substantively, moving from that he listens to everyone and he's sober, john adams, we left john adamshe adams family but he's not the world's best western. you might think jefferson's great, thomas jefferson is so ideological he can't hear what he doesn't want to hear. sound familiar? we have a problem today and i am tso impressed that washington doesn't have strong ideological commitment let's get to the facts. i want to hear both sides carefully and then i will make up my mind jefferson is not the world's best listener and john adams is not the world's best listener and some of these people are better at projecting but washington substitute idea is union. just like franklin, he understands joint or die and on the very page, right or die appears on that same page. there's a reference to the young officer george washington, benjamin franklin talking about george washington at age 22, he understands from a military view that unless the colonies hang together, independent states in 1776, they are done for so is a continental list and whose at his right hand? without the american revolut

john adams said his gift of silence, john adams couldn't have but it made a difference and i was surprised on several occasions he wept in public, not embarrassed about. he had feelings and he showed them. that ability was something that mattered as well so i tried to take this understanding i was working toward, how you remade himself on congress in 1774, george washington, the guy we recognized as george washington and then looked at specific episodes where he demonstrates the political talent he's developed and a quick overview, i focus on seven months at valley forge when the army was at risk of unraveling, he needed to build bridges to make that work, he needed to rebel and effort to replace commander-in-chief, a bureaucratic to get him out. it turned out is pretty good at a political my fight and was able was the transition takes time is resignation of the army was a huge moment that creates again reinforces the notion that he doesn't lost after power and in the. in the drift in the articles of confederation it is washington's reputation, and i think talent and up bringing country to

in order to defeat john adams and made criticism of john adams a crime, the sedition act. they create a party that has a southern base and they, because they're politicians, that's the political bed that we made and we're going to lie in it and if requires compromises, okay. so they get worse on slavery, even though deep in their bones they know it's wrong. i respect their idealism, but in order to keep their political machine operative they become increasingly pro slavery. they actually-- and this is a story that i tell that isn't told by their bee-- biographers, you tell it better than anyone else in your book on james madison, you say, on slavery, madison disappoints. i add to that, he's getting worse over time. he's actually at the end of his life says oh, let's send slaves out into the west as if spreading the virus will somehow cure the virus, and what jefferson said early on let's prevent slavery in the west. and that's what's going to trigger the civil war eventually, slavery in the westment washington gets better on slavery as times goes on. last will and testimon

substantively moving from that he listens to everyone and be sober and john adams wrote the great book on the adams family but adams was not always the best listener. thomas jefferson is so ideological he can't hear what he doesn't want to hear. sound familiar? we have that problem today and i'm so impressed that washington who doesn't have strong ideological commitment gets to the facts. i want to hear those sites carefully and then i will make up my mind so jefferson is not the world's best listener and john adams is not the world's best listener and so many people are better projecting but now washington's substandard of idea unity. he, just like franklin understands join or die and on that very page it appears in may of 70 that of 70 bit before on the same page. there's a reference to the young officer george washington. this is benjamin franklin talking about george washington at age 22. he understands from a military point of view that the rest of the colonies hang together not as an independent state in 1776. he's a continental list and who is at his right hand throughout the am

and john adams, he loved john adams and he wrote a great book on the adams family met john adams is notthe world's best listener and you might think that jefferson is quite common thomas jefferson is so ideological that he cannot hear wendy does not want to hear. sound familiar because we have a problem today. and so impressed washington who does not have strong ideological but let's just get to the facts. on hear both sides carefully and then i will make up my mind. so jefferson is of the world's best listener and john adams is not the world's best listener and some of people, they are better at protecting but now what is washington's substantive idea. he just like franklin, understands join or die and join or die appears on the front in may of 1754 the same page, is actually referenced into the young officer george washington reading this is benjamin franklin talking about george washington and aged 22. and he understands i'm from a military point of view that in less the paint together, and if independence stays in 1776, they are done for. the continental list and whose at his right

from virginia radio first president and vice president's are going to be george washington and john adams and they were together in 1776 and by the way, so did jefferson and adams again in virginia and a massachusetts person. and adams vice president is a virginian of thomas jefferson and one of jefferson's vice president is the massachusetts also going to be one of madison's vice presidents of the north and south team of massachusetts and virginia is important so the answer to your question about john marshall is the last founder and he strengthens the judiciary and is a washington man and hamilton man continental list and he finds a partner from another region and he is regular, they bill brilliant and impressive teams. and madison and jefferson orbiting. richard: think that it is fair to say that both of us are not exactly members of the fabulous party, we are very sympathetic get too it. this is animating our talk for the last few minutes. so say good work for thomas jefferson pretty i agree with what you said but after all, he is who he is so what does he add to this pressure. sue an

he dies, and it happens on november first, a year later when john adams moves in. the city that we know today, everybody. a couple of buildings, fields of mud, they cut everything down. adams was disgusted by and abigail more so by slaves building the city, which is ironic, we wouldn't have the money, we had to rely on slave labor. one of the ideas i flesh out on the book and one who helped to set it up, benjamin baniker, a former slave and self-taught architect, engineering, astronomer, surveyor who worked with andrew alcot t washington. >> only six rooms were finished, it leaked and the building wreaked of fresh plaster, all day and night, there was the sound of hammering and construction. it wasn't the city it is. and adams didn't play hardly any role in the city. which is odd because john adams was in virtually every decision for years, but not the capital. he recognizes washington's extraordinary vision and he recognizes that he has a front row seat to history as he moves in and he writes a letter containing sort of a poetic versus and writes a letter to abigai

john adams called it the gift of silence which is gift john adams didn't have but it made a difference, and i was surprised to discover that on several occasions he wept in book and was not brasessed -- embarrassed and showed it and i tried to take this understanding i was working towards of howl he made -- remade himself from the first constant anyone tall congress in 1774. george washington is the guy we reek nice as george washington and i think he is. and then look at specific episodes in his mature career where he demonstrates the political tall lenz he developed and -- talent he developed and a quick overshoe i focus on seven months at valley forge, the army was a bit risk of unraveling. he needed to build bridges to congress, make that work. needed to repel an effort to replace him as commander in chief. actually a bureaucratic maneuver to get him out, and it turned out that he was a pretty good -- pretty good at political knife fight and was able to survive that cleanly. the second period i look at is the transition to peace time. his resignation with the army is a huge moment,

a year later when john adams moves in. it wasn't the city that we know today, everybody. ple of buildings, fields of mud. adams was disgusted and abigail even more so by the presence of slaves in the city which is quite ironic because we didn't have the money we would have to rely on slave labor. one interesting story in the book one of the folks that help to survey and set it up is benjamin banneker a former slave and extraordinary self-taught engineer architect astronomer, surveyor who worked with andrew in surveying the city so that's kind of poetic. adams was disgusted by the sight of slaves building a city. six rooms in the white house were finished. the roof leaked. there was no place for abigail to hang her laundry or get running water and the building reeked of fresh plaster. all night and all day long there was the hammering and sawing ofl construction so it wasn't the city it was but adams recognized, he didn't play a role hardly in any of this debate which is a lot because john adams most involved in every decision for years in the founding of the country but no

and that sort of accessibility i think was a key to his leadership style.ac john adams called it his gift ng of silence which was a gift eajohn adams didn't have. but it made a difference and i was surprised to discover that on several occasions he wept in public. he was not embarrassed about it but he had feelings and he showed them. and i think that ability was something that mattered as well. so i tried to take this understanding that i was working towards of how he remade himself in the first continental congress. he had george washington, he's the guy we recognize as george washington and i think he is . and then look at the specific episodes in a mature career where he demonstrates the vertical talents that he's developed and just a quick overview, i focused on his seven months at valleyforge . went really the army was at risk of unraveling. he needed to build upgrade to congress and make that work. he needed to repel an effort to replace him as commander-in-chief. there was a bureaucratic maneuver to get him out. and it turned out he was a pretty good at the political knife fig

the capital city finally opens on november 1st, 1800, a year later when john adams moves in. n't the city that we know today, everybody. couple of buildings, fields of mud, because they cut everything down. adams was disgusted by and abigail even more so by the presence of slaves building our city, which is quite ironic that because we didn't have the money, he would have to rely on slave labor. one interesting story i flsh out in the book -- i flesh out in the book is one of the folks who helped survey and set it up was a former slave and extraordinary self-taught engineer, architect, astronomer, surveyor, who worked in surveying the city. i think that's kind of poetic. adams was disgusted by the sight of slaves building a city. only six rooms in the white house were finished. the roof leaked. there was no place for abigail to hang her laundry to get running water, and the building smelled of fresh plaster. all night, all day long the hammering and sawing of construction. it wasn't the city it was. but adams recognized -- adams didn't play hardly any role in any of this capit

now, in many ways, as john adams argued in a letter that he wrote to thomas jefferson in 1815, the realn revolution was not about the war. in 1815, adams wrote, quote, what do we mean by the revolution? the war? that was no part of the revolution. it was only an effect and consequence of it. the revolution was in the minds of the people. this was affected from 1760 to 1775, in the course of 15 years before a drop of blood was shed at lexington. right, now think about that. adams is arguing that the real american revolution was not military, it was not constitutional, it was not political, it was not economic. the real, the deepest cause where we'll find the true meaning of the revolution was in the transformation that took place in the minds of the american people. and then in 1782, thomas payne in a letter that he wrote to france, he said this about the period leading up to the american revolution. quote, our style and manner of thinking have undergone a revolution, more extraordinary than the political revolution of the country. we see with other eyes. we hear with other ears. and thi

beloved capitol open he dies for the capitol city finally opens on november 1, 1801 years later when john adamsmoves in. it was of the city we know today, everybody. a couple of buildings, fields of mud because they cut everything down. adams was disgusted and abigail even more so by the presence of slaves building our city which is quite ironic. because we did not have the money we would have to rely on slave labor. one interesting story i flush out in the book, one of the folks help survey and set it up was benjamin banneker a former slave and extraordinary self-taught engineer surveyor who works with washington and serving the city. that is kind of poetic. adams wasas disgusted by the sight of slaves building the city. only six terms in the white house were finished. the roof leak there is no place for n abigail to hand enter and hang her laundry to get running water all day all night long there is the yhammering and sawing of construction. it was not the city it was. adams did not play hardly any role in any of this. which is odd but not in the capitol pretty doesn't recognize washington's

massachusetts, rhetorically the first president and vice president are going to be george washington and john adams and so did jefferson and adams is vice president and eldredge is another massachusetts guy and so the answer your question is if the last founder, he strengthens the judiciary, he is a washington man, continental is, and he finds a partner from another region and together they make a very impressive team just as washington and hamilton do and just as madison and jefferson do. >> i think it's fair to say. >> if we are not exactly members of the federalist party, we are sympathetic to it. but it's a very good word for thomas jefferson. >> i agree with what you said and after all, he is who he is. so what did he have those precious? >> well, like a young person, i adored jefferson and was very skeptical of alexander hamilton. the u.n. other people changed my ideas about him. and it changed my idea about hamilton and jefferson has done correspondents. and if i would've said if i'm lucky enough to have a son i will name him jefferson. so my views about him have changed, but obviously a goo

john adams coded his gift of silence which was the gift john adams did not have. when made a difference and i'm surprised to discover that on several occasions he wept in public and was not embarrassed about it. he had feelings and he showed them. i think that ability mattered as well. so i try to take this understanding that is working towards how he remade himself for the first constant continental congress and the guy who we recognizes george washington i think he is. then we look at specific episodes and career murray demonstrates the talent he developed and a quick overview and a focus on his seven months in valley forge when the army was at the risk of unraveling, he needed to build congress to make that work.t an effort to replace him as commander-in-chief. there's actually bureaucratic group to get a mount read it and it turned out that he was a pretty good political. he was able to survive it cleanly. and in the transition to peace times, his resignation of the army was a huge moment creates again reinforces a man that can be trusted and he doesn't bust o

so why did john adams say, why did john adams say that the bible was the most republican book in the world? well, i think we know, right? he tells us. he thinks it's the most republican book in the world because he believes without national morality, a republican government cannot be maintained. and because he believed that the bible contains the most perfect morality and the most refined policy that was ever conceived upon earth. right? what is he telling us? it is republican because this is a republican handbook for citizenship. it teaches citizens and republic how to behave in an orderly, decent fashion. thereby giving citizens the capacity for self government and for a republican regime to succeed. so let me conclude with this question. does it matter, does it matter whether we acknowledge the bible's contributions to the founding? and does it matter whether the bible is studied alongside other intellectual influences on the founding fathers? and, again, we acknowledge that the founding generation is drawing on diverse, intellectual, political traditions. but is it important for

john adams is incredulous, how dare you make such an imposition on me. that's preposterous, and it takes many weeks for adams to eventually calm down and realize, okay, if i'm going to get washington out of this deal, i have to put my personal agenda aside and my personal feelings about hamilton aside and recognize that i must put up with major general alexander hamilton as part of the deal. here's a quote from john adams as to hamilton's influence at this time. late 1790s, quote, such was the influence of mr. hamilton in congress that without running a recommendation for the president, that meaning himself, adams, they, congress, passed a bill to raise an army, and that's from page 553 of ron chernow's seminole engrossing biography of hamilton. i have to say, chernow does the best job of going through of course hamilton's later military service and adams is just incredulous, and of course you have to keep in mind hamilton had served as a congressman from the state of new york at that point before becoming treasury secretary. here's a letter to george was

ndmassachusetts think of all those teams your first president and vice president are george washington and john adams together and by the way so did jefferson and adams from virginia and massachusetts. one of jefferson's vice president is massachusetts guy and also one of madison's vice president so that north south team is important so to answer your question john marshall the last founder to strengthen the judiciary a washington man a continental list and finds a partner from another region a really impressive team just as madison and jefferson did. >> not exactly members of the federalist party were sympathetic. say a good word for jefferson. >> . >> i agree with what you said but after all what does he add that are precious? >> as a young person i adore jefferson and was skeptical of hamilton. you and other people change my ideas around sure now and that brooke kaiser as much as anyone change my idea about hamilton and if that rises and there is a false correspondent but if you ask me at age 20 and college i would say if i'm lucky enough ever to have a son i will name him jefferson. so my views h

john adams says how dare you put such an imposition on me, that is preposterous. nd it takes many weeks for adams to eventually come down and realize, if i'm going to get washington out of this deal, i have to put my personal agenda aside and my personal feelings against hamilton aside and recognize that i must put up with major general alexander hamilton as part of the deal. here's a quote from john adams, in regards to hamilton's influence at the time. such was the influence of mr. hamilton in congress, that without writing any recommendation for the president, they congress, passed a bill to raise an army. and as for page 53, 5:53 of ron chernobyl's, biography of hamilton's. i have to say he does the best job of going through hamilton's later military service and adams is incredulous. and you have to take in mind when hamilton had served as a congressman in the state of new york. before becoming secretary treasury. and here's a letter to george washington from hamilton, in which he is negotiating about how he will take this roll on as major general. quote if you

here's a quote from john adams as to hamilton's influence at this time, late 1790s. quote, such was the influence of mr. hamilton in congress that without writing a relegation for the president, that meaning himself adams, they, congress, passed a bill to raise an army, and that's from page 53, 553 of, of course, ron chernow's seminal engrossing biography of hamilton. i have to say chernow does the best job of going through, of course, hamilton's later military service, and adams is just incredulous. of course, you have to keep in mind that hamilton had served as a congressman from the state of new york already at that point before becoming treasury secretary. here's a letter to george washington from hamilton in which he's negotiating about how he'll take this role on as major general. quote, if you command washington, the place in which i, hamilton, should hope to be most useful is that of inspector general with the command in the lines. he wants that field command, and -- and washington, trust me, was done at doing field command at 66 years old. he wanted it to go

most famous book of all is john quincy adams. picture in his location of capitol building. of course, andrew jackson won the popular vote and got majority in the congress and they didn't let john quincy adams accomplish very much and so adams left office, woodiest , and theyarrested all of him le house of representatives and he had been elected senator by the state legislature in massachusetts but willing elected to the house of representatives, he was elected by the people and he always considered that to be the greatest honor he had ever received. became famous and known as old man eloquent, but he was sitting there at that seat when he had a stroke and carry intoed the speaker's office where he died, members of congress with proper attire in his desk at the speaker's office. he was plan to go giver a speech. they were giving him medals to the general in the mexican war. he thought that was the most unrighteous war and nobody should get a medal for serving in an unrighteous war. his ghost is still trying to give the speech in statuary hall. i like to go to house receptions

[laughter] john adams also wrote about giving a toast to elizabeth here.was very embarrassing we don't know what was said. >> whatever it was he took it well. he comments she never did like me very much. [laughter] is kind of funny. another important letter we know of is from sarah franklin page the daughter of benjamin franklin oner father's birthday she danced with the general on his 20th wedding anniversary at the pal's. i would imagine that we in the very room i'm sitting in right now. what was discussed? i could been a anything from entertainment of the day, uppsala was some political affairs they were coming over after deliberations. what was the epicenter of social life heard the pal's are right in the center of it. this was the place to be. >> absolutely, absolutely. all right, susan says how do we know samuel edited elizabeth's water to gw urging him to run for another term? the reason why we know that, just kind of basic, and all of my research i have learned the pal's handwriting very well. it's a funny thing i was actually going to put a screen

john adams and jefferson i call one of their intellectual feuds was aware did the american revolution start? adams always believed it began with the boston tea party and the boston massacre. it really began in massachusetts. jefferson clung to the idea it was patrick henry who launched it in virginia. they had an intellectual dispute on the origins of the american revolution. their letters to each other should be mandatory reading. i consider them foundational text meaning the u.s. constitution, declaration of independence, bill of rights. i would look to see at the adams jefferson letters as a volume that tells us how in a democracy you can hammer at each other, run these very ugly and difficult elections and still promote american democracy. you see people like bill clinton become very good friends with george herbert walker bush. and george w. bush for that matter. gerald ford who richard norton smith is writing this amazing biography of, ford and jimmy carter became incredibly close it. they ran against each other in 1976. but on this fourth of july we celebrate calvin coolidge gr

, that john adams was also attending wherever he was, different church services, different denominations and i found that to be an usual compared to how we a ten church today. it seems like we go toward nomination, do you feel like that visiting various churches, he mentioned those bridge building with our earlier founders, is that something that could help us today? >> well, i think that that -- you're right, and the 1700s, there's such intense conflict between, especially catholic and protestant but also between baptist and congregation ill arguing about the difference between presbyterian and congregation analysts. that's like, you issues you shed blood over. and it speaks to a time when people were number one, a lot more theologically conversing than we are today. but they also took these things so seriously and i think in retrospect, especially in our gain time when you can't take christian commitment for granted in the culture and it doesn't seem like you want to be fighting those kinds of issues anymore. but i think one of the real breakthroughs came with the new evangelical movem

john adams and jefferson i call one of their intellectual feuds was aware did the american revolution start? adams always believed it began with the boston tea party and the boston massacre. it really began in massachusetts. jefferson clung to the idea it was patrick henry who launched it in virginia. they had an intellectual dispute on the origins of the american revolution. their letters to each other should be mandatory reading. i consider them foundational text meaning the u.s. constitution, declaration of independence, bill of rights. i would look to see at the adams jefferson letters as a volume that tells us how in a democracy you can hammer at each other, run these very ugly and difficult elections and still promote american democracy. you see people like bill clinton become very good friends with george herbert walker bush. and george w. bush for that matter. gerald ford who richard norton smith is writing this amazing biography of, ford and jimmy carter became incredibly close it. they ran against each other in 1976. but on this fourth of july we celebrate calvin coolidge gr

, that john adams was attending wherever he was, different church services, denominations, and i found that to be unusual compared to how we attend church today. it seems like we go to our denomination. do you feel like that visits various churches -- we mentioned that was bridge building with our earlier founders, is that something that could help us with that today? >> well, i think that that -- you're right, i mean, and in the 1700s, there's such intense conflict between, especially catholic and protestant, but also between baptists and congregationalists, and arguing about the difference between presbyterian, and congregationalist policy, i mean, that's like, you know, issues you shed blood over, right, and i mean, it speaks to a time when people were, number one, a lot more theologically conversant than we are today, so -- but they also took these things, you know, so seriously, and i think in retrospect, especially in our day and time when, you know, you can't take christian commitment for granted in the culture, so it doesn't seem like you want to be fighting about those kind of

i notice when i read david mccollough's biography of john adams. that john adams was also anti, wherever he was, different church services, different denominations. i found that be to unusual compared to how we attend church today. it seems like we go the our denomination. do you feel like, that visiting various churches -- we mentioned it was brimming building with our early founders. is that something that could help with us today? >> i think that that -- you are right. i mean, in the 1700s, there is such intense conflict between especially catholic and protestant. but also between baptists and congregationalists, and arguing about the difference between presbyterian and congregationalist pality. i mean that's like an issue you shed blood over. right? and it speaks to a time when people were -- number one, were a lot more theologically conversan than we are today. but they also took these things so seriously -- i think in retrospect, especially in our day and time when you can't take christian commitment for granted in the culture. so it doesn't

was at a conference or meeting, where somebody asked david mccullough, now that you wrote about john adamsdid you write about abigail adams will you do that? and he said i already did. and the book it's only franklin roosevelt in the title but it's a biography of the two. but one of the curious thing about that book is that the best parts of the book, the parts that reveal a relationship, a wonderful relationship and provocative between john and abigail adams, it occurs when they are far apart. it is a wonderful love story, a wonderful story of a marriage but only works because they were apart for a very large part of the marriage. when they were together they spoke to each other. and what they said to each other over the dinner table at night, no one knows. so that is a case where as is true with my book, i don't make a big deal out of it i just have to pass over those sections where they are not writing to each other. but i cannot offered a good explanation as to why some letters survived and others didn't. yes question? >> thank you, your description of the story as part of a way to pre

with john adams to the attention of the american most successful book was being interviewed among the 20th century residents. the president really needs to be known better. so here we are march 10 rainy monday a spring and washington talking to his chief of staff don rumsfeld were in the background as a fellow by the name of john percy. john is a pulitzer prize winning novelist, journalist she's working for the "new york times" magazine and they asked ford for permission to follow him for a week during his presidency. president ford agreed to that the object was to write a lengthy story about gerald ford because they said americans are more about the president. the polling that was being done inside ford's own sense confirmed just what the magazine was asserting. they needed to be better known by the american people. he was well known in the beltway on capitol hill and his district would we go to the next slide where he had run for office in 1948. i notice the image on the left of ford leaning in their work dungarees, he talking to them one of the things that came to be known very wel

and john quincy adams made his announcement in 1821, the united states had negligible military capabilities and as they pivoted the nation and protected by the existence of two neighbors and nations to reverse only by wind powered ships. two centuries later, the world is together by economic civilization and the globe has been trump by technologies of travel, communications and the projection the military power. the united states foreign policy should therefore adopt the prudence of the secretary adams recommended. it must however have a 2 trillion cents of the great responsibilities that come with america's great power and america's great principles. both of which were subject of the speech made 75 years ago in fulton, missouri. in the guiding foreign policy, the american mind is bifurcated. and on the one hand, we are a nation of immigrants, we are all descended from people who came here to get away from their, wherever there was really is too entangled with the wars and revolutions so, america's extinct of isolation sleep lightly when it sleeps at all. and on the other hand, where nation

arguing in itselff is healthy ad john adams thought that argument was the highest form of conversationalogue in the time that remains to us on this zoom session right now. so back to you jane. jane: there we go. well, you certainly have given us a lot to think about. now before we get into the questions from our panel, from our distinguished listeners, there is one thing that we were talking about as we were getting ready and that is, the painting that we all see in the capitol. and were coming up in the fourth of july and people go, is the declaration of independence, is that the fourth of july here's the picture. joseph: it is called the declaration of independence abated by john trumbull is a classic. and i think the most tourist to come for the rotunda, they standardly, it is the signing ceremony on the fourth of july printed denies three of the five people coming up to the desk, the person athe chair is john hancock and in three people that are recognizable, that is in park there. in franklin to the right and the tallest man, he 6-foot 2 inches and that is jefferson and off to the

gunpowder is the crucial necessary as john adams says. the colonists had 28 guns, they had no gunpowder and the british knew it and theytried to disarm us through gunpowder . it would be the contact that the marble headers had with spain that brought in that crucial gunpowder but it would also be a novel way that washington would try to capture more gunpowder by attacking the british stores at halifax. so he needed a ship or ships to do that operate john glover to create a navy. and the navy which is really kind of preposterous is to take basically afishing boat that john glover had, the hannah which was about 74 tons . and somehow take on the greatest be the will of the world at the time , butthat's what they did . and they attacked the british ships. and the story of the navy is extraordinary. it's some of the most colorful captains in american history. captain roy, the red dragon that has the giant cloak of a red cloak that has an incredible sense of humor . cyan martindale who decides to oust six guns, elaborate amount of money but as

seeing the education of john adams. tickets are still available. please consider joining us on wednesday night.t we film live from the reading room here and mount vernon. the official book launch of patrick o'donnell's new book the indefensible with the subject title to shape the country, for in the navy and rode washington o across delaware. officially released by the press today. i want to let you know that we have a number of autographed cough that are going out to people who submitted questions for this event. we have some exciting questions lined up. during tonight talk, let us know what youns want to know from patrick. we can answer those questions here tonight. this is a great book. i could not put it down. they called it a novel like account of this fascinating story you are about to hear about from patrick. it really moves very, very quickly. it is an exciting story. there is a lot to care from this great account from the indefensible spirit i will tell you little bit more about patrick o'donnell. he has a best-selling critically acclaimed