. >> warner: aaron david miller is known for his decades of work on u.s.lomacy in the middle east in four administrations. but now he's returned to his training in american history with a new book: "the end of greatness: why america can't have (and doesn't want) another great president." he argues there have only been three truly great presidents, george washington, abraham lincoln, and franklin roosevelt. and that americans should stop searching for another one. we spoke at mount vernon, home of george washington. aaron miller thank you for joining us. >> pleasure margaret. >> warner: now you write here that americans need to get over their obsession or you call it an addiction in the search for great president. why? what if you search for something you can't have? that's the predicament we're in. we've created a sense of expectation in a job that's already somewhat already impossible. let's say it's implausible, given the nature and the complexity of the presidency, the terrifying con i thin contit politics, so many factors out of our control and we want

aaron david miller. back in a moment, stay with us. ♪ >> many say he has the best job in the world and has been the main photographer of victoria's secret. his work has appeared in vogue, sports illustrated, and his work focuses on the female form. and how did you come to photography? >> i am probably an accidental photographer. i have a very diverse background , making trash cans, i trained dogs. i was a police officer for five years. there was a photographer i was assisting. i saw an image lifted out of the when digital was still in myth. it was a singular moment that grabbed me and this is what i wanted to do. >> regardless of if the camera whatgital or not, separates good from best? >> subjective. it's a you ask. i stood before a picture with 20 different people and get 20 different opinions. >> and one is not necessarily better than the other? >> it's in the eye of the beholder but certainly there are specific aspects. there is such a deliberateness to his photography. it and the art to balance of t

. ♪ >> aaron david miller is here.ix secretaries of state on israeli-palestinian no additions -- negotiations. he is currently a vice president and distinguished scholar to woodrow wilson. his book is called the end of greatness, why america doesn't have an doesn't want another great president. is it a pleasure to get away from the mideast for a moment? >> it is and i felt a certain sense of liberation. i started life as an american historian and i noticed during 20 years of negotiations that when things happen, we are dealing with leaders that were masters of their political houses and prisoners of their constituencies. i understood the importance of leadership. it usually determines why things happen. what i began to understand about the presidency, the greatness three undeniably great presidents in 250 years. that undeniable greatness was driven by personality, character, and capacity. but largely by circumstance. and the circumstance was a crisis. which is why i argue in the book that you don't want another great p

i'm pleased to have aaron david miller back at this table. welcome. >> a pleasure charlie. >> rose: is it a pleasure for you to get away talking about the mid east for a moment. >> it is, actually. i felt a certain sense of liberation in applying myself to this. i started with a civil war story actually. i noticed toking 20 years of negotiations when things happened, it was because we were dealing with leaders who were masters of their political houses and not prisoners of their constituencies. then i began to understand the importance of leadership. >> rose: they don't make the history -- >> it's the interaction of the individual human agency and circumstance that usually determines why things happen. what i began to understand about the presidency, greatness three undeniably great presidents in 250 years that undeniable greatness is driven sure by personality, character and capacity. but largely by circumstance. and the circumstance was nation crises that's why i argue in the book you don't want another great president because if you have o

david aaron miller has advised six u.s.ries of state and in his latest letter on foreign policy he writes boots on the ground should be the least of our worries. he says the real problem is building a new syria. unwilling tost so take on mr. assad? >> because there is great uncertainty. you hit isis too hard and then outside, you create the potential for a vacuum and allow isis more running room. is toimary objective clearly undermine and we can isis. off-balance, get them so they spend less time in the prospect of planning another attack. if we think we will put the dumpty backhumpty together again, we are not thinking clearly. it seems to me that is why the president, after willfully avoiding militarizing the american rule in syria has finally decided, he may not be all in but he has to be in. as a consequence, what you see is the middle ground policy. here, a great new book, and i was interested in your where you talk about crisis, character and capacity. i wonder now how you would evaluate the current administration, de

we will have more on the conversation later this this hour and analysis from aaron david miller. detailing the human rights abuses and targeting civilians, rape, execution and sorture. nearly 10,000 civilians have been killed this year. more than 17,000 teens have been wounded. isis. human rights abuses by members of the iraqi security force or our allies and shia armed groups conflict. >> developing nows in hong kong. the protester's deadline for the chief executive to step down past just 30 minutes ago. he did not resign as expected. instead he told reporters he had assigned the chief secretary within his government to meet with the student protesters. we are waiting to see if they followed through with the promise of mass occupations in government buildings. there is concern that hong kong police will enter the area wearing riot gear. the pro china government has taken the strategy of waiting out the protesters. they suspended tours to hong kong. >> they held a rally to celebrate that anniversary. you are watching andrea mitchell reports only on msnbc. tylenol t 2 aleve for al

is aaron david miller, the vice president of new initiatives at the woodrow wilson center, he has served for democrat and republican heads of state and author of a new book the end of greatness why america can't have and doesn't want another great president. aaron great to have you with us. the two main points in your title, first why can't we have a great president? you talk about the three cs necessary for one, that they come to the presidency in a time of big crisis, that they need to have the character and then the capacity to deal with that crisis. you don't see that as something that's achievable in the future? >> well, you know, it may be. it's just the trend lines antonio are running against. 12 presidents and down including barack obama since our last undeniably great one, franklin roosevelt, the alignment of capability, presidential greatness, simply have not come together three undeniably great ones. lincoln washington and roosevelt, all had it. i'm not talking about manageable crises, hot inescapable crisis and that's the reason we don't want another great one because in our

but i just like the emotional, i'm having an emotional experience diswroovment we end with aaron david miller'se end of greatness which he talks about what makes a great president and why we have so few. >> i began to understand about the presidency greatness three undeniably great presidents in 250 year

aaron david miller, as always, good to have you with us. >> ools pleasure, thanks. >>> mob ties and corruption a new book so controversial its british publisher was afraid to release it. >>> also, made in the u.s.a label, when is made in america really american? >>> cruchg tiger hidden lion, a >> i don't really know what's going to happen to me... >> of oscar winner alex gibney's hard hitting series... edge of eighteen >> i'm never going to appoligize for the type of person that i am >> facing tough challenges... >> we do feel cheeted, by the american university process >> taking a stand... >> it's gonna be on my terms, on how i want it to be >> boldly pursuing their dreams >> what did i do? >> the lives of american teenagers... on the edge of eighteen only on al jazeera america >> a controversial new book is so critical to vladimir putin's rise to power in russia that a british publisher refused to publish it. a story of corruption how putin and a ca can a cabal of croneies,. >> joining us from washington, d.c, is karen dewisha, the that of the book. and the director of the university's havin

aaron david miller in his "the washington post" piece president obama disappointer in chief. the fate has been the same as recent predecessors. the job is too big and expectations too high. on the flip side you have call krugman calling in defense of obama saying "obama emerged as one of the most successful presidents in american history." joining me to have a big conversation about this, former adviser to the president, van jones and the man himself who penned that peace, david mailer, former aide and top adviser at the state department and the author of "the end of greatness why america can't have and doesn't want another great president." gentlemen, thanks for coming on. >> pleasure. >> glad to be here. >> aaron, to you first. you detail these three elements that lead to presidential greatness. a crisis, character, and capacity necessary to achieve said greatness. why do you think the president is falling short? >> in a minute. let me make one point. this is not just an r thing or d thing. i voted for rs and ds. this conversation about greatness is an american thing. and t

aaron david miller, as always, good to have you with us. >> ools pleasure, thanks. >>> mob ties and corruption a new book so controversial its british publisher was afraid to release it. >>> also, made in the u.s.a label, when is made in america really american? >>> cruchg tiger hidden lion, a threat to the movie business as we know i.t. nick schifrin reports from the turkey - syria border... >> that's the black isil flag above the town center... >> five days of fear: escape from isil only on aljazeera america >> a controversial new book is so critical to vladimir putin's rise to power in russia that a british publisher refused to publish it. a story of corruption how putin and a ca can a cabal of croneie. >> joining us from washington, d.c, is karen dewisha, the that of the book. and the director of the university's having hearst center of russian studies. pleasure to have you with us. >> thank you. >> back in the late'80s, as the you soviet union is collapsing, you describe how putin was in the kgb because the kgb was instrumental in what was going on. >> absolutely, absolutely. what happene

aaron david miller is the vice president at the wilson center and served as an adviceor to democraticlican secretaries of state and the author of why america can't have and doesn't want a great president. at the atlantic inside festival about this flap. >> i think we need to work quietly and effectively and condemn anybody that uses article and does not reflect the president or me. it is disgraceful and we keep getting quoted and things. they make life much more difficult. we are proud of what we have done to help israel through a difficult time. >> they were quick to point out the defensive system s that they presented came from the united states. things are really at a pretty difficult pass. this is not so good. >> it is not good. amen to everything john kerry just said. the reality is and i made this point to you before, the u.s.-israeli relationship driven by common values, even though there interests that are not held on everything, driven by common interests and a region that is melting down. it's doo big to fail. i watched quite a few american presidents and deal with one anoth

in the end of greatness, aaron miller makes a case against the public's preoccupation with presidential greatness. also journalist reist ehrlich recounts events that led to serious civil war in inside syria. the acumen cost of war in the invisible front. political recommend cia director leon banana's where the fight. next, former new york times columnist -- russ robertson gets a life and writing of economist adam smith in how adam smith >> translator: your life. in outposts christopher hill remembers his time in the state department working in countries like poland, iraq and south korea. finally the online bookshelf, james mcpherson's new biography of confederate president jefferson davis. to see the full list visit political.com/bookshelf. this is booktv on c-span2, television for serious readers. here's a look at our prime-time lineup. tonight at 8:00 eastern new york university professor anna harvey examines the house of representatives on the judicial branch. former cia director and defense secretary leon panetta as he recalls his career in public service. afterwards at 10:00 p.m. e

. >> so in a comment by aaron david miller, disappoint her in chief. why has he failed to meet so many people's expectations? >> you know, look, i think that the president has, certainly in the first term, i think he did take on the issue of the economy and was able to turn the economy around and that is to his credit. he took on the issue of health care and was able to put importable care act in place. that is to his credit. i think that he made the decision on bin laden, which was a tough decision and that is to his credit. and i think for the first four years that this president was a very strong president when it came to being able to push the issues that he wanted and being able to provide the leadership on foreign policy issues that he needed to provide. i think that in the process of doing that, there are liberations and part of the process in the white house, and i remember bob gates been being concerned about it when he wrote it in the book, which is that when you are in the national security council and your secretary of the ends, you feel li

. >> aaron david miller, the book is "the end of greatness: why american can't have and doesn't want great president." >> thanks so much. >>> what the next 24 hours may bring the normally beautiful scene in bermuda. you're watching msnbc. 24/7 it's just i'm a little reluctant to try new things. what's wrong with trying new things? feel that in your muscles? yeah... i do... try a new way to bank, where no branches equals great rates. for over 19 million people. [ alex ] transamerica helped provide a lifetime of retirement income. so i can focus on what matters most. [ female announcer ] everyone has a moment when tomorrow becomes real. transamerica. [ female announcer ] everyone has a moment when tomorrow becomes real. ugh... ...heartburn. did someone say burn? try alka seltzer reliefchews. they work just as fast and taste better than tums smoothies assorted fruit. mmm... amazing. yeah, i get that a lot. alka seltzer heartburn reliefchews. enjoy the relief. so ally bank really has no hidden fethat's right. accounts? it's just that i'm worried about you know "hidden things..." ok, why'

prevails and then finally on the question of whether there was a missed opportunity with iran aaron david millerwho covers the arab palestinian conflict says the arab-israeli conflict is not him morality between evil and good and likewise the u.s. iran conflict there have been certainly times when the u.s. has made mistakes in iran is made mistakes but the administration desperately wants to engage the haqqani government and bill clinton himself desperately wanted to deal with iran. i think the hardliners in tehran warned and i would argue the hardliners now are not ready for the united states. if i were to advise the hardliners i would advise them against it. whether fidel castro in cuba or kim jong un in north korea i think these hard-line groups appreciate that they can preserve their power in a closed environment but when you open up the forces of globalization to market forces they could be swept aside with the tide. i think there's a parochial interest for the hardliners to maintain it with the united states. >> to add my 2 cents on the iran's support for its regional proxies in the wake o

aaron david miller who covers the israeli-palestinian conflict said something i really like which said the anniversary conflict is not a morality tale between evil and good. and likewise the u.s.-iran conflict, there's been certain times when the u.s. has made mistakes and what iran has made mistakes, but the current administration desperately wants to engage. bill clinton himself has boarded a deal with iran. i think the hardliners in tehran were then ready with the united states and i would argue the hardliners don't are not ready. if i were an adviser to the hardliners in tehran i would advise them against it. because whether you're fidel castro in cuba or kim jong-un in north korea, i think he's hardline groups are sure to appreciate that can preserve the power and a closed environment but when you open up the system to the forces of globalization to market forces, they could well be swept aside with the tide. i think there's a personal parochial interest for the hardliners to maintain their embassy with the united states. >> to add my 2 cents on iran's for porch regional proxies i

aaron rodgers, you give him more opportunity, he'll make you pay. >> sam: from the 26 yard line, the last play of the game. throws it back. tannehill across the field to lamar millerand look at miller! and the ball drops and that's going to do it. the packers have it and the game is over. in a wild ball game, the wild finish and the green bay packers defeat the miami dolphins 27-24. let's go to the studio to curt menefee. >> curt: a great finish in miami. we geelt you tho to what may be another great finish going on in cincinnati. the bengals holding on to a three-point lead against carolina, six seconds left, and the panthers lining up to tie it. here are chris myers, ronde barber, and jen hale. >> chris: welcome to cincinnati. the panthers are out of time-outs. cam newton hoping to spike it and set up a field goal that would tie. a quick recap, cam newton has run for a touchdown and thrown for two. andai dalton suffered two interception bus two touchdown passes and giovani bernard an 89-yard touchdown run but a wild fourth quarter has set us up in this snare row yoe. with ronde barber and jen hale, chris myers looking on. marvin williams before the snap. >> refe