eisenhower, your excellencies, friends of david eisenhower in america and throughout the world, we gather today in mourning but also in gratitude. we mourn divide eisenhower's death, but we are grateful for his life. we gather also conscious of a fact that being tribute to dwight eisenhower we celebrate greatness. when we think of his place in history, we think inevitably of the other giants of those days of world war ii. and we think of the qualities of greatness and what made his unique among all. once perhaps without intending to do so, he himself put his finger on it. it was 1945 shortly after at a ceremony in the hall the triumphant supreme commander of the allied forces in europe was officially given the freedom of the o city of london. in an eloquent address that day dwight eisenhower said i come from the heart of america. ♪♪ you did come from the heart of america not only from its geographical height but from its spiritual. dwight eisenhower touched something fundamental in america which only a man of immense mind and spirit could have brought so vibrantly alive. he wasas a produc

eisenhower and eisenhower party was responsible for that. we are loose in the cold were overseas to communist and we are losing it at home. i think the rage in part stands the country was being lost. the founders with the nation's most dynamic economy. this is a system that has made them in a sense. they are incredibly prosperous and successful. more successful than the vast majority of other americans and yet there is this rage at the direction and eisenhower for some of them at least comes up the focal point oft it. >> other questions? right here. >> you said at the beginning you started this book in part two seriously consider the arguments made or the philosophy of the john birch society. my question is do you think by giving legitimacy and taking these crazy arguments seriously you give them a legitimacy they don't deserve? >> it's a really good question. i mean i am a historian. i am interested i guess in trying to analyze individuals or movements or ideas that i think are impactful or influential. it's not a copout it's as opposed to

eisenhower meeting with a cruise chef. they launch a case with some entanglement. many thousands of postcards to members of congress. they ran newspaper ads one of the interesting moments here in the book, i think, for me, after john f. kennedy's assassination in dallas, dallas was a hotbed, initially, there were some that thought another did it. ii quoted someone in here becaue it was someone on the far right. it turns out it was not. how you could recognize the assassination. and use it to mobilize. basically as evidence, outlook, we were actually onto something. a communist killed kennedy and we were the one saying the communists were, nevermind that they called kennedy a communist to begin with but why another would want to kill another who would let logic get in the way of a good conspiracy theory. so, but, they were able to put ads in papers, a lot of their leaders spun various conspiracy theories and you know, the theories are wild, but also some people responding to them. there is actually this one guy, this guy, he spends his crazy theory that government o

eisenhower power and the eisenhower party was responsible for that. and we're losing the cold war overseas to communists and we're losing it at home. and so i think the rage in part stems from the of the country was being lost. so, as i say, despite them being the especially the founders, their colossi, a striding the nation's most dynamic economy. and they are i mean, they're you know, this is a system that has made them right in a sense. right. mean they're they're incredibly prosperous and successful. you know, more successful than the vast of other americans. and yet there is this kind of rage at the direction over many decades. and eisenhower are, for some of them at least becomes the focal point of it at the question just right here. you said at the beginning that you started this book in part to seriously consider the arguments made or the philosophy of the john birch society. my question is do you think by giving legitimacy see and taking these sorts crazy seriously you give them a legitimacy they don't deserve? well you know that's that's a r

eisenhower power and the eisenhower party was responsible for that. and we're losing the cold war overseas to communists and we're losing it at home. and so i think the rage in part stems from the of the country was being lost. so, as i say, despite them being the especially the founders, their colossi, a striding the nation's most dynamic economy. and they are i mean, they're you know, this is a system that has made them right in a sense. right. mean they're they're incredibly prosperous and successful. you know, more successful than the vast of other americans. and yet there is this kind of rage at the direction over many decades. and eisenhower are, for some of them at least becomes the focal point of it at the question just right here. you said at the beginning that you started this book in part to seriously consider the arguments made or the philosophy of the john birch society. my question is do you think by giving legitimacy see and taking these sorts crazy seriously you give them a legitimacy they don't deserve? well you know that's that's a r

eisenhower and eisenhower party was responsible for that and losing the cold war overseas economies and losing it at home. so i think the rage in part stems from a distance of the country was being lost. so as i say despite them being especially the founders, the nations most dynamic economy and they are. this is a system that is made up since. they are incredibly prosperous and successful. more successful than vast majority of other americans, yet there is this kind of rage at the correction over many decades. eisenhower for some entities becomes the focal point of it. >> other questions? >> you said atd the beginning that you started this book in part too seriously consider the arguments made or the philosophy of the john birch society. my question is do you think by giving legitimacy and taking the source of crazyzy arguments seriously you give them a legitimacy they don't deserve? >> that's a really good question. i mean, i'm a historian so i guess i'm interested in trying to analyze individuals or movements or ideas that i think are impactful or influential. i'm not trying to, you

dwight eisenhower or after he leaves office. so say from from beginning of kennedy's administration, let's say through the escalation of the war under johnson, dwight eisenhower is really quite hawkish on vietnam. and in a sense, urging the administra nation to to make the commitment, the necessary commitment to preserve an independent noncommunist vietnam. it's not to get and it's not altogether consistent with his own reservations his own careful policy, more careful policy while he's president. well, i think. okay, mark, we'll move on to some superb questions because they really carrying along our discussion this one. and again, it may be from in house today or it may be online as vice president was lyndon sufficiently aware or briefed on kennedy's plan so that he could have execute it on those plans? and ultimately, why did not? yeah, great question. so we know that johnson was aware of this planning. we know because johnson's aid howard berkes wrote a memo lbj to that effect that we have johnson knew about it. august 1962 a

as mail president eisenhower renamed after his grandson, camp david.t is how we know it today. >> you describe kempton for a lot of our viewers and listeners who i'm sure have never visited camp david in person. i'm probably will not visit camp david. when you paint a picture of what the camp is like? >> i will try. great partners of ours 1800 feet elevation, on the spring and summer months. a leafy canopy perfectly manicured yards, the road meanders to the camp. in these cabins we presidential walk-through all the cabins have this oak plank siding with the certain shade of green paint. all the roofs are cedar shake shingles. these very rustic, very leafy, very fresh. but at night i find it particularly surreal definitely quiet, no white except pathway light. no noise except for a squirrel in the tree no lights, no noises from below eerily quiet peaceful. inside the campus is called cedar just from the corner from aspen and the president's logic. >> how many cabins are in camp david, how big is the site? >> there are about four guest cabins president e

eisenhower made the vice presidency significant. he sat my parents 253 nations around the world as goodwill ambassadors. they were in vietnam in 1953. they were in africa, asia and all over the world. because he believed in person to person diplomacy. he used his vice president. i think my father liked that. that's say eisenhower led the way on that relationship. >> i have spoken to a lot of my grandfathers colleagues over the years, and one in particular was lynn the hall, a former national chairman. i interviewed him in oyster bay, new york, very close to the teddy roosevelt homestead some years ago. i asked him that very question. i think he would have agreed with your response entirely, that dwight eisenhower was not somebody who enjoyed campaigning, but he said the two greatest natural politicians, the two greatest natural politicians he had seen in his entire life were al smith and dwight eisenhower. >> the one thing i love my job, it is the best and hardest job i have ever had. it has kept me going through four cancer rounds,

eisenhower discusses the rointegration problem out of little rock arkansas.resident of the united states. >> good evening, my fellow citizens. i should like to speak to you about the serious situation that has arisen in little rock. what i've been stating recently, i felt that in speaking in the house of lincoln. with the sadness and the action that i was compelled today to take and the fairness with which i intend to pursue this course. the mobs have prevented the carrying out of proper orders from a federal court. local authorities have not. this morning they gathered again in front of the school in little rock. obviously preventing the rtcarrying out of the order relating to the admission of negro children to that school. whenever normal agencies prove inadequate to the task and it becomes necessary for the executive brancher of the federl government to use. the president's responsibility inin accordance with the responsibility today i've issued an executive order. this became necessary when my proclamation of yesterday was not observed and the obstruction

we now turn our attention to dwight eisenhower was president from 1953 until 1961.ts from entering little rock central high. we will see him in 19613 days before relinquishing his office to a younger john kennedy bray y left his countrymen with a warning about the growing military-industrial complex. >> and the president's office in the white house in washington d.c., we present a special address by the president of the united states dwight d eisenhower. mr. eisenhower discussed the problem like to speak with you that has arisen and little rock to make the stock i've come to the president's office and the white house. i could have spoken from rhode island i where i have been staying recently. but i felt that in speaking from the house of lincoln, of jackson and wilson my words would better convey both the sadness i feel in the action i was compelled to make. which i intend. can be executed without unlawful interference. in that city, under the leadership of extremists, disorderly mobs have a prevented carrying out the proper orders in a federal court. they've not el

eisenhower.president of the united states. good evening, my fellow citizens: for a few minutes this evening i should like to speak to you about the serious situation that has arisen in little rock. to make this talk, i have come to the president's office in the white house. i could have spoken from rhode island, where i have been staying recently. but i felt that, in speaking from the house of lincoln, of jackson, and of wilson, my words would better convey both the sadness i feel in the action i was compelled today to make and the firmness with which i intend to pursue this course until the orders of the federal court at little rock can be executed without unlawful interference. in that city, under the leadership of demagogic extremists, disorderly mobs have deliberately prevented the carrying out of proper orders from a federal court. local authorities have not eliminated that violent opposition and, under the law, i yesterday issued a proclamation calling upon the mob to disperse. this morning

eisenhower. mr. eisenhower discusses the integration problem at little rock, arkansas. ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states. good evening, my fellow citizens. for a few minutes this evening, i should like to speak to you about the serious for a few minutes this evening i should like to speak to you about the serious situation that has arisen in the little rock. to make this talk i've come to the president office in the white house. i could is spoken from rhode island of where i've been staying recently but i felt that in speaking from the house of lincoln, objection and wilson my words would better convey both the sadness i feel and action i was compelled today to make, and the stern is with which intend to pursue this course until the orders of theit federal court at little rock can be executed without unlawful interference. in that city under the leadership of demagogic extremists, disorderly mobs have deliberately prevented a caring out of proper orders from a federal court

president kennedy inaugurated in january, succeeding presidentt eisenhower. bay of pigs is being planned behind the scenes the cia and u.s. government and others passed off to thehe administration. see the photo on the top right became a pulitzer prize-winning photo called three steps. what is interesting about this i think from a human and political point is that president kennedy inherited the operation. it was launched, it did not go well. the political personal aisle vice president eisenhower to come to camp david t. and help him understand how to get through this. how do i fix fix mask? what do i do? it's a poignant significant moment you have the new upstart democrat invited the old guard retired five-star general. to talk aboutdo what to do. it's a great humble possibly desperate measure very humble way to recognize leadership and recognize what a president typically passes on between administrations and talk about what would be best for the country. >> maybe you mentioned this already, it might come some presidents and first families visit camp david

eisenhower president eisenhower accepting the donation there in the top photo.o a lot of the a lot of the stage was set for mrs. kennedy. that's a perfect transition in elaine into a question for you you of course are the co-author of the book designing camelot which talks about the efforts of jacqueline kennedy and the restoration of the white house. can you tell us? how for our audience so everybody understands some people may know the story but others may not tell us what were some of the institutions that mrs. kennedy put in place that are that are still operational today. and also tell us why was she so interested in restoration in the white house? it wasn't necessarily just to like pretty things or make things look nice. there was a larger purpose that really supported the kennedy administration if you can tell us a little bit about that, i think that would be very illuminating for our audience. thank you colleen. i'm so happy to be here and i'm so happy to get to follow melissa because so much of what i do in starting to talk about mrs. kennedy. it's as i

he started work in the civil rights division, the justice department, during the eisenhower administration, and stayed on and is somebody who didn't shrink from the most difficult work, including accompanying james meredith to register for classes, become the first black american student at the university of mississippi. there was a terrible riot that. he spent the night in james meredith's dorm room. and a year later there was an event that became burned in everyone's. it was june 15th. it was after the assassination of medgar evers in, mississippi. and evers funeral took place in jackson. and there was a lot of concern that that was going to result in more violence because there were marchers who wanted to protest beyond the funeral and there were a set of racist police officers who were eager to bust some heads. and in the breach, standing in between those two people, those two sets of people was john dore and i want to read a little vignette from a book called the race beat. and it was about press coverage of the civil rights movement. and it talked about that in tense moment. some of

eisenhower president eisenhower accepting it. a lot of the stage was set. >> that's a perfect transition a lane into a question for you. your course or the co-author of the book designing camelot which talks about the efforts of jacqueline kennedy and the restoration of the white house. can you tell us and so everybody understands theth story, tell us what were some of the institutionsns that mrs. kennedy put in place that are still operational today and also tell us why she was so interested in the restoration of the white house. it wasn't necessarily just things or to make things look nice but there was a larger purpose that supported the candidate and if you can tell us a little bit aboutut s that comi think that would be meaningful for the audience. thank you call and i'm happy to be here and so happy to follow melissa because so much of what i do is there really were so many efforts that so much of life is timing and if you can go to the first slide of mine please be so much is timing in light but she had excellent timing an

but dwight eisenhower did, and he prepared apology for it. why is it important for us to understand those speech that were not given? well, first of all, you should have done the audio book that was great. i hear, i was in a recording studio. and by the way, the audio book is fun, too. you should buy the physical copy, and you should buy it here at theodore's. but but the audio book, we had actors read for some of the undelivered speeches, and so the audio book almost resemble as a podcast, as much as an audio book that said, if we'd done it four months later, we would have, you know, gpt or generative ai to actually actually read these speeches. but i love this question because i did do a talk to a bunch of like serious historians and some of them said, are you concerned that you may have helped write an alternative history? and i sort of it never struck to be concerned. i think only a certain subset of the population is deeply concerned about alternative histories. but for me, what what was important about that idea and one of the things th

any other reasons why truman and eisenhower's test so they wanted european stability. that was an interest of the us economically. absolutely. they wanted europeans stability. they wanted to assist in europe's post-war economic recovery. any other reasons that you can think of? well, these are all very good answers at the end of the war. there were an estimated 10 million people left homeless and in some cases stateless just in europe alone. truman wanted to accommodate a greater share of the displaced persons in order to assist europe's post-war recovery as tests pointed out. financial aid to the war-torn nations was not enough. he said the united states had a moral obligation to accept a number of the displaced persons in europe. and yet congress resisted. even after americans became more fully aware of the horrors of the nazi death camps congress resisted. can anyone venture a guest or tell me why congress would have been so resistant at this time to accommodating displaced persons and refugees? you want to venture a guess? well bear in mind that at this moment in t

>> some of the people that have been underrated -- dwight eisenhower. he seems to have found a spot where democrats like him, liberals, moderates and conservatives. his two terms are a great time of prosperity, he dealt with things like the interstate highway system, st. lawrence seaway, little rock. good and honest government, he is going up in my estimation and scholars writ large. andrew jackson is taking a big hit. he used to be one of the top five big presidents. a much more keen awareness of what the trail of tears was, what indian removal went -- removal meant. white fang, bloody side to andrew jackson and his disregard for black americans and native americans. he has been thinking -- sinking by scholars. donald trump has praised jackson. on the right, he is having a renaissance. but in the presidential scholar world, he is moving downward. i saw a documentary on calvin coolidge, he is having an upward revision because like eisenhower, integrity matters. like jimmy carter. people will judge character as not just the defining thing -- some people

and indeed, two of the best were appointed federal judges were appointed by eisenhower in two of the worst by kennedy. could you please comment on that or maybe explain it so i can i this is a so judge tuttle, wisdom brown and reeves along with justice judge johnson were great judges who were appointed by just judge eisenhower, president. and they they needed to do a lot of work because other judges on that bench reported previously or including a few that were appointed by president kennedy weren't so good. and so that's all true. that's jack bass has written about it and and i think that in the it's you have to look at the entire record of the kennedy appointments because there were some good ones in there as well in the south and the fifth circuit. but but what i think the robert kennedy and president kennedy were dealing with and the political people in the white house were dealing with, was the long tradition of deferring to the senators from those states and the democratic from those states wanted their guys and they were all guys appointed. and when eisenhower was in office, t