my question is about john adams. how many years did you spend with john researching and writing and what was the best part of it? was there something that you discovered that was a complete surprise? >> i spent seven years working on john adams. and the best part of it was that both he and abigail not only wrote letters and diaries, they poured out their hearts, their innermost feelings, their worries, their frustrations, their anger, their doubt, their affection for each other in those letters as very few men and women ever have. and if they'd done nothing but write the letters, our indebtedness to them would be enormous. there's no better window on life in 18th century american family or 18th century american couple than the letters of john and abigail adams and their families all continued in the same tradition. the letters of abigail and john adams are all in the massachusetts historical society. as are the letters and diaries and papers of their distinguished son, john quincy adams, enumerable diplomats, writers,

presidents have walked to classes here, including john adams, teddy

after john adam was was between washington and all of these are iconic figures, but he's created new icons, new narratives who humanized history, and more than that, he's also celebrated the human stories behind great events like the building of the panama canal, the brooklyn bridge, and also historic tragedies like the johnstown flood. the latest book is "the greater journey: americans in paris," the 19th century story of americans going across the atlantic to learn about the old world even at a time when other americans were journeying physically through the pacific to discover the natural resources, challenges, and beauty of the new frontier. they enriched themselves culturally and intellectually and the great city of light in the journey eastward across the sea. ladies and gentlemen, david mccullough came into my office two days after the first national book festival to say how important it was to continue to do this kind of event nationally, and he offered to help in any way that he could. one day after that came, the unspeakable tragedy of 9/11, one of the darkest days in along

after all, john adams is president between church rushing 10 and thomas jefferson. harry truman between you and clint roosevelt and. all are accounted figures, and history at a new icon who humanized history. and he is also celebrated the human stories behind great event that the building of the panama canal, the brooklyn bridge and also a historic tragedies like the johnstown flood. david mccullough is our season chronicler. his latest book is the greater journey, americans in paris. the 19th century story of americans turning back across the atlantic to discover the science, the art and learning of the old world, even at a time when other americans were churning physically to this specifics to discover national resources, national beauty of challenges of the american frontier. america was opening up a new world physically in the west while in reaching itself culturally and intellectually in the great city of lights and the journey eastward across the sea. ladies and gentlemen, david mccullough came into my office two days after the first national book festival to

evening, he will smile. >> each of these men has devoted his professional life to public service, as john adamsnnedy's re-election record, but he definitely would have admired the senator's consistent willingness to speak out on difficult issues and to challenge the opposition. something john did in spades. [applause] >> that's something john did plentifully. >> adams would have been astonished by governor patrick's political campaign that brought him to the corner office of the state house just about this time last year. wasn't it? [applause] >> they didn't hold elections like that when he was running for office. on the other hand, i think john would be quite content to have deval govern new a constitution written by adams and deposit by the commonwealth in 1780. i know he would have admired governor dukakis for the administrative and political skills that helped massachusetts emerge from one of its worst ever economic and financial crises, and maybe more, his decision to retire from politics and enter academia, to teach young men and women the importance of politics. this is one of the cardin

john adams and jefferson both became president saleh why wouldn't aaron burr? so he was a different sort of person.he not to be too flip but he is the bad boy of the founders. he had a different take on the great figures the leaders of the era, is something i probably a participated in the myth making myself but he did not think they were so hot in. washington was sort of dumb. he thought alexander hamilton was an presentable. that he was of four andhe w thought thomas jefferson was a coward. and his personal life he made unconventional choice is. he married doublemint 10 years older than he. not the custom at the time. he was a widow -- she was a widow of the british officer. that was controversial. he did pass a way of a tropical fever and he was inouye accountable for thaten but always in his life anf advocate of women's rights think you they rallies but equalof of men if not the superior in educated his daughter the way in a young man would be educated issuesghte often described as the best educated woman in america who could speak latin and could reverse c

our first vice presidents, john adams and -- became president so why wouldn't aaron burr? he also though was a different sort of person. i don't mean to make, be too flippant but in many ways he is the bad way the founding. he had a different take on the great figures we tend to mythologize, the leaders of that era, something that i probably participated in some of the myth making myself but burr knew them and he didn't think they were such hot stuff. he thought george washington was sort of. he thought alexander hamilton was really unprecedented bull and he was a poor, which was unacceptable in his behavior. and he thought thomas jefferson was a coward. he and his personal life made some unconventional choices. he married a woman 10 years older than he. certainly not the custom at the time. she was a widow at the time of the british officer. that was a controversial thing to do. in fact when they had started keeping company together the british officer was still alive. he did somewhat conveniently for the marriage pass passed away of a passed away of a tropical favor and

a teacher at john adams school in alexandria. recently named the national history teacher of the year. i happen to think my sister nancy teaches in amerous county. we all know teachers -- mr. speaker, i don't think we can vote in the middle of my speech, can we? we all know teachers who are deserved to be rewarded in the teaching of our young people. we will ensure all people can read proficiently by the third grade. social promotions are not acceptable. when we pass the student who cannot read well and is not ready for the next we failed them. our public education system is also embraced some multiple learning venues and opportunities. i agree with president obama that we need to expand charter schools in our country. i'm proposing that we make our laws stronger by requiring a portion of the state and local share of the soq funding to follow the student to the charter school and make it easier for new charters to be approved and acquire property to get up and running. i think we need a fair funding formula for the fast growing v

presidents have walked to classes here, including john adams, teddy roosevelt, f.d.r., and john f.ennedy, as well as 19 supreme court justices. when the latest nobel prizes were announced, seven winners had studied in harvard's hallowed halls. ♪ the university recently celebrated its 375th birthday. president faust kept a close eye on the festivities. students, faculty and alumni gathered to commemorate the occasion. being president of harvard has myriad responsibilities. >> thank you to our incredible performers. >> susie: on this night, it was master of ceremonies. what is your job, in a nutshell? >> my job is to represent harvard to the world, to set its strategic directions and to build the kind of consensus and engagement around the university that enables us to maintain the very highest standards. >> susie: harvard is a sprawling enterprise with 12 graduate schools, six museums, 71 libraries, 15 affiliated teaching hospitals, more than 400 science labs, plus research and study centers in 15 foreign countries. it has more than 15,000 employees and an annual budget of nearly $4

a favorite quote of mine is from john adams, and he said ideology is the science of idiots. today, i think we ought to carry that around and wear it on our lapels. and the reason i say is we had this great level playing field, and i try and the book to everyone back, and then show how both conservative and liberal ideologies have developed over time, and how, in fact, when you get up to present day you will find that they have almost reversed positions in several very important respects, which means if you are wedded to an ideology, swearing it's the founders ideology, guess what? it's the science of idiots because, in fact, it's not at all what was going on in 1789. today, if you listen to republicans, most conservatives will tell you right, small government, low taxes, right? keep government out of our lives. cases agenda that was in 1789? come on, that was a radical leftist, possibly atheist thomas jefferson. that was franklin and jefferson. because think about. jefferson was this sort of gentlemen farmers living in virginia. he didn't need the country to be big and dynam

association, i have an opportunity to choose the theme for our law day, and i chose the legacy of john adams from concord to guantanamo, because every high-school student had to think about why it is our obligation to defend those who have ideas different than our own. why we live in a constitutional democracy. a constitutional democracy is the difference of two words, each of which are two letters. that is the rule "of" law, and the rule "by" law. the rule by law as when a majority get together and get -- and decide what rights, if any, the minority has. nazi germany was one of the most lawful and unjust society is in the history of the world. the nuremberg laws were rules by law. what exists around most of the world and in cuba today come in my own experience, is that the most powerful, the most privileged, get together and decide what rights, if any, the minority have. the united states constitution is the rule by law. the rule by law is to protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority. it is the classic definition of law. now, the rule of law is what justice kennedy and justice r

evening, he will smile. >> each of these men has devoted his professional life to public service, as john adamsnnedy's re-election record, but he definitely would have admired the senator's consistent willingness to speak out on difficult issues and to challenge the opposition. something john did in spades. [applause] >> that's something john did plentifully. >> adams would have been astonished by governor patrick's political campaign that brought him to the corner office of the state house just about this time last year. wasn't it? [applause] >> they didn't hold elections like that when he was running for office. on the other hand, i think john would be quite content to have deval govern new a constitution written by adams and deposit by the commonwealth in 1780. i know he would have admired governor dukakis for the administrative and political skills that helped massachusetts emerge from one of its worst ever economic and financial crises, and maybe more, his decision to retire from politics and enter academia, to teach young men and women the importance of politics. this is one of the cardin

john adams intends to crown john quincey as his heir opponent. they are bringing prostitutes over if leelected. they regard any strong projection of federal power as monarchy. the republican position of madison and jefferson is all domestic policy is the function of the states. no domestic policy can be made by the federal government. the federal government is a foreign government. >> right. they can make foreign policy. but that's it. and why doels they want to argue that. ellis says slavery. once you acknowledge that the federal government has power to make domestic policy which includes internal infrastructure and all that stuff and trade, once you admit that principle, then slavery goes on to the agenda. and they stum thap at all stump that at all costs. >> well, okay. but why? why do they differ from their neighbors? >> well, originally the answer is because they experienced the revolution together as a failure of state sovereignty. they experienced the revolution as a place where the states refused to provide money and men and the numbers a

john adams intends to crown john quincy as its heir, apparent. bringing a boat load of prostitutes over from england if elected. all this unbelievable stuff. they regard any strong projection of federal power as monarchy. the republican position of madison and jefferson is all domestic policy is the function of the states. no domestic policy can be made by the federal government. the federal government is a foreign government. >> right. >> they can make foreign policy but that's it. why else do they want to argue that? >> slavery. >> ellis says, slavery. that once you acknowledge that the federal government has power to make domestic policy, which includes internal improvement like roads, infrastructure, all of that stuff, state trade, once you admit that principle, then slavery goes on to the agenda. >> but -- >> and they want to stop that at all costs. >> but george washington and john marshall are virginiaens. >> they're federalists though. >> okay, but why? why do they differ from their neighbors? >> originally the answer is because they expe

. >> when i hear him say this and i heard him say this many times, i hear the voice of john quincy adams, because this is where this came from. we go not abroad in search o monsters to destroy, john quincy adams, 1821, it was his favorite quotation. so that idea that america could serve as the inspiration for much othe rest of the world by example was deeply rooted in kennan as it was in john quincy adams as well. but there wa also the sense that if we go out and try to force ourselves on others, then we disrupt what it is we are trying to achieve in the first place. >> rose: who are his disciples today? who are the people who are the kennan want to bes. >> there are a lot of kennan want to bes, i don't think kennans who -- >> the power of his ideas to transform an american view of the world. >> i don't think we have such people today, charlie, think there is something in the system that resists developing such people, i think that is partly a function of e educational process, we don't educate people broadly enough to think in these terms. i think it is partly a function of the structur

i was watching the hbo miniseries "john adams" and noticed there is not one for his young this, ne'er-do-well son. i will create one. there is not a whole lot out there about him to be found on the internet. i put together what i could. i have not looked at him for a while. it is not longer than what i put together. >> the other is "british royal sandwich." >> it was a listing on a page called a desired article, articles people wished existed. the phrase amused me. i looked it up. it is a term from british humor describing the on appetizing sandwiches on the british rail during the 1970's during the era of socialist era. it was a funny topic. there is enough reliable sources to create a good article. >> can you pick up your computer and type in "british rail sandwich?" >> it was not a great deal of it than the one i wrote. what i wrote it, it was a series of paragraphs without the section breaks. it has been improved since then. i believe there is information about france. i did not write that. >> when you go down to references, they also have external links. what is that about? that only has

i've written about george washington, alexander hamilton, john adams and his descendents and governor revisited washington a couple times and i wrote a book called "what would the founders do." >> host: and if you go to booktv.org which is c-span2 on the weekends, you can type in richard brookhiser's name and watch several of his presentations talking about his books, booktv has covered him for most all of his books. mr. brookhiser is currently a columnist with american history magazine and an editor at "national review" magazine. you've been with them for a long time? >> guest: oh, yes, since 1977. >> host: omaha, nebraska, steve, thanks for holding. go ahead with your question. we're talking about james madison. >> caller: good morning. i also am a writer of american history, particularly, the revolutionary period. the thing i know about james madison is he's secretary of the writer of the constitution. he brokered between all fighting sides and, in fact -- 35% of the constitution that we ended up with is james madison. >> guest: that's a little high. look, madison did not get the c

john adams, real estate consultant and columnist joining us now. that simple and cut and dry. but bottom line is, you do have to find a bank that is willing to finance a loan for, say, a property that's under $75,000. that's hard to find. how do you find the bank willing to do that? >> you're going to have to shop around. and you're going to have to call a lot of sources. the problem is the lending originators get paid on a percentage basis of what they loan. it's a lot hard tore lend somebody $50,000 than the person bying the $500,000 house. and yet you make ten times as much on the $500,000 loan. >> besides a bank perhaps not making a profit off a home that is under $75,000 or at least market value, what are some of the other reasons as to why a bank will say, no, we're not going to go for this? >> three things. owner occupants who are attracted to these inexpensive bargain homes tend to also have credit problems and they don't tend to have much in the way of savings. that makes it difficult for them to get approved, even for a very small loan be

john adams said, when the constitution was ratified, the constitution was put in place to protect those god given rights. he said our constitution was made for people -- it is wholly inadequate for the government of any other. here is america's god given rights. the moral code that the creator laid out for us. i hear all the time, some of the republican side say, we need to put these social issues aside. all we need to worry about is economics, cutting taxes, cutting spending. they do not know america. they do not understand america. if all you think we need to do to get this economy going and get this country on the right track is to cut government and reduce taxes, you do not understand america. america is a moral enterprise, not an economic enterprise. [applause] there was a book written this past year by a harvard professor. he interviewed a chinese dissident, someone who came from china, who used to work for the chinese government. the mainland china. he worked for the chinese government during the time they decided to transform themselves, open themselves up, become more like us f

form and the workplace and they are taken very seriously and its -- and talk about that quote from john adams where his wife, abigail adams has remembered the ladies come and there is a sense when adams is recognizing that problem in the american revolution of women and the women's liberation by the stretch, but it is something. the sense that this is in my space, and i think that -- >> host: to clarify your talking about when she said just don't forget about empowering women as well. >> guest: just as they are getting close to ratifying the declaration of independence. and so, it's always been an extraordinarily personal-injury visceral battle and i think the left actually sometimes has not understood that. you know, that stephen word, the historian of slavery had this incredible quote about the battle against slavery and he said in other societies where there was slavery, the abolition was the liquidation of the investment. here it was the death of a society. and one of the reasons was the death of a society's that masters lived in very close proximity to their sleeves which was in the case

and john adams who wrote the constitution would be surprised.t did exactly as speaker gingrich indicated. what happened was catholic charities that placed almost half of the adoptive children of our state was forced to being able to provide adoptive services and the state tried to find other places to help children. we have to recognize this decision about what we call marriage has consequence which goes far beyond a loving couple wanting to form a long-term relationship. that they can do within the law now. calling it marriage creates a whole host of problems for the families, for the law, for the practice of religion, education. let me share this, 3,000 years of human history shouldn't be discarded so quickly. >> congressman paul, let me bring this to you. you're running here in the republican primary but you haven't promised to support the party's nominee in november. and you refuse to rule out running as a third party candidate if you fail to get the nomination. why not rule that out? >> well, i essentially have. it's just that i don't like

the federalists believed with george washington and john adams that the united states ought to have a respectable navy. they went out of power in 1800. the federalists. into power came to worse--from their point of view the worst imaginable person, thomas jefferson. jefferson had opposed washington and oppose adams on the navy. jefferson's support obviously -- jefferson tried to have a smaller navy given the fact he had to fight the war with tripoli. he succeeded in keeping it very small and madison was his successor and went along with them. that is why we had such a small navy going into 1812. the federalists during madison's administration screaming for a larger navy. they supported the navy. if you want to know, to answer your question to what degree were the federalists responsible for what an excellent small navy we had, a lot. is the answer. i should also say the officers were non-political. they kept out of politics. they agreed with washington and adams that the officer in uniform had no business in politics. it was not a political navy but the federalists supported them. fed

john adams said our constitution was made -- it was this document that had radical freedoms. look at this constitution. radical freedom. freedom never before seen in the history of the world. our founders were concerned. john adams said this constitution is radical. freedom was made for moral and religious people. it was wholly inadequate for the government of any others. why? if you do not do what you ought to do and just do what you want to do and you have this freedom to do it, you have this situation where members of congress are trading insider bills. government gets bigger, bigger, bigger. why? because you cannot be trusted any more. you do not do the right things anymore. therefore, we need government to make sure that you do. that is the fundamental struggle. whether you believe that we can be a country that is good, decent, and moral. someone said we are going to be constrained with change from within or moral restraints, or change from without. in america, -- america succeeded and revolutionized the world because we believed in self-restraint. we believe in doing wh

john adams said, when the constitution was ratified, the constitution was put in place to protect those god given rights. he said our constitution was made for people -- it is wholly inadequate for the government of any other. here is america's god given rights. the moral code that the creator laid out for us. i hear all the time, some of the republican side say, we need to put these social issues aside. all we need to worry about is economics, cutting taxes, cutting spending. they do not know america. they do not understand america. if all you think we need to do to get this economy going and get this country on the right track is to cut government and reduce taxes, you do not understand america. america is a moral enterprise, not an economic enterprise. [applause] there was a book written this past year by a harvard professor. he interviewed a chinese dissident, someone who came from china, who used to work for the chinese government. the mainland china. he worked for the chinese government during the time they decided to transform themselves, open themselves up, become more like us f

he wanted to see documents of the precedence apparently really fascinates him, john quincy adams so we showed -- >> did he explain his interest? >> well, he didn't beyond the point that he was fascinated with the father son aspect of this adams senior -- bush senior, bush junior. >> i see. did he comment on anything like transparency of his from the documents? >> well, we tried to explain that we're an access agency and that americans are entitled to see the their country. i think in fact that i've been invited to come to bag dand see if we can't bring a delegation to advice them on organizing the archives which we may do. >> you've had an awful lot of experience before the archives with the arrival of measure of freedom to russia. the yeltsin and earlier in fact when you headed up the center for democracies, is that correct? >> 18 years you. >> are kind of an expert on freedom. >> not an expert -- >> you know that the iraqis -- did he bring any of this signing a constitution this year? >> i think all that i would say, john is they seem very determined on the score. he talked to the pr

he wanted to see documents of the precedence apparently really fascinates him, john quincy adams so we showed -- >> did he explain his interest? >> well, he didn't beyond the point that he was fascinated with the father son aspect of this adams senior -- bush senior, bush junior. >> i see. did he comment on anything like transparency of his from the documents? >> well, we tried to explain that we're an access agency and that americans are entitled to see the their country. i think in fact that i've been invited to come to bag dand see if we can't bring a delegation to advice them on organizing the archives which we may do. >> you've had an awful lot of experience before the archives with the arrival of measure of freedom to russia. the yeltsin and earlier in fact when you headed up the center for democracies, is that correct? >> 18 years you. >> are kind of an expert on freedom. >> not an expert -- >> you know that the iraqis -- did he bring any of this signing a constitution this year? >> i think all that i would say, john is they seem very determined on the score. he talked to the pr