>> guest: richard nixon was a complicated man. i have come to the conclusion that in that essay of line, he is excessively harsh but occasionally -- richard nixon and henry kissinger, i jumped on them for day, that gave us time to work to the position. it fashion an arms buildup that brought the soviets back. he had an aspect of the presidency. he was a disaster in other areas. he is awfully argumentative. >> host: tempo, florida. you are on with r. emmett tyrrell. >> nice to talk to you. i think ronald reagan would be rolling in his grave if he knew conservatives -- no american middle class and for china -- the end of interesting. i voted republican. republicans this year highlighting social security, and millions going into social security. my question, started coming down, that was the only time i got really clear coverage, i watch c-span all the time for clear coverage of news. it became a dumbing down of the media, and catching goldman sachs. why was that it ignored? she knew was going on. here is in the middle east. why did

>> guest: uh, well, richard nixon was a complicated man. i've come to the conclusion that in that essay of mine on detente i was excessively harsh. but then occasionally i'm given to be excessively harsh. richard nixon and henry kissinger, i jumped on them for detente. the truth of the matter is detente worked. it gave us a breathing spell. it gave us time to work out to the position where ronald reagan could fashion an arms buildup that broke the soviets' back. so i think richard nixon was a successful president in that regard. in that aspect of his presidency. he was a disaster in other areas, particularly domestic spending. whoever that wonderful liberal is that just left us. [laughter] i think he's my kind of liberal, but he's awfully hard to -- [inaudible] >> host: grace in tampa, florida, you're on with r. emmett bob tyrrell. go ahead with your question. >> guest: hi, mr. tyrrell. i think ronald reagan would be rolling in his grave right now if he knew -- [inaudible] for china. it's kind of interesting, i did vote republican. i am a d

nixon.that i should reveal that i had a great advantage in that debate, and i'm not referring to anyone's makeup man. [cheers and applause] >> the advantage that i had had was that mr. nixon had just debated with crureb off -- with krushov and i debated with krushov and i debated with hubert humphrey and that gave me an think. >> how close did he come to defeating j.f.k.? >> the primary, i think he probably lost by 10% in the primary and the west virginia and wisconsin primaries. i think wisconsin might have been worse. you didn't really have a chance. that's another whole story, kennedy's campaign was pretty well financed and humphrey didn't have a lot of money and he was really kind of -- considered bought out, i would have to say. there's stories of people being handed $5 and all kinds of handed $5 and all kinds of things that went on during that campaign he really didn't have much of a chance. he was expected to win in that state and why you'll hear i think that he was expected to win. i

vice president richard nixon. pictures shows nixon. nixon's career i picture i'm holding it was discovered only recently. nixon. was a master of p.r. of course but my father wasn't different for that reason nixon was deemed the victor to be. the first official visit to the united states by a soviet leader took place in one thousand nine hundred fifty nine. it was obvious that crucial for hope to make a favorable impression on americans. would be very russian people say that any good deed should begin in the morning with that of moscow this morning and it's good to know that because of the time difference first meeting on american soil was in the morning of this same day as you see all countries are not that far apart. it was the first time that the soviet communist was a human being someone who reacted openly and sincerely to current events during his tour of the united states crucial has always ready to. his freewheeling attitude was a hitting aides accompanying him on his foreign tools the most difficult part was to translate it for

believed cost him the presidency in the kennedy/nixon election. so he was committed to being political. it is sad, and it wasn't -- now, there was considerable political support for the idea that unemployment was the most important problem and that we had to do something about unemployment at the expense of a little inflation, and there were lots of people, including very able people like jim tobin, who said, you know, unnation isn't really a serious problem, and we don't have to do, you know, and we can trade off a little bit of unemployment for a little bit of inflation for higher, for lower unemployment rates, and that's to the good and for the social welfare. so that was a strong view. it wasn't a view i that i i held, and it wasn't a view that paul volcker held. but it was a very dominant view at the time, and it wasn't until inflation became the number one topic on the opinion polls that president carter who never had shown a great deal of interest in controlling inflation up to that time invited paul to become chairman of the federal reserv

, president nixon had says he was going to have an end to inflation without a recession. and he instructed paul mccracken who was on the council of economic advisers, and they told him that wasn't going to happen. but that's what he wanted, and he got a chairman of the federal reserve who in his first act, martin at the end of his tenure, had decided to do something serious about inflation. and the first meeting of the open market committee in 1971 when arthur burns became chairman reversed that policy and began to say we have to do something about recession. and set the pattern that went on throughout the 1990s which was -- 1970s which was we could always do something about inflation until the unemployment rate rose above 7%. and then we had to stop. and the people who were serving on the open market committee at that time would promise themselves, we're going to do something about inflation. we're not going to let this happen. and then the unemployment rate would be 7 or 8 -- 7 or 7.5%. and all that talk disappeared. >> so we have now entered a discussion of the 1970s,

and i think that when we decided to jump nixon, probably we should have jumped nixon. and should this kind of breaking of the law should ended there, and this informal politics should have ended there. but i think they're two different creatures, two different activities. interestingly enough, you know with, you're a true believer or you aren't, but clinton's lifelong brushes with the law began back in his campaign for, first campaign for the house of representatives against hammer schmidt in '76, i think it was? at any rate, and he, his longstanding run-ins with the laws, they were all the same. they were bank fraud, shaky finances, shaky loans, shaking donees to -- shaky loans to his campaigns. they were whitewater. i mean, look, there were so many documents destroyed in whitewater, starr's lucky if he got half of the documents involved there. and needless to say monica lewinsky was, i think, a serious transgression. so i think it was a different kind of breach of the law with clinton, and i think it was a very serious breach of the law. >> host: florida, go ahead, c

nixon, mr. and mrs.th high hopes, in good spirit, and with the deep humility. always remember others may hate you. those who hate you do not win unless you hate them. then you destroy yourself. >> nixon's farewell was many things. it was a wrenching personal experience. it was a farewell to his staff. it was also a peril to the white house family ended illustrated just how many roles the white house plays. >> even smaller countries are much. this is not the finest house, but this is the best house. >> it is interesting that richard nixon spoke about the house. by that, he meant the house on a personal level. the king is dead. long live the king. and also as a historical symbol. no one who spends time in that house until to appreciate your role -- either role. nixon was apologizing to the country for perhaps besmirching a little bit of the house and its history. >> it is the best house because this house has a great heart. that heart comes from those who serve. >> the home undergoes yet another series of

of the doctrine and how shah was influential in the development of the nixon doctrine but the nixon doctrine said basically give the shah what he wants and don't let him about democracy. and bugging shah about democracy is something that every u.s. administration from roosevelt to carter had done with the exception of nixon. it is precisely during the nixon era where these economic changes of the shah was bringing about, where iranian society turned into a new social fabric, new modern middle-class was coming. the agricultural revolution had completely changed the fabric of the iranian countryside and the iranian cities. the best example, if you want to know what that revolution did to iran is follow the life of ahmadinejad. i have written an article in the boston review called in many biography of ahmadinejad. ahmadinejad captures what i'm talking about. his family was living in a small village. by early 60 they decided they can't survive in the village because there was a change. feudalism had ended. there was no infrastructure of support. they came to tehran. they became dwellers

moreover nixon came to power. i argue about the development of the nixon doctrine and how the shah was very much influential in the development of the nixon doctrine. but the nixon doctrine basically said give the shah what he wants, sell him as much military as he wants, and don't bug him about democracy. and bugging the shah was democracy is something that every u.s. administration from roosevelt to carter had done with the exception of nixon. it is precisely during the nixon period where the changes in the iranian society, oh blowing iranian society into a new social fabric. a new modern middle class was coming. the agriculture revolution had completely changed the fabric of iranian countryside and iranian cities. the best example if you want to know what that revolution did to iran is follow the life of ahmadinejad. i've written a mini biography of ahmadinejad. he captures what i was talk abouting. his family was living in the small village. by 1960, they decided they can't survive in the village. feudalism ha

why did you not take the job of committee to reelect the president of richard nixon in 1972? >> i was -- i just did not have any interest in doing it. >> the book is called "known and unknown: a memoir." donald rumsfeld is our guest. thank you very much for being here. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> for a dvd copy of this program, called 1-877-662-7726. for free transcripts or to give us your comments about this program, visit our website. "q&a" programs are also available as c-span podcasts. >> tomorrow, first look at the low energy income plan. then the national taxpayers union outline of hidden taxes that contained in the budget. that contained in the budget.

why did you not take the job of committee to reelect the president of richard nixon in 1972? >> i was -- i just did not have any interest in doing it. >> the book is called "known and unknown: a memoir." donald rumsfeld is our guest. thank you very much for being here. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> for a dvd copy of this program, called 1-877-662-7726. for free transcripts or to give us your comments about this program, visit our website. "q&a" programs are also available as c-span podcasts. >> today, this of the public and private spaces of america's most recognizable home, the white house. we provide a barely seen look at the history of the presidential residence and take you through the, the west wing, local office, and lagan betterment focus on the presidents and first families to most influenced how it looks today, airing in high-definition and newly updated with interviews with president obama and the first lady and comments from georgia and laura bush. that is today a 6:00 p.m. easter

moreover, nixon had come to power in the united states, and nixon had implement the what was called the nixon doctrine, and i argue in the book about the develop of the doctrine and how shah was very much influ enissue in the -- influential in the doctrine, but it said give the shah what he wants, as much military as he wants, and don't bug him about democracy. bugging the shah about democracy is something that every u.s. administration from roosevelt to kotter had done with the exception of nixon, and it is precisely during the nixon era where this economic changes of the shah was bringing about, were blooming iranian society or blowing iranian society into a new social fabric, a new modern middle class was coming. the agriculture revolution had completely changed the fabric of iranian countryside and cities. the best example if you want to know what that revolution did to iran is follow the life of ac ahmadinejad. i've written an article in "boasten review -- "boston review" and it captures what i'm talking about. the family was living in a small village. by early 1960, they decided t

why did you not take the job of committee to reelect the president of richard nixon in 1972?> i was -- adjusted not have any interest in doing it. >> the book is called "known and unknown." donald rumsfeld is our guest. thank you very much for being here. >> for a dvd copy of this program, called 1-877-662-7726. for free transcripts or to give us your comments about this program, visit our website. "q&a" programs are also available as c-span podcasts. >> tonight, british prime minister david cameron response to concerns about the recent rise in unemployment and prime ministers questions. after that, look it highlights from question period in the canadian house of commons with prime minister stephen harper. remarks from secretary hillary clinton on afghanistan and pakistan. andue

not very popular with republicans or nixon who basically wanted. not a great career move for you but you did it. what was your rationale? >> i voted against the legislation when it passed. sargent shriver recently passed away had been the person who headed up the office of economic opportunity, and it started under president kennedy, he and his brother bobby kennedy and the justice department had fashioned a program to try to assist the poor and the country and then president johnson came with his big texas approach and enlarged it and it became the war to eradicate poverty and if you define poverty has a certain percentage of the population, and then you try to eradicate it, it's not possible because there's always going to be a certain percentage in that category, and they immediately started a host of programs. there was the job corps, head start, migrant programs, health care programs, drug programs, community action programs, just their must have been 12 or 15 different programs under this umbrella on the war on poverty. the these naim was the

guest: the strategy was if they could stop nixon, then katie bar the door, and both rockefeller and nixon believed over time the convention would turn to them. host: nelson rockefeller, was his selection for vice president an impetus for reagan to run? guest: that's an interesting question. i don't think it was directly, but i clearly, whether gerald ford reached out to this man who, talk about polarizing, was a lightning rod for many conservative republicans, for lots of reasons, there is no doubt that a growing conservative movement thin and outside the republican party saw that as a defining moment for the ford presidency. they took umbrage at it. and the fact that ford, in effect, dumped rockefeller at the end of 1975, was not enough to assuage their feelings. host: bonnie joining us from greenville, north carolina. good morning. caller: good morning. thank you so much. i'm just listening to you spin about reagan. yes he did some wonderful things for the country, but i think he damaged -- i don't know if it is t weak mind of the conservative. let me point out one experience. last year

the white house today is the nixon white house and the state grants.y brought the white house to that state. >> outside the gates, it is a home whose history and documents are still under siege for most of his presidency. from the vietnam protesters to the watergate scandal at the end, the white house becomes an insular place for president nixon and a place where he finds solace in one particular room. >> richard nixon was a man who cherishes solitude. his intellectual privacy. he loved a fire in the fireplace and it was his habit to turn the air conditioning up as high as it would go and start a fire. it is important for every president to have a time when he can think. for nixon, that is what the lincoln sitting room was all about trade in the end, it turned out to be a place of security and memories. sooner or later, every president bonds with lincoln. he famously compared himself to lincoln and the sense that he justified actions of that others sol as abuse of power. -- others saw as abuse of power. just about every president gets very close to lin

before the vietnam war was considered nixon's war or johnson's when it was considered mcnamara's war and before vietnam mcnamara was considered a bomb damage your fish and sea expert during world war two and a top advisor to b. twenty nine bomber force commander curtis lemay did his position in training qualify mcnamara to know the true number of the at the meese killed in the war. or the vietnamese released their tally of five million souls mcnamara paid a visit to vietnam while he was there he gave them his numbers. do you mean to say it was not a tragedy for you. when you lost three million four hundred thousand of the timmy's killed which on our population bases the equivalent of twenty seven million americans what did you accomplish since it was their country their towns and villages and the mobs of their men women and children it is solely for the vietnamese to determine if their independence is more the price the us exactly. had struggled for their independence for two thousand years before it was finally won in one thousand nine hundred seventy five for a thousand years it wa

men held back,o they say.o that is impossible.oo and we know that it's impossiblo because richard nixonf io a message now declassified wrote in the vietnamese, northoo vietnamese premier after theoooo vietnamese had released theiroo prisoner list and they didn't release until after the peace treaty was signed and he sent the message saying we have 300oo men in laos alone in the prisono and you were sending out onlyo nine or ten minutes that isooo inconceivable and it isoo inconceivable but let's say twoo months later nixon is onoo national television tellingooooo people all the men are on theiro oay home.oo the north vietnamese wouldoo matter of the or expand thatooo list. they didn't have anybody. and so, he knows that those 300o men -- he goes those -- and we are not taloking about what was in vietnam, so those are missino and they were alive and how dooo we know they were alive?ooo we know from all kind of things. first of all, the vietnamese, when the french army waso defeated and i think it was 1947 -- 54, excuse me. the vietnamese also held prisoners then.o during our -- and the f