that, you know, were hard to n win. and from all these guys, dick case, but particularly from john, i learned so much about how to litigate cases in the sense that from john particularly what i learned was learned was that it's not for the lawyer to be the star. it's for the witness to be the star. it's for the people with the factual knowledge to be the ones who convey their convictions and their facts. >> dick told me when you're trying to find out what happened, you got to go and sit in some somebody's kitchen and talk in their kitchen about what went on, and not just bring them

to their office or put hem in a chair. you have to really -- you got to make them the subject, and the other thing -- i learned that john agreed with that totally. that was his approach. i found in my career that sometimes the lawyer gets congratulated for being the great lawyer by the jury who is just lost. it is the merit of close attention to packets and testimony such that you find things, either points of agreement or disagreement or sometimes things not by nixon did not tell gray.

president mixon did not ti tell gray what he move. that requires close attention to records and documents and testimony, and in the today's litigation world it's hard to do that because of emails. emails generate such a mass of information that it's too much. if we had emails, can you imagine if we had emails? it would have been -- six months wouldn't have been enough time. you can't digest, but you have to do them today because they often contain critical evidence. it's just that attention to detail. >> i think john felt it was important to take the time because you can't do this in a month, do this right, if you are really going to look hard and see.

it's important not to create an expectation that something is going to be resolved through some topic where it's not going to happen. and i remember -- i said why do we send people over to germany? maybe i wanted to visit germany. i can't remember. we were the manufacturer of the tape-recorder to understand, you know, exactly what it would take, and john was not in favor of doing that, and he said it was going to create an expectation that would be -- it's not going to happen. you're going to go over there, and there's not going to be anything, and then you'll have created an expectation, and people will be drawing inferences, one bigger than others, of what you didn't find rather than focussing on the evidence that really exists. expectation is important. obviously, it's important in the

political realm too of not creating political -- but he was talking more about evidentiary expectations. >> when do you think you shifted from being an inquiry to litigation. he is becoming a litigator. >> to a certain point we are presenting sarin case. we're drafting articles, and john, as you know, was reluctant. the staff never got to take any position. john was reluctant, and he did not really do so medical just before the vote where you clearly did take a position. i think it's not a point many time. it is as the process goes forward the question is there a case for impeachment.

is there a case? is there not a case? as time goes by there's more and more evidence that might be a case, but if you're adopt this approach that john had to see a whole pattern of picture, as time goes by, the needle -- you know, it's creeping up in the sense of is there a case for impeachment? as time goes by, you became more certain. you get to the point where it's clearly and convincingly that there is going to be such a case. i can't remember a specific point. i think it may be about the time i did this. i can't remember the exact date of that list. it was certainly after as he reviewed all the evidence,

listening to tapes. i can't remember the exact moment, but that was a moment too of the needle having gone beyond that there is a case. i would say i arrived with an expectation, certified committee expectation that it would be a quick process to decide that that was a case, that i wouldn't be down there for maybe a couple months, three months. that it would be a quick process. there is a case, no case, but it really did take this time to do that both because we had a process from the comprehensive evaluation of the evidence and because we had to do other things that you couldn't spend just all your time thinking

about the ultimate issues. >> i remember, but i just saw in my head is going to exexplode. there's so many things going on. brain pain. actual pain in your brain from too much -- there's another needle in your brain. it's over on the red side, and it was because we were trying to get our manufacturings ready, trying to think about, you know, what it all added up to, and at the same time we had to draft justifications for the manufacturings requests. we had made information requests that arguably were sort of self-just filing. you read them, and that makes sense, but the committee wanted the detailed essence about why this information was needed. wubl dos at every all of these things in a compressed period of time, and it caused brain panic.

>> you're watching american history tv. where every week we bring you eyewitness accounts of the people and events that have shaped our nation. saturdays at 8:00 a.m., sundays at 3:00 p.m., and mondays at 4:00 a.m. eastern on c-span 3. >> all weekend american history tv is joining our media comcable partner in jefferson city, missouri, to showcase its rich history. to lrn more about our local content vehicles and our 2012 tour, visit c-span.org/local content. we now continue with our rook at

jefferson city. this is american history tv on c-span 3. this is not our first state capital here in jefferson city. this is actually our third one. what makes it unique from other state capitols, we only used the resources found in missouri to create it, and we didn't use wood in the construction of the building because of the fear of fire, but all the walls, the outside, this is all carthage marble from missouri. it's not a true marble. it's a limestone. the big pride is that all these materials are from missouri. world war i was type of and going on during this time frame, and there's building that did cost about $3.5 million to create the building, and the people in missouri had to buy bonds to actually build this. they were so grateful, they actually bought $4.5 million worth. the extra $1 million that was

set aside not just for the construction of the building was used for the decoration of the building. it was one of the reasons why we have all the artwork inside the building. currently right now you're m house lounge, and the house lounge originally was used for the representatives to come while they weren't in session inside the chambers. the story inside this room in the house lounge and this is a moourl done by thomas heart beenton. very strong missouri artist. very popular and famous in his time frame. he is considered one of the fathers of regionalism in the united states as to this art work. the painting here is called the social history of missouri. it's how missouri came to be through everyday people, which he thought was the most important. this starts from the earliest time when the settlers first came to missouri, first establishing the first city st. genevieve, establishing friendships with the osage indians and developing trade with them to the pioneers first coming out west and making their first homestead stop here in

missouri before maybe possibly going farther out west from here. from there you go to the building stages. developing a state that we know today and major cities and towns and counties. you know, history is not always the greatest -- always good. it has to be bad as well. we did start as a slave state, but we were also the first state to free the slaves because we didn't fall in the emancipation probleming clamation. it only affected the southern states. since we were the union with the slaves well, actually wrote our own and put ours in place before the federal government put theirs in. farming was probably the biggest issue we have here in missouri. it's the biggest thing we do. the beef production to corn and grains and rice and to everything in between. the city developments in the st. louis and the kansas city. you know, at one point we were the only state in the united states to have two cities over a

million people. kansas city and st. louis. st. louis, of course, mn for its breweries, anheuser-busch, fall staff, and it was probably forgotten about because it's the first people to bring lauger beer into the united states. kansas city with its huge stock yards and train depots and to help spread those goods and funds all across the united states. lots of controversy. he depicted the good and the bad in his history. he just didn't want to say one side of the things, so on the wall there's an issue of slave roadway the wall. you'll see the trial members being given alcohol by the french traders, which was a fair trade back in the day. during the civil war. there's a picture that depicts that time frame of a man being hung. probably the biggest contention the painting is the fact that

there's a child on here that's showing its rearend. worse yet, the mother is changing a dirty diaper. something they really didn't care for to see and couldn't believe he put something on the wall like that. he had to verify everything on the wall to be historically correct. and he did. when he fwot to the child, he just said none of us would be here if our parents didn't change our diapers. it's still caused lots of problems. there is tom pentragast on the wall, a political mob boss in the city during his time frame. he actually went to prison. he died shortly after that. there was a lot of things they couldn't believe he put on the wall. a lot of people, like jesse james. you know, he was an outlaw. why would you put something like that on the wall? you know, there's a progression of missouri from the very beginning to the modern age. his modern age of 1936 when he

painted the painting. the nice thing about the capital is you have an appeasing outside of a roman construction design is one of the most beautiful capitol to physically look at. 17 acres of the walk around in. she happen to look beautiful in the rotunda area, and the mural a welsh artist who paint these in england. this is a man who never even saw the capitol in person or even stepped poot in the state of missouri. they do. they bring the capitol together through some of the missouri history that he read about and using his own technique, which is more of a european technique. there is a half-moon pabting and we talk about the history of the resources found in missouri.

the busts are of people that are famous for living in missouri that had an impact around the world. all weekend american history tv is featuring jefferson city, missouri. our local content vehicles recently travelled there to learn about its rich history. learn more about jefferson city and c-span's local content vehicles at c-span.org/local content. next month we'll feature louisville, kentucky. you're watching american history tv all weekend, every weekend on c-span 3. robert caro is the author of the years of lyndon johnson. the fourth book in his series is titled "the passage of power"

and it captures l.b.j. in the years from 1958 to 1964. its transition from the u.s. senate to the presidency. up next mr. caro's keynote address during a symposium aimed at a great society policy and politics that franklin d. roosevelt and lyndon b. johnson. this is about 50 minutes. thank you, president. it is altogether appropriate that this conference be held at hunter college, and at roosevelt house where we will convene tomorrow. he was a protege of president roosevelt who served as president when l.b.j. was he first elected to congress in 1936. l.b.j., a new dealer by background and heart believed in

f.d.r. and his vision for america. in many ways the seeds of l.b.j.'s great society were planted many the fields of f.d.r.'s new deal. as johnson often said to his aides during his administration, i really intend to finish franklin roosevelt's revolution, but l.b.j.'s passion for social justice came well before f.d.r. landed in the white house. in 1965 before a joint session of congress, l.b.j. talked about an experience as a young man that may have been among the most formative of his life. >> my first job after college was as a teacher in texas in a small mexican-american school. few of them could speak english, and i couldn't speak much spanish. my students were poor, and they

often came to class without breakfast, hungry. they move even in their youth the pain of prejudice. they never seemed to know why people disliked hem. i ended up wishing there was more i could do. all i knew was to teach them the little that i knew, hoping that it might help them against the hardships that lay ahead. and somehow you never forget what poverty and hatred can do when you see its scars on the hopeful face of a young child.

i never thought then in 1928 that i would be standing here in 1965. it never even occurred to me many my pondest dreams that i might have the chance to help the sons ask daughters of those students and to help people like them all over this country. but now i do have that chance. and i will let you in on a secret. i mean to use it. >> with memories of those mexican-american schoolchildren seared in his conscious and strife alive and well in america in the mid 1960s, l.b.j. took his own revolution where f.d.r. had not. enlisting in the cause of civil

rights and put a legal end to racial apartheid in america. in november 1963 on what was the sec full day of his presidency, johnson called martin luther king jr. and initiated what would become among the most productive and important partnerships of the 20th century. >> i heard about your statement i guess on tv, wasn't it? >> yeah, that's right. >> i have been locked up ms office, and i want to tell you how grateful i am and how worthy i'm going to be and all your hopes. >> i am so happy to hear that, and i knew that you had a great spirit, and you know you have our spirit. we know what a difficult period this is. >> it's a difficult and possible period. we have a budget coming up.

it's practically several made, and we have the civil rights bill that hasn't passed the house, and everybody wants to go home. we have a tax bill they haven't touched. we just got -- we will not let up on any of them and keep going, and i guess we'll say that i'm going to ask the congress why is it that you stay there and won't do it, but we'll just keep them right next to do it, and we just won't give up an inch. >> well, this is mighty fine. i think it's so -- i think one of the great tributes that we can say in memory of president kennedy is to try to win back some of the great progressive policies that he sought to initiate. >> you can count on that, and i'm going to do my best to get other men to do likewise, and i'll have to have y'all's help. i never needed more than i do now. >> well, you know you have it, and feel free to call on me for anything. >> call me when you -- >> i sure will. call me when you're down here

next time. >> i certainly will. >> let's get together and any suggestions you got, recommend. >> fine. i certainly will do that. >> thank you so much. >> thank you. >> all men are created equal is an inherent part of the american creed. by working with martin luther king and others towards the civil rights acts of 1964 and 1968, the voting rights act of 1965 and other civil rights measures l.b.j. more than any other president helped to fulfill the promise of equal rights for all americans. that legislation came at a cost. when swron son's friend and mentor democratic senator richard russell of georgia warned him that passage of the civil rights act of 1964 would result in the democratic party's loss in a southern state and his loss of the presidency m fall election, johnson replied if that is the price for this bill,

i will gladly pay. in fact, the democrats did lose the south. johnson won the election of 1964 in a landslide. he used that mandate to fulfill other promises. and medicare had to start federal aid for education, immigration reform, environmental conservation, and taking measures to weaken poverty's hold in america. as the poverty rate plunged from 20% to 12% during the course of his administration. the great society might have swept even further into american life if not for the mire of vietnam, a conflict johnson inherited from presidents eisenhower and kennedy. as l.b.j. escalated the war with no resolution in sight, divisions spread throughout the country. on any given day in the latter part of his presidency, protesters could be heard outside of the white house gates chanting "hey, hey, l.b.j., how

many kids did you kill today?" l.b.j. agonized over the war that resulted in the loss of 36,000 u.s. troops by the end he he wanteded his white house reign in 1969. it continues to resonate. uniting us today far beyond the divisions of yesteryear. come let us reason together was johnson's favorite biblical passage. by reaching across the aisle, appealing to reason, and fostering togetherness, he not only continued f.d.r.'s revolution, but left his own indelible mark on america. while he may have been the consequence mat politician, his ultimate aim was to use his power to do the greatest good for the greatest number. hey, hey, l.b.j., my, oh, my, we could use you today. [ applause ]

>> is currently an advisory board member for the public policy institute and as president mentioned a catalyst for this conference. ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming to the stage joe. >> i'm 1257ding between you and robert caro, so i'll be short. bob caro is fascinated with the exercise of power and those who

exercise it. it led him to write the power broker, his brilliant biography that set all new standards for political biography. >> bob caro is london johnson's most demand and meticulous biographer. bob is fond of saying that, and i quote, understand how you not only have to show how it is used, but also its affect on those on whom it is used. you have to show the affect of power on the powerless. month wonder he has become obsessed with lyndon johnson. bob caro has worked for 40 years to give the world l.b.j. with the bark off, his highs and

lows, how this president gave new meaning to the word maceavelian and he gave new hope to those among us. robert caro gives no quarter to the subjects he writes about, so we should all take notice of what he wrote about the president in master much the senate, his third johnson volume. in the 20th century caro wrote with its 18 american presidents, lyndon johnson was the greatest champion of black americans and mexican-americans and, indeed, all americans of color had in the white house. the greatest champion they had in all the halls of government. he was the lawmaker for the poor and downtrodden and the oppressed. the president who wrote mercy and justice into the statute books by which america was governed. bob caro's three volumes on l.b.j. have already won him a second pulitzer prize and a

second national book award and too many other prizes and accolades for me to mention in any introduction. one thing i'm certain, l.b.j. has given bob caro plenty of material to win even more prizes with the next volume, passage of power about the years from 1958 to 1964 when johnson was vice president which will be out in may and with his final volume on the white house years and beyond due out in a couple of years. indeed, publisher's weekly and the issue coming out on april 1st is already called his new -- his forthcoming volume compelling, insightful, and one that will thrill all those who care about american politics. >> bob, back there -- bob has spent some 40 years with lyndon johnson, and he looks great.

bill moyers and i spent three years each with him in the white house, and we're still exhausted every time we think about it. ladies and gentlemen, the great bob caro. >> thank you. >> that was such a nice introduction that i'm reminded of what lyndon johnson used to say when he used to get an especially nice introduction. he used to say he wished his parents were alive to hear it because his father would have loved it and his mother would have believed it. you know what winston churchill said when he was asked where he was in his great biography of lord malboro. he said i'm working on the fifth of a projected four volumes. well, not to equate myself with winston churchill, but i'm in