in and if we were good i could ride in the rumble seat. at school we were picked up a couple of years later to wait to go home but the little girl i was with had a great time the mother came for her and looked at me

then snatched her daughter and said i don't let you playing with her she is responsible for your father of losing his job. i don't know i think we do realize that my parents had so many of their own problems years ago day did not realize the children were dealing also. i had to deal and tell i was >> so much for the unhappy parts. year wanted roller skating. [laughter] we did that have that. we would roller skate on the third floor.

[laughter] not the second floor like you did. the it up there, there were but it's it was all stored in a big closet but from that room my brother and i was ted hyde we would use our roller skates.

that we had the secret service come down from above the of nmb have a son who is a helicopter pilot.

he would practice landing. it was one end of those airships stick mickey would come at 10:00 at night. i would say oh no. i would switch the light with a piece of flight to land on. then he would take off again. but i never know. [laughter] >> let the people come up with questions to the microphone. >> there is the famous story

that is true that she was mischievous thinking that she word hide this to rich about smoking a cigarette to say do you know that the children would be to his children regularly? [laughter] >> during the nixon administration she would come up with like the storm trooper because the guards did not recognize her. [laughter] >> my husband and i just came from a trip from washington d.c. with the tour through the white house and is the thrill for me. one of the key stories when you had your senior prom and

a hundred and six people attended of a but to hear you elaborate. >> and the only one ever held there. [laughter] i was a freshman in said college i was going to a private girls school in washington the was going to be for u.s. president. then they can my dad asked to do you think? i said i don't know let me check, with my parents and the chief usher of the white house. my dad said i shall have any problem but i want to reassure the school pays for all the refreshments and the flowers not the taxpayers.

we had more parents volunteer to chaperon. [laughter] my parents went out of town actually they ran out of country so they flew in my aunt i lived on my third floor the brothers were in college or on could do branch -- do rand toward getting their masters. so they knew i would have four or five girls spend the night plus the college board is to come in on the weekend and she did to put everybody into their quarters. [laughter] >> finally one who got to

sleep with a man in the white house. [laughter] >> but there were some disadvantages at hotels you can spike the punch but we had a blast it was a wonderful i do like the video it was great fun and. they shot it at midnight and we went to prom in the after parties. >> another good use for the east room. [laughter] >> good morning. >> this is a question for susan. what is the most fun they've

ever had in the white house aide have never shared with anybody? [laughter] >> we are waiting. [laughter] >> comeback to vapor really have to think about that. >> i have another one. lucy your father faced many crisis in vietnam was chief among them but what was the most poignant moment? >> that is easy. watching a movie is one tough to advantages we have their own movie theater. that was before videos it was real. my father called over and

said i think i am going to need a house of prayer tonight by a roman catholic convert so faith is a strong part of my life he thought i could do something and he said finding church that might reopen in the al gore of the evening. can you do that? i said sure. he said i will get back to you. so i went to a church to the roman catholic church and i called him up is a possible for us to come over anytime during the night? i have a friend i did not

say who it was. and they said certainly. at about midnight or 1:00 might bother said that project have you been able to do with anything? he said meet me at the diplomatic reception room. i said yes, sir,. we got into the car there was a private chapel and the parade. but he made this request i just prayed for his concerns because they knew was very stressful.

ikeda komen mother was gone he said i don't want to be alone tonight will use it in my room? i said insurer. he never said anything end. >> at 6:00 in the morning the phone rings my father said yes? yes. thank god. and hung up. i said what happened? we bombed this morning and all the men had just come back alive.

teefour nick back . .