. >> you heard gramm smith was here for abraham lincoln vampire hunter andrews said i need to follow that up. >> that is where i got the idea to launch here. [laughter] >> i think the staff and without you we could not make these shows success to. [applause] >> thank you very much it is the pleasure to be here, i am honored to deliver the lecture. my greatest books, i have to confess it is my only book. [laughter] i spent 30 years going to saudi arabia as day editor talking to officials about oil, iraq, iran, u.s., geopo litical issues. when i return all -- retired from the "journal" one thing i was interested in doing with my new found time was trying to understand saudi society. what did the society looks like? how did they look at their rulers, us? as i speak about saudi arabia people constantly ask me why did you do that? why did you spend five years going bear dressed -- they're dressed in black. my editors said why did you do this? i said because of interest be. she said paris is interesting. [laughter] why did you do this? may meander stand that was her own the editing point*.