that's daniel webster. he said in 1852, if we in our posterity shall be true to the christian religion, if we and they shall live always in the fear of god and shall respect his commandments, we may have the highest hopes of the future fortunes of our country. but if we in our prosperity neglect religious instruction and authority, violate the rules of eternal justice, trifle with the injunctions of morality and recklessly destroy the political constitution which holds us together, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us that shall bury all our glory in profound on security. daniel webster, 1852. now, the senate judiciary committee in 1853 stated this, as a committee. we are a christian people. not because the law demands it, nor to gain exclusive benefits or to avoid legal disabilities from choice and education. in a land thus universally christian what is to be expected, what desired, but that we pay due regard to christianity. senate judiciary committee, january 19, 1853. abraham lincol

and daniel webster. henry clay was entertained here in this house. >> the blair family and so close to the white house. this was one of the main venues for social entertainment between president jackson and lincoln. sterling in them duricertainly'i me. >> i am sure it lincoln felt he could come across the street any time for a chat. i think dennis l. blair house function. it could be an escape, and a place for privacy where things were not overcome. the president could relax in front of a warm fire with an ice and brandy and talk over difficult issues and get good, sound advice as well as a sympathetic shoulder. he was just a boy and remembers abraham lincoln sitting in his father's study of the blair front entrance, deep in conversation with their feet propped up on the fireplace mantel. confidences were still share. there was a closeness. and certainly the night robert e. lee was invited by makori blair and his father to dinner at blair house -- over dinner at the blair and dining room table and contin

they picked the best orator, daniel webster, the best committee chairman, the best constituent service person, the best person who was able to bring things across party lines. you look at ted kennedy and he is every single one of those things. in a sense, his legacy is larger than any one thing. any of us who were here during the time when he was here laying in state saw those people coming one after another, telling what he had done for them. what a great orator, committee chairman, all those things are in line. all that comes out in the book, his love of the senate, his love of family. he said vickie made me understand me, which is what love is all about. >> the other thing about the book is, we have all read many memoirs, and if we were in a different line of work, we probably would not read a lot of them. a lot of these books are interesting if you are interested in the time or the career or the issues. the ones that are really great are universal. you do not have to be a political junkie to get something out of the book. you will read this book from beginning to end even if you ar

they picked the best orator, daniel webster, the best committee chairman, the best constituent serviceperson, the best person who was able to bring things across party lines. you look at ted kennedy and he is every single one of those things. in a sense, his legacy is larger than any one thing. any of us who were here during the time when he was here laying in state saw those people coming one after another, telling what he had done for them. what a great orator, committee chairman, all those things are in line. all that comes out in the book, his love of the senate, his love of family. he said the key made me understand me, which is what love is all about. -- he said vickie made me understand meet. >> the other thing about the book is, we have all read many memoirs, and if we were in a different line of work, we probably would not read a lot of them. a lot of these books are interesting if you are interested in the time or the career or the issues. the ones that are really great are universal. you do not have to be a political junkie to get something out of the book. you will read thi

predecessors include thomas jefferson, james madison, james monroe, daniel webster, george marshall, and of course, madeleine albright. when she was secretary of state, madeleine worked together with secretary clinton to launch the federal government's model voices democracy initiative, and today vital voices is a nonprofit organization that works to train and organize women leaders from around the world. before being appointed to work current position by president obama, secretary clinton served as a united states senator from new york, where she was a strong advocate for the expansion of economic opportunity and access to health care. prior to that, she was first lady for eight years and worked -- on many issues relating to children and families, especially health care, leading a successful bipartisan effort to provide care to millions of children through the children's health program. her biography is also one of firsts. the first first lady to hold a law degree, the first sitting first lady to be elected to the senate, or any public office. the first woman to win statewide electi

politically active, mostly behind the scenes, but prominent, almost all of our political figures -- daniel webster whose portrait is here, henry clay -- were entertained here in this house. >> living here and being of the blair family and so close to the white house, this was one of the main venues for social entertaining between president jackson and lincoln, certainly in van buren's time, maybe a little bit in the beginning of polk's time before their falling out and certainly through andrew johnson's time, as long as he was president. >> and no president took more advantage of that hospitality than abraham lincoln. >> i'm sure that lincoln felt that he could come across the street any time for a chat, and i think that's how blair house really functioned. it could be an escape, it could be a place of privacy where things were not overheard. as far as we know, the president could relax in front of a warm fire with a nice brandy and talk over difficult issues and get good, sound advice, as well as a sympathetic shoulder. the last blair to live in the house, when he was just a 4 or 5-year-old boy,

they picked the best orator, daniel webster, the best committee chairman, the best constituent serviceperson, the best person who was able to bring things across party lines. you look at ted kennedy and he is every single one of those things. in a sense, his legacy is larger than any one thing. any of us who were here during the time when he was here laying in state saw those people coming one after another, telling what he had done for them. what a great orator, committee chairman, all those things are in line. all that comes out in the book, his love of the senate, his love of family. he said the key made me understand me, which is what love is all about. -- he said vickie made me understand meet. >> the other thing about the book is, we have all read many memoirs, and if we were in a different line of work, we probably would not read a lot of them. a lot of these books are interesting if you are interested in the time or the career or the issues. the ones that are really great are universal. you do not have to be a political junkie to get something out of the book. you will read thi

a few years ago his father and all told him that he and daniel webster just might be the two greatest of all time. without missing a beat tandy replied -- what did webster do? [laughter] but though it is teddy's historic body of achievements we will remember, it is his giving heart that we will miss. he was the friend and colleague who was always the first to pick up the phone and say i'm sorry for your loss or, i hope you feel better, or what can i do to help? he was the boss so adored by his staff that over 500 spanning five decades showed up for his 75th birthday party. he was the man who sent birthday wishes and thank-you notes to sell many that never imagined that a u.s. senator of such stature take time to think about someone like them. i have one of those paintings in my private study off the oval office. a cape cod seascape that was a gift to a freshman legislator who had just arrived in washington and happen to admire it when ted kennedy welcomed him into his office. by the way, my second gift from teddy and vicki after our dog bo. it seems like everyone has one of those stor

a few years ago his father and all told him that he and daniel webster just might be the two greatestthout missing a beat tandy replied -- what did webster do? [laughter] but though it is teddy's historic body of achievements we will remember, it is his giving heart that we will miss. he was the friend and colleague who was always the first to pick up the phone and say i'm sorry for your loss or, i hope you feel better, or what can i do to help? he was the boss so adored by his staff that over 500 spanning five decades showed up for his 75th birthday party. he was the man who sent birthday wishes and thank-you notes to sell many that never imagined that a u.s. senator of such stature take time to think about someone like them. i have one of those paintings in my private study off the oval office. a cape cod seascape that was a gift to a freshman legislator who had just arrived in washington and happen to admire it when ted kennedy welcomed him into his office. by the way, my second gift from teddy and vicki after our dog bo. it seems like everyone has one of those stories, the ones th

secretary of state (to reporters as include thomas jefferson, james madison, james monroe, daniel websterrshall, and of course madeleine albright. when she was secretary of state, madeleine worked together with a secretary clinton to launch the federal government's vital voices democracy initiative. today, this is a nonprofit organization that works to train and organize women leaders from around the world. before being appointed to tear position by president obama, she served as a u.s. senator from new york where she was a strong advocate. as first lady, for 8 years, she worked many issues relating to children and families, especially health care. she led a successful bipartisan effort to bring care to millions of children's through the children's health care program. her biography is one of firsts. the first first lady to hold a law degree.4' the firstçó sitting first lady o be elected to the senate or any public office. the first woman to win statewide election in new york. the first woman to win the president as a primary. the first first lady to ever win a grammy. [laughter] that was

daniel webster, the best committee chairman, who was the best constituent service person , someone whocould bring things above party lines. they were every single one of those things, which means his legacy is larger than anyone think. any of us who were here during the time he was here saw people coming one after another talking about what he had done for them. they would say i knew him before i knew him, something like that. what a committee chairman, what a great legislator. most importantly, he could not have done without vicki's openness. she made me understand me, which is what love is all about. >> the other thing about the book is that we have all read parts of the memoirs. they allow these books -- they are interesting, but the ones that are really great are universal, were you do not have to be a political junkie. and beginning to end, there are so many things, early on, and vicki knows this, when ted kennedy was talking, he said one model i have is the book "personal history," because catherine gramm was so candid. i was in chicago and ran into a woman who was 22 years old.

and daniel webster. henry clay was entertained here in this house. >> the blair family and so close to the white house. this was one of the main venues for social entertainment between president jackson and lincoln. sterling in them duricertainly'i me. >> i am sure it lincoln felt he could come across the street any time for a chat. i think dennis l. blair house function. it could be an escape, and a place for privacy where things were not overcome. the president could relax in front of a warm fire with an ice and brandy and talk over difficult issues and get good, sound advice as well as a sympathetic shoulder. he was just a boy and remembers abraham lincoln sitting in his father's study of the blair front entrance, deep in conversation with their feet propped up on the fireplace mantel. confidences were still share. there was a closeness. and certainly the night robert e. lee was invited by makori blair and his father to dinner at blair house -- over dinner at the blair and dining room table and contin

they picked the best orator, daniel webster, the best committee chairman, the best constituent service person, the best person who was able to bring things across party lines. you look at ted kennedy and he is every single one of those things. in a sense, his legacy is larger than any one thing. any of us who were here during the time when he was here laying in state saw those people coming one after another, telling what he had done for them. what a great orator, committee chairman, all those things are in line. all that comes out in the book, his love of the senate, his love of family. he said vickie made me understand me, which is what love is all about. >> the other thing about the book is, we have all read many memoirs, and if we were in a different line of work, we probably would not read a lot of them. a lot of these books are interesting if you are interested in the time or the career or the issues. the ones that are really great are universal. you do not have to be a political junkie to get something out of the book. you will read this book from beginning to end even if you ar

politically active, mostly behind the scenes, but prominent, almost all of our political figures -- daniel webstert is here, henry clay -- were entertained here in this house. >> living here and being of the blair family and so close to the white house, this was one of the main venues for social entertaining between president jackson and lincoln, certainly in van buren's time, maybe a little bit in the beginning of polk's time before their falling out and certainly through andrew johnson's time, as long as he was president. >> and no president took more advantage of that hospitality than abraham lincoln. >> i'm sure that lincoln felt that he could come across the street any time for a chat, and i think that's how blair house really functioned. it could be an escape, it could be a place of privacy where things were not overheard. as far as we know, the president could relax in front of a warm fire with a nice brandy and talk over difficult issues and get good, sound advice, as well as a sympathetic shoulder. the last blair to live in the house, when he was just a 4 or 5-year-old boy, remembers abra

they picked the best orator, daniel webster, the best committee chairman, the best constituent serviceerson, the best person who was able to bring things across party lines. you look at ted kennedy and he is every single one of those things. in a sense, his legacy is larger than any one thing. any of us who were here during the time when he was here laying in state saw those people coming one after another, telling what he had done for them. what a great orator, committee chairman, all those things are in line. all that comes out in the book, his love of the senate, his love of family. he said the key made me understand me, which is what love is all about. -- he said vickie made me understand meet. >> the other thing about the book is, we have all read many memoirs, and if we were in a different line of work, we probably would not read a lot of them. a lot of these books are interesting if you are interested in the time or the career or the issues. the ones that are really great are universal. you do not have to be a political junkie to get something out of the book. you will read this

predecessors include thomas jefferson, james madison, james monroe, daniel webster, george marshall,madeleine albright. when she was secretary of state, madeleine worked together with secretary clinton to launch the federal government's model voices democracy initiative, and today vital voices is a nonprofit organization that works to train and organize women leaders from around the world. before being appointed to work current position by president obama, secretary clinton served as a united states senator from new york, where she was a strong advocate for the expansion of economic opportunity and access to health care. prior to that, she was first lady for eight years and worked -- on many issues relating to children and families, especially health care, leading a successful bipartisan effort to provide care to millions of children through the children's health program. her biography is also one of firsts. the first first lady to hold a law degree, the first sitting first lady to be elected to the senate, or any public office. the first woman to win statewide election in new york,

our third panelist to professor cummings' left is william wolforth who is daniel webster professor ofent and chair of the department of government at dartmouth college. among his books, the most recent one, world out of balance: international relations theory and the challenge of american primacy. he's an influential, interlocutor in a number of debates including what it means to be living in a ewan polar international system. he is editor and chief of the journal security studies as well. so our first speaker will be mary elise ceroti. so i'll hand it over to you. >> great. thank you very much. as john just said, i've just come out with this book 1989, so i've got sort of so many details and only 15 minutes in which to tell them, but i'll try to restrain myself, and then i'm happy to take questions on any of the topics that i touch on briefly in my comments. this book is an international history of 1989, it builds on an earlier exceptional work by phil which is still the best study of u.s. foreign policy in this period. i had the advantage of more sources having written this book mor