namely the son of benjamin franklin. william, i think. and the question in the sense of writing history, to what extent is the political loyalty to britain, they have the side of was this, the fact that they rarely saw her. i wonder if this is a clerical conflict. to what extent in this case and the write-in, how much do we know? and i think that he probably knew. still responding, what is the most track. >> yes. well, i'd think that first one is the case that to him and refers to, benjamin franklin, our great founding father. his own son was a well-known my list, the governor of new jersey who ended up being imprisoned and ultimately became a leader of the loyalist community and occupied new york and a better and discerned refugee in britain. now, the rift between them was a deeply felt one. william was benjamin's only son, only child. not only child, only son. they basically ceased communication because of this. this became particularly significant at the time of the peace negotiations at the end of the war in which benjamin franklin wa

about one particular person you mentioned in the book which goes beyond just the general of benjamin franklin. franklin was his name. and the question is the writing of his story to what extent was political loyalty to britain, or was of the fact that they perceive him -- [inaudible] and there was this conflict and so on, to what extent does this play out in this case [inaudible] and how much we know about the personal factors which happen to be known? and i think that [inaudible] >> well, i think the first thing to say is the case the gentleman refers to is benjamin franklin, the great founding father, his only son, william, was a well-known loyalist, he was the governor of new jersey. he and of being in prison and can ultimately the leader of the loyalist community and occupied new york and then a bitter disheartened refugee in britain. now the rest between them was a deeply felt one. william was benjamin's only son and a child -- not only child, only son, and they basically ceased communication because of this. and this became particularly significant at a time of the peace negotiations at

person you mentioned in the book that goes beyond just the general picture manly the son of benjamin franklin, william i think with his income and the question is to what extent was it political loyalty to britain [inaudible] to what extent does that play out in this case and in general how much do we know about this which happened to be known hint [inaudible] >> well, i think the first thing to say is the case the gentleman refers to is benjamin franklin, the great founding father, his son william was a well-known and loyalist, the governor of new jersey, he ended up being in prison and became ultimately the leader of the loyalist community and occupied new york and then bitter and disheartened refuge iain britain. now the rest between them was deeply felt. william was benjamin's only son, only child -- not only child, only son, and they basically ceased communications because of this and this became most significant of the time of the peace negotiations of the end of the war and which benjamin franklin was one of the key u.s. negotiators and over the course of many months the five peace neg

there was a letter to benjamin franklin who was on the committee and said i have shown this draft to the committee which asked me to makes changes and i made them. now i am sending it to you. could you please read it and have it back by morning because i have to show it to the committee again. the committee he intervened. go back a step. when the committee first met its seemed likely that they discussed what the declaration would say and john adams divided it into articles. we would say basically outlined that. now you write it up. we have no support, the second account because nobody was interested until 50 years later and other people -- it makes sense to me. we have sat on committees. can you imagine being on a committee to write something where you walk into the room and sit down and say you write it, now we are off to lunch, you would talk about it a little and the committee did. i am persuaded by john adams's account that this is what happened. jefferson never disputed that point. we have a committee that outlined and intervened with the text and asked jefferson to make some ch

in november of 2003 when walter spoke this put him about his best-selling book on benjamin franklin i had the honor of introducing him and i compared him to mr. franklin. ausley remarked among other similarities how both men changed course in mid life from careers in the media to become involved in education, public policy and world affairs. while doing research for this introduction i came upon a similarity between isaacson and his current subject albert einstein walter said that one of the major attractions in writing this book on einstein was neinstein's creativity and refusal to conform as you can see from the risks, choices and changes isaacson has made in his own life by being a journalist, businessman, biographer and educator and he also is a creative thinker and nonconformist. it is my pleasure to introduce walter isaacson. [applause] >> that was very nice. thank you so much. that is far too high. nobody's ever compared me to neinstein. [laughter] also i will say and this is reassuring i hope as parents there is one comparison which is that albert einstein was no einstein when

. >> listening to a lecture about benjamin franklin this week, and and franklin, one of the greatest scientists of the 19th century, he had a horrible family life. it is unjust thing. the large ego people -- newt as in the world of ideas and politics, the fact he has a rotten family life is kind of sad but not without precedent. >> more than a family life. this guy has more baggage than tippett airlines. -- united airlines. he had two mutinies and had to leave the speaker. he was the architect and engineer of the takeover but obviously was not an effective stored or leader to the fact that his own troops rebelled against him. >> he left behind some landmark legislation -- he and clinton together. that is quite an achievement if you are an uncertain. he was a good political leader. i do not know how shrinking is the republican field. mitt romney, new gingrich, brass tim pawlenty. that is it. >> the last word. thanks. see you next week. >> for a transcript, log onto "inside washington.

benjamin franklin was raised in a family that had slaves.he didn't have them i believe at this point in time, but people had experience with the institution. why didn't this -- well, why, one thing, why did they get votes based on the basis of the slave population? basically because south carolina and georgia insisted that there be recognition of slaves, or they weren't going to join the union. and then other said representation for a percentage of the slave population you will encourage increased, and those were morally contemptible. which is why they limit -- they went into the slave trade for 20 years. they just didn't want this over them. there was hostility towards slavery in the convention. the result said why are we represent slaves? is it because they are people or property? if they are property, why are we represent slaves? these issues came up and were debated passionately. the constitution itself is a bundle of compromises. as madison said, we have allowed the slave trade to go on for 20 years, two in georgia and south carolina in

, benjamin franklin, james madison -- they were students of the enlightenment movement. that was how they learned to appreciate democracy. you take that away from people, you take education away from people, they cannot be taught of the principles of democracy. host: that was matt from clearwater, florida. jean is on the line. what the make of this house vote today? caller: i think it is really sad that the republicans are attacking the port of the country -- poor of the country. people in kentucky will no longer have pbs and learn how to read. already, a lot of them have trouble learning and pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. that's what brings you up, education. they are cutting education from the poorest of the country. that is how they do them. they take away headstart, planned parenthood. those are jobs that they are cutting. they are cutting $5 million. i do not know how many people they are hurting to cause themselves to save $5 million. they will be the first ones to stand up and say we are against abortion. do they not know that the same children that th

the bicentennial commission presented him with the benjamin franklin award for excellence in writing.s for the center of american progress and neera tanden has a decade of experience in the executive and legislative branch as well as in the campaigns at every level including the presidential level, local government and think tanks. as the ceo 0 of american progress she leads strategic planning for operations and overseas the health care program. most recently she served as senior adviser for health reform and the department of health and human services advising secretary kathleen sebelius at work on health reform team to pass this bill. she developed policies of reform and worked on the hill and improved support of it. she has worked on other levels and campaigns, she worked on the obama/biden presidential campaign and the hillary clinton presidential campaign. she was a deputy campaign manager when it was senator clinton running for the senate in new york. we are very privileged today to have roger pilon and neera tanden to talk about what are really quite titanic struggles in the co

that's why as part of the debate was established, there was an exchange in which benjamin franklin took part in which he was talking with another person that said how there are more important things in life than simply having our rights protected. the fact is we are british citizens to which franklin then said, to be called a british citizen without given the rights of a british citizen is like calling an objection a bull. he is -- ox a bull. he is grateful for the honor but would rather have restored what is rightfully his. that's the key element to which we are talking here. with that the constitution was written as a for thefication of those individual rights and freedoms. and it is the purpose of limited government to protect those individual liberties. the constitution created limited government, the purpose of which was to protect our individual liberties. now, as i try and talk to my students to try and sometimes define the terms individual liberties because it becomes somewhat vegas in the minds of people -- vague in the minds of people. i look at them as the concept that indivi

the current channels aren't the first -- challenges aren't the first since benjamin franklin served as the first postmaster general, nor will they be the last. we know we must adapt to society's evolving needs. the mail mix, for example, is shifting with too little first class mail these days. as the economy improves, we have to watch the mail flow and adapt as needed. even as we speak, the overall mail volume is rising for the first time in four years. we have lots of ideas on new services to offer the growing number of home-based businesses, on expanding work with ups and fedex as their most economical option for last mile delivery or on adding to what letter carriers already do to protect community and national security. i'd like to conclude by congratulating all the new members of the subcommittee. we believe these are nonpartisan issues, and the tradition of bipartisan cooperation that has characterized this subcommittee is worth nurturing. we look forward to working with all of you on postal issues and to find bipartisan issues to the challenge before us. nelc has demonstrated re

seuss, jim carrie, mark twain or benjamin franklin. >> mark twain. >> he's genius! mark twain?ys guess mark twain. >> time for one more. >> another friend from ohio. april fools' day in 2010 google said it was renaming itself after which of the following u.s. cities. wichita, columbus, topeka or denver? >> topektopeka. >> is everybody ? >> the kid gave him the answer. is it topeka? >> i think the best april fools' joke google could do was say they're releasing everyone's search history. that would be a good one. >>ncluding their private stuff. >> yeah, yeah. >> you guys are a lot of fun. what's your website again? >> collegehumor.com. >> you guys are fun. >>> up next, things get a little salty around here as kathie lee and i go head to head in the condiments competion. we'll be back. [ male announcer ] using frontline plus shows your pet you care... by unleashing a complete killing force against fleas and ticks. and not just adult fleas. what makes frontline plus complete is that it breaks the flea life cycle -- killing adults, eggs, and larvae. and it keeps killing fleas and t

the current challenges are not the first since benjamin franklin served as the first postmaster general, and nor will they be the last. the mail mix is shifting with two stamps these days. we need to watch the adoption. overall mail volume is rising for the first time in 40 years. we a lot of ideas and new services to offer the growing number of home-based businesses of expanding on work or adding of expanding on work or adding to what letter carriers already do to protect the community and national security. i would like to conclude by congratulating all the new members of the subcommittee. we believe that these are nonpartisan issues, and the tradition is worth nurturing can we look forward to working with all of you on the issues, and to find bipartisan solutions. you have -- we have demonstrated the we are prepared to do our part to help preserve the long-term viability of the postal service, by serving the american people, and helping the businesses that rely on the universal service to grow and prosper -- prosper. >> thank you, mr. rolland. we have -- rolando. we have about 11 min

and in 1999, i like this, the bicentennial commission presented him with the benjamin franklin award for excellence in writing on the u.s. constitution. roger of course will not be sitting here writing this afternoon but i'm sure that your debating skills will also perhaps be worthy of a metal. then on the other side to debate what is obviously quite has become quite a contentious law, controversial issue, neera tanden is a chief operating officer for the center for american progress. and neera has over a decade of experience in the executive and legislative branch, as well as in campaigns at every level including the presidential level. local government and think tanks. the coo for the center for american progress, chile's strategic planning for the organization, and manages operations and oversees the health care program. most recently she served as senior advisor for health reform at the department of health and human services. advising secretary sebelius, and she worked on the president's health reform team to pass this bill. in that role she'd develop policies around reform and