and that was calvin coolidge. thought i've got to go back and figure out what went right in the 1920's. >> talk about him. i mean do you read about him today i guess the first question i'd ask could he be elected president today? >> i think so. that's really the challenge of the book, whether we can choose someone who is as principled as he is as president. he did not believe coolidge who was president from 23 to 29 that perception is reality which he thought principle is reality. the challenge for us is we just have to have someone who is good looking and speaks well and good salesman or someone who has good principles. i think we can. we deceive ourselves we need looks alone. >> who did he put around himself? >> very important question. coolidge came into office from being vice president. unfortunately, the president died so there is a cabinet there and some of them are compromised. we remember harding was a period of scandal so do you keep them. and the modern position might be clean sweep, right? >> get them o

was among the select group in the family sitting room that was witness to the swearing-in of calvin coolidgefter all -- after harding died. we now know this room was the oath of office room. this is where the family gathered were president coolidge was administered the oath of office. all the furnishings in here are original. there gathered around the central table. used to signwas the documents, the lamp that with the scene, but the bible that was here but not official use in the swearing because that was not required by vermont law. grace would have stood about where i am now and there is a famous painting by arthur teller of the homestead inaugural. it shows the group gathered around and she is right next to calvin's side. >> let's head into the vault where we keep specific things about the coolidge family. life coolidge's earlier for her marriage to calvin coolidge as well as documents about her relationship with her family, specifically her sons and grandchildren. grace is not only a loving wife, she was also a loving mother. we have some wonderful correspondence. head22 grace wrote to

to the 1920s because calvin coolidge was the beginning of modern american conservatism. i saw her week or so ago and i think you've really launched a coolidge is school movement. that probably wasn't easy to do. you see the cover of the book, the top half. he's not really a 21st century kind of guy. the place to go is actually to the 1930s because in their view, modern american conservatism is the response to the new deal to franklin roosevelt. she was, the conservative response in the 1930s was the beginning of modern american conservatism. that response initially came from former president, herbert hoover. lots of people debate how conservative hoover wes as a president and secretary of commerce in the 1920s. i'm happy to talk about that in q&a feedback. in the 1930s he was shocked by the excesses of the new deal. the 1930s, the new deal was the height of progressivism. we argue in this book that just as edmund burke, the english political philosopher began modern conservatism as a response to the french revolution, we think there is a distinctive red of modern american

to the 1920s because calvin coolidge was the beginning of modern american conservatism. i saw her a week or so ago and i said you watched a coolidge cool. he's not really a 21st century kind of guy, but gordon and i in this book and the place to go is actually to the 1930s because, in our view, modern american conservatism is essentially a response to the new deal of the 1930s, the franklin roosevelt. to us, the conservative response in the 1930s was the beginning of modern american conservatism. that response initially actually came from former president herbert hoover to lots of people debate how conservative hoover was as a president and as a secretary of commerce in the 1920s that i'm happy to talk about that in q&a if you'd like but we're looking at them in the 1930s when he was shocked really like the excesses of the new deal. the 1930s, the new deal was really the height of progressivism, and we argued in this book that just as edmund burke, the english political philosopher, began modern conservatism as a response to the french revolution, we think there's a disti

we have to go further to the 1920s because calvin coolidge was the beginning of modern american conservatism. i saw her a week or so ago and i said you have really launched a coolidge's cool movement. i said that probably wasn't easy to do. he is not really a 21st century kind of guy. gordon and i in this book think the place to go is to the 1930s. in our few modern american conservatism is essentially response to the new deal of the 1930s to franklin roosevelt. and to us, the conservative response of the 1930s was the beginning of modern american conservatism. that response initially came from former president herbert hoover. lots of people debate how conservative hoover was as the president and the secretary of commerce of the 1920s and i'm to talk about that in q&a if you'd like but we are looking at him in the 1930s when he was shocked really by the excesses of the new deal. in the 1930s the new deal was the height of progressivism and we are given this book that just as edmund burke, the english political philosopher began modern conservatism as a response to the french revolution, we t

was among the select group in the family sitting room that was witness to the swearing-in of calvin coolidge harding -- was witness to the swearing- in. was the sitting room, which we now know as the oath of office room. this is where the family gathered were president coolidge was administered the oath of office. all the furnishings in here are original. there gathered around the central table. the pen that was used to sign the documents, the lamp that with the scene, but the bible that was here but not official use in the swearing because that was not required by vermont law. grace would have stood about where i am now and there is a famous painting by arthur teller of the homestead inaugural. it shows the group gathered around and she is right next to calvin's side. >> let's head into the vault where we keep specific things about the coolidge family. grace coolidge's earlier life before her marriage to calvin coolidge as well as documents about her relationship with her family, specifically her sons and grandchildren. grace is not only a loving wife, she was also a loving mother. we have

calvin junior was the younger. john coolidge did not die young and lived to an old age.e have a wonderful letter from john to his mother on her birthday. is a wonderful letter where it describes his love. "dearest mother, just to let you know i am thinking of you on your birthday and loving you as no boy has ever loved his mother." john and grace had a very close relationship. he never really said much about how the passing of his brother affected the family. he was very quiet on that. you can tell from the letters between john and grace until her passing -- there were letters many times a year and they were very, very close. whether that was increased by calvin junior's passing or not, there is no way of knowing although i would assume that is the case. >> i wish you both a very happy christmas and a bright and prosperous new year. >> it is a pleasure to greet you, mr. santa claus. and to help you open the sale of sears which begins on thanks giving day of this year. >> would you mind autographing some of the christmas seals as a special favor for santa claus? >> why, i

been nominated for the vice presidency on the ticket with the governor of ohio and they lost to calvin coolidge but roosevelt made a spectacular campaign, made a name for his house nationally and he was absolutely the rising star on the democratic party, this great political name. it than that summer he became ill and within days he not only couldn't walk but he couldn't even stand up. everyone assumed that his political career was absolutely over. no one could imagine that a man who was paralyzed from the waist down could never again run for any significant political office let alone the presidency which had been his great purpose. he was determined, however, that he was going to come back. no one believed him. no one credited this idea, not his enemies or his friends, not eleanor roosevelt although she certainly helped him and thought it was good for him to think that he could make a comeback because of what encourage him to take care of himself and be part of public life. but he built himself up through exercise come constant exercise week after week, month after month. first it's doing exer

front of each house until woodrow wilson, who was a great parliamentarian and public speaker, and calvin coolidge was the first radio state of the union and harry truman on television. the modern speech had its origination with lyndon johnson, who in the 1960s not only determined to televise it but to move it to the evening. >> modern day speech are these moments, the president has someone in, the first lady has someone in the gallery with her as well. what do we know about that? >> the moments we see the ones we recommend are the unexpected moments, the yuli moments and the justice samuel alitto mouthing not true, when the president mentioned the citizens united. larry skutnik who dove into the icy water and helped rescue people in the potomac river. rushing to help a gentleman who had been grievously injured, jeff bauman, carlos aranando, they'll are together in the first lady's box to joe biden confident to both the first lady and the president. >> over the years has it gotten longer? >> it seems to have gotten longer. what's gotten longer is the amount of time beforehand that we speculate. it

and that was calvin coolidge.hought i've got to go back and figure out what went right in the 1920's. >> talk about him.

president calvin coolidge had one as a pet in the white house that raccoon, which was coincidentallyebecca was a gift to the first family and was intended to be eaten for thanksgiving dinner in lieu of turkey. but the coolidges pardoned the animal and she became a hit. rebecca even hosted the white house egg roll with first lady grace coolidge. >>> finally, congressman steve stockman's challenge hit another bump in the road after "the washington post" called him out on several inconsistencies on his campaign website. in a section titled past and present endorsements, the post found that seven of the 12 listed groups had not actually endorsed stockman for senate, including one endorsement, quote, attributed to howard phillips, a conservative activist who died seven months before stockman got in the race. also listed the nra who had actually endorsed his opponent. since that article appeared on friday, the entire page has conspicuously vanished from stockman's campaign website. >>> up next, the war on poverty. a lot of people on the right say we're not winning, and that's their excuse

calvin coolidge. first time it was on tv, 1947. the last president not to deliver a state of the union address pfft was jimmy carter. joining yes to a michigan republican. give us your assessment. >> and me to disagree with the minority leader did. you're the president say he would go round congress. he felt that -- he wants to work with congress. i take him at his word. he is ready to go around congress for those big things that he was to get done. that's a huge mistake. most of the speech was a lot of stuff that we ever before. fifth this is no live their fourth time that have are a lot of that. indian the really big stuff seven like he was just praying to god alone. at think that's a huge mistake. >> if you have part of his old congressional district. yes. reading a book right now, right it would have gone, which is sort of his off the record discussion. it is interesting. i love history. it is interesting hearing began reading his perspective and what it was like in his responsibilities and how he handle the presidency in and h

] we have been showing encore &a.sentations of q1 day -- q discussing her recent biography on calvin coolidgere is a preview. the single thing that helidge did is that when left office the budget was lower than when he came in. now.is the story for us how did he do that? unemployment was below five percent. the budget was balanced. how did he manage that to make the budget goal lower and how did that help the economy? a lot because he got the government out of the way of the economy. do you remember how big the budget was? the way he counted it was about $3 billion. less than five percent of the economy. that was his holy grail. is so longthis book is the middle section of the book is about his effort with another new englander from maine to cut the budget. they did not just cut the tax rate. they cut the budget. this is different from our modern supply-sider. you will see a photo of two lion cubs he had. he said you can't just cut taxes, you have to cut budget. namedlion cubs were budget bureau and tax reduction. >> you can see more of that interview today at 7:00 p.m. eastern. part of our e

she will talk about her latest book on president calvin coolidge. here is a brief look. >> nothing that he did is when he left office, the budget was lower than when he came in. that is a story for us now. how did he do that? the economy grew a lot. maybe more than 3%. the budget was balanced due to his own parsimony. how did he manage to make the budget go lower? how did that help the economy? a lot. he got the government out of the way of the economy. very foreign. >> do you remember how big the budget was then? >> it depends the way you counted. about $3 billion. % andwould be less than 5 he was going to get it down to $3 billion that was his holy grail. this book is so long because little section of the book is about his effort with another new englander to cut the budget. they didn't just cut the tax rate. they cut the budget. this is different from our modern supply-siders who put the tax rate. coolidge always -- you will see a photo of two lion cubs he had. he said you cannot just cut taxes. you have to cut budget. those line cups were named

with amity s she talks about her book on calvin coolidge. here is a look. >> the single thing that coolidge did that we want to remember is when he left office, the budget was lower than when he came and. that is the story for us now in a time where we are concerned -- how did he do that? the economy grew a lot. maybe more than 3% sometimes. unemployment was below 5%. the budget was balanced? how did he manage to make the budget to lower? how did that help the economy? a lot. because he got the government out of the way of the economy. very foreign to the way we talk about the economy now. >> do you remember how big the budget was then? >> it up and fight you count it. when he counted it was about $3 billion. then it would be less than 5% of the u.s. economy. he was going to get it down to $3 billion, and that was his holy grail. is soe reason this book long is that the middle section of the book is about his effort ,ith another new englander to cut theom maine budget. not just tax rates. to cut the budget. that is different. the rates.ins y

what every president did on each day going all the way back 3, james k.uary polk did this or calvin coolidge did that, but i always want to try and connected to the present in some way or fashion. i think it is are useful, and of all the things i do on twitter, i think it is the one thing that i think get the most reaction by far. i think people appreciate it or at least i hope they do. host: "west wing reports" is the publication, paul brandus our guest, westwingreports.com. charles, from the committee, thank you for holding on, republican line, good morning. caller: good morning, how are you. i would like to know why nobody aboutne anything impeaching obama since he has created the highest deficit in history. guest: again, i think it is the reflection of the times we live in where the opposition always wants to impeach the other president. now, you say for example that the economy.troyed that has always been an interesting point when people say that things really got bad when obama came to office. here is an example that i would do you, i do not know if the caller is still here or not, but