country to attend debates, especially when great titans like henry clay and daniel webster and john c. calhoun and others were debating. imagine a much smaller senate chamber crowded with men who hated each other out with the logo. a room reeking of cigar smoke, smelling of gas from gas lamps, with spittoons scattered here and there misfitting one direction or another, and it intends, congested atmosphere with political men going mono and bono and the great editorial arena. >> henry clay and stephen douglas. but is there room for compromise? >> henry clay had them in retirement. to take charge of an attempt to create some kind of a compromise. he was known as the great compromise their for the compromise of 1820, the missouri compromise of 1833 compromise that left the country back from crisis of herself carolinas notification law. henry clay was a cramped, remarkable man and never one to say no when he was invited to be the center of political attention. he returned to washington and let the debate for seven attempting to persuade congressmen from the right and left come in the and north to a

country to attend debates especially when great titans like henry clay and daniel webster and john c calhoun and others were debating. imagine a much smaller senate chamber crowded with men who might have hated each other literally elbow to elbow at the small desk reeking of cigar smoke, smelling of gas from gas lample -- lamps, carpets with spit toons scattered here or there. men spitting and missing and an intense conjected at fear with political men going mono and men know in the arena of 19th century american. >> two of the men henry clay and steven douglas. what was their role? >> henry clay had been in requirement. he was called out of retirement in kentucky to take charge of a attempt to create some kind of a comprise. he was known as great compriser for husbanding the comprise of 1820, the missouri comprise and the 1833 comprise that lost the country back against from crisis over south carolina's nullification of federal law. henry clay was a grand remarkable man, and never 2000 -- no one to say no when he was inviolated to be the center of political attention. he returned to washing

came oliver to attend to be, especially when great titans like henry clay and daniel webster and john c. calhoun and others were debating. imagine a much smaller senate chamber crowded with men who hated each other, although two although, a room reeking of cigar smoke, smelling of gas from gas lamps. carpets with spittoons scattered here and there misfitting in one direction or another, and it intends, congested atmosphere with political man and a great gladiatorial arena of america. postcode was there on the compromise? >> guest: henry clay had been in retirement. he was called out of retirement in kentucky to take charge of an attempt to create some kind of a compromise. he was not missed a great compromise their for the compromise of 1820, missouri compromise and most of the 1833 compromise over south carolina's nullification of federal law. henry clay was a grand, remarkable man i never wanted to say no when he was invited to speak to the center political intentions. so he returned to washington and let the debate for seven months, attempting to persuade congressmen for the right and left, s

modern office that lincoln drew on said his only regrets in public life were that he had not shot john c. calhoun and hung henry clay. (laughter) so people like a fighter. and to go to bob caro's point -- >> rose: before we go i want to make sure i understand what you're suggesting obama should do. >> people like a fighter. people liked it when f.d.r. said -- as michael just said, i welcome their hatred. they like people who go out there and try to sell it. but one point about the broader culture particularly at inauguration time to go to bob caro's point absolutely lyndon johnson with the help of richard goodwin found the way to articulate the aspiration and finish the work, the unfinished work in the founting of the civil war in terms of race. lyndon johnson was doing that as a lawmaker and law giver after martin luther king and -- let a movement in birmingham and montgomery and other places. he passed the voting rights act after jose ya williams and john lewis were almost beaten to death at the pettis bridge. presidents who react to events with the spirit of leadership are going to be the most

it secondly, the slave owners were not american slave owners like john c. calhoun or others. there were cuban slave owners. that may it easier to vilify the cubans slave owners. so it is a little bit different, so it is a little this safer, but i would emphasize, that is not an easy distinction to maintain. in other words, i have never read about any american slave owner who would have liked to see and it's like that. you don't glorify and lionize slave rebels. the spanish government pointed this out clearly. yes, you're going to say it is legal for these people to kill a white man, a figure of authority and capture a ship? all the slaves to america would be very interested to get this days. the do believe the fact that it came from outside the that states may it a little easier, but the other thing which really does matter is that this was a really very dramatic events. and what has struck me about the popular side of it is that they were interested in here these people were as africans, and there was some kind of as out a system that -- exoticism and then. but on the end th

south carolina's greatest orator and intellectual john c. calhoun, a believer and the needs of slavery in society was an active opponent of the war with mexico because he thought that mexicans did not belong in the united states. he said, quote, i protest against the incorporation of such a people. ours is the government of the white man. calvin was hardly alone. a lot of americans felt mexican land is desirable, but taking mexican people with it posed a problem for the united states. now, it was not just intellectuals, ministers, and middle class northern reformers making these critiques. one of the contributions that i think my book does, makes is showing that the world that soldiers and officers made playing in the evolution of the anti-war movement bringing me to colonel john hardin of illinois, a gentleman i introduced you to, and who i came to know well spending hours with his family papers in chicago. now, hardin, again, from jacksonville, a congressman, part of the wealthy and prestigious kentucky family, related to henry clay, both through

modern office that lincoln drew on said his only regrets in public life were that he had not shot john c. calhounyou're suggesting obama should do. >> people like a fighter. people liked it when f.d.r. said -- as michael just said, i welcome their hatred. they like people who go out there and try to sell it. but one point about the broader culture particularly at inauguration time to go to bob caro's point absolutely lyndon johnson with the help of richard goodwin found the way to articulate the aspiration and finish the work, the unfinished work in the founting of the civil war in terms of race. lyndon johnson was doing that as a lawmaker and law giver after martin luther king and -- let a movement in birmingham and montgomery and other places. he passed the voting rights act after jose ya williams and john lewis were almost beaten to death at the pettis bridge. presidents who react to events with the spirit of leadership are going to be the most success so i don't think -- we can't isolate presidential leadership from what will be going on in the country. >> all true. and we honor president joh

attend debates and especially when great titans like henry clay and daniel webster and john cm calhoun and others -- c. calhoun and others were debating. but imagine a much smaller senate chamber crowded with men who might have hated each other literally elbow to elbow at their small desks, a room reeking of cigar smoke, smelling of gas from gas lamps, carpets with spitoons scattered here and there meant spitting in -- men spitting in one direction or another, often missing. and a tense and intense, congested atmosphere with political men going mano a mano in the great glad tore y'all arena of 19th century america. >> two of those men, henry clay and stephen douglas, what was their role in the compromise 134. >> well, henry clay was called out of retirement in kentucky to take charge of an attempt to create some kind of a congresswoman propoise. -- compromise. he was known as the great compromiser for husbanding the compromise of 1820, the missouri compromise, and also the 1833 compromise that walked the country back again from crisis over south carolina's nullification of federal law. henry clay was