roosevelt realized that a larger was at hand. while his sympathies lay with the countries being overrun, the axis powers america's isolate in his mood limited his freedom to respond. the country's neutrality act prevented. the sale of american weapons to warring nations. there was little he could do at congress for authority andsufficient to manufacture munitions and was supplies of many kinds to be turned over to thosere now in actual nation. our most useful and immediate role is to as an arsenal for as well as for ourselves. we should send an ever increasing numberand gun. that is our purpose and our. on december 7th, 1941, debate american in world war two ended abruptly when japan staged a surprise attack on pearl harbor. the united. japanese that attacked pearl harbor hawaii president just announced that also was made on all naval principal ofdecember seven and 1941. a date which william in r forces of the empire of japan. i asked that the congress declare that since the and attack by japan on sunday, december seven, 1941 a s

edward: all good, but they don't compare to theodore roosevelt. i chose theodore roosevelt.d: he was my guy. i mean, i went out to theodore roosevelt national park with my family as a kid, to the medora musical in the badlands, and i was a red river rough rider. so, this was providential. it was ordained that i would be a fan of tr. jeffrey: ok, a fan and then you want to write about him, but your way in is through the women in his life. why? edward: well, theodore roosevelt was -- the myth about theodore roosevelt is that he was a self-made man. that is just simply not true. all of us, if we are fortunate in our lives, have brothers, sisters, fathers, grandparents, colleagues, friends, people who pick us up and push us forward when we're faltering, when we're suffering, or have some sort of disappointment or setback in our life. and that is true of theodore roosevelt, too. that's not the story that has been told by history. the loves of theodore roosevelt really sheds a light on some women that have been forgotten by history for far too long. jeffrey: so let's talk about a

actually, truman turns out to be nothing like roosevelt roosevelt wanted to work with the soviets. truman was mediately talked in the hating them. that was easy, because he knew nothing about them or even what they had actually done. truman became the victim of what was like a whisper campaign within the u. s. government convincing them that the somebody, if we're gonna try to take over your sound familiar, it wasn't true, but it didn't matter. what was true was the people advising truman the pro big business class. they wanted him to believe it most with the heirs of the rich, you know, the railroad class, the banking class, the pink time industrialists. they disliked the soviets because they hated their social reforms. and in fact, they hated any government that wasn't for big business interest because that's what their interest wants, right? make sense? well, something like wallace tried to tell truman that he should engage with the russians . the president didn't listen. instead, he tried to bully them. and so, no matter how much soviet leaders tried to negotiate with him, what they g

america ally, traveled to washington to meet with roosevelt. together, they planned a strategy to combat the axis powers. it began to pay off in june of 42 as the allies stopped the expansion of the axis powers and began to tak in epic battle of midway. in june, 1942 was a major turning point. the u.s. navy destroyed four japanese aircraft carriers and ended japan's dominance in the central. a month later, american invaded the island of guadalcanal this was the first step in a strategy nd hopping. an island by island advance toward the japanese homeland in europe. the situation also improved. british forces the german afrika korps in egypt. aninvasion force landed in north africa to clear the continent of axis forces and the german advance. the viet union was stopped in a series of hard fought battles. in 1943, the tide of battle continued to turn in for of the allies as they gained greater and greater control of the fighting in both europe and the pacific. the soviet union turned back the german invasion began hitler's armies westward. in july

re roosevelt had a record. fact he is ranked fourth in a situation whe wasn't a war, there wasn't a great depression, allse things that typically cause presidential stature to rise, he didn't have any of that and yet he is ranked number four. andy also,eep in mind, the youngest president we've ever had. he became presint 42 after mckinley was killed. so to do all this at that younge when he was 50 years old, in other words, l when he is 30 years younger than the people, president b now, it's just a testimony to his incredible achievements in expanding the presidency in very positive ways. >> host: a q on acts. just curious how many serve in ? >> guest: washington did, jefferson didn't. lincoln served as a militia person and the black hawk war but never saw combat. theater rosevle in the military. franklin roosevelt during world war int sretary ofta the navy, you could say sir. of course i have supreme a commander. dung world war ii and then inhe military because he was ave moe military was to make military film

look at booker t and teddy roosevelt. look at how many appearances they have looked, the way they talk about each other, look at the way they write about each other and how many people's would change the perceptions which were fixed forever, because these two guys who decide to leap their times and say, make things better. but the other thing to keep in mind too, is they both had to be practical. they say america can only move so fast. that's what they learned from the white house dinner. we got to move in a way that isn't so disruptive that. we turn people uncomfortable, which turns things with burning crosses in schools going on fire. and he had watch that. that's why w.e.b. dubois and others said booker t, you too compromising. you too understanding. it's not right that america is not equal, that people treat people differently. and he says, i'm dealing with the america in and i know where i wanted to go. i want to help and dubois, in many respects was never a slave, did not experience what he experienced. he had great

roosevelt took that head start. he the day before the committee's report came out, he announced a big shakeup in the defense hierarchy. he appointed a new production czar the very night before truman committee came out, came out with its report. truman said in his memoirs, i didn't care who got the credit as long as the work got done. and after he and he and roosevelt for, the most part had a pretty good relationship where truman would often use roosevelt would often use the truman committee as a as a vehicle for getting stuff done that he that was difficult for him politically otherwise. so there were politics involved with this committee? very much so. and especially later in life. there truman sort of talked as if they the truman committee had of risen above bipartisanship or risen above politics. that, of course, is not true. truman was a politician himself, and the united states senate is a very political body. and in a couple of instances, the committee did get sucked into politics, having said that, i still t

and of course, franklin roosevelt was inspired by his cousin, theodore roosevelt lincoln's hero is thomas jefferson. every pitch he made on slavery was tied. the declaration of independence and not really to the constitution. so, yeah, presidents, at least most of them until the recent read history closely and wanted to emulate the great presidents. i think we all wish they still did that today. okay. washington one thing that struck me reading your book was i have sort of two images of of washington. one is an incredibly good looking sort of studly guy in a uniform on a big white horse who's the man and yet incredibly humble i mean, just sort of eerily humble. can you reconcile this and talk to us about why that was? well, one of the great traits that george washington had was that he was self-aware. he knew his strengths were he knew his weaknesses were he knew that he was not a great public in large part because he had trouble talking. he had a grasp the breathy voice that from a childhood respiratory illness. and famously he very few teeth. in fact, by the time he was president, i thi

and of course, franklin roosevelt was inspired by his cousin, theodore roosevelt lincoln's hero is thomas jefferson. every pitch he made on slavery was tied. the declaration of independence and not really to the constitution. so, yeah, presidents, at least most of them until the recent read history closely and wanted to emulate the great presidents. i think we all wish they still did that today. okay. washington one thing that struck me reading your book was i have sort of two images of of washington. one is an incredibly good looking sort of studly guy in a uniform on a big white horse who's the man and yet incredibly humble i mean, just sort of eerily humble. can you reconcile this and talk to us about why that was? well, one of the great traits that george washington had was that he was self-aware. he knew his strengths were he knew his weaknesses were he knew that he was not a great public in large part because he had trouble talking. he had a grasp the breathy voice that from a childhood respiratory illness. and famously he very few teeth. in fact, by the time he was president, i thi

socorresponds the time of the roosevelt roosevelt justices, of course, including black and douglas, youery great turnover,ery quickly, the legacy of the court. was very long and all, you know, the■ areas we were talking about where the supreme court gnized protected constitutional rights in self conscious contrast to our enemies those became very cornerstones of the supreme court's jurisprudence for many decadesjust as examples skinner versus oklahoma, the compulsory sterilizing law. it was the first time the supreme courtberty interest in the decision about whether becal opinion. in versus wade and other repro:6ctive cases. and of course now we have dobbs and the dissent turns in dobbs and d0íobbs decision that overruled roe versus wade. the dissenters in dbs skinner, oklahoma, as one of the opin thh threatened by the logic in the framework of dobbs. but it had important ications other areas also skinner is cited and relied on in the same sex marriage case by the supreme court, and it' cited and relied on in the interim in the interracial rriage case by the supreme court. so again, had

he gave franklin delano roosevelt his start. roosevelt's. he was the only man. what franklin delano roosevelt ever called boss when franklin delano roosevelt was assistant secretary of the navy josephus daniels, and promoted roosevelt in force, reward was appointed ambassador mexico during the aftermath of the mexican revolution, where he urged a very conciliatory approach to nationalization of american property and american oil companies, where he urged the mexican to authorize visas for -- fleeing europe and where he advocated he privately abdicated the states should arm the spanish republic, but at a minimum that mexico should open its doors to refugees. the spanish republic, a liberal liberal liberal in 1898, as a young newspaper editor, josephus daniels personally incited the racist pogrom that that in wilmington, north carolina that destroyed black political power. the state of north carolina killed maybe 60 people, may dozens homeless and he did it knowing the full malice of what he was doing. and he remained to his less forcefully in later years than at

he gave franklin delano roosevelt his start. roosevelt's. he was the only man. what franklin delano roosevelt ever called boss when franklin delano roosevelt was assistant secretary of the navy josephus daniels, and promoted roosevelt in force, reward was appointed ambassador mexico during the aftermath of the mexican revolution, where he urged a very conciliatory approach to nationalization of american property and american oil companies, where he urged the mexican to authorize visas for -- fleeing europe and where he advocated he privately abdicated the states should arm the spanish republic, but at a minimum that mexico should open its doors to refugees. the spanish republic, a liberal liberal liberal in 1898, as a young newspaper editor, josephus daniels personally incited the racist pogrom that that in wilmington, north carolina that destroyed black political power. the state of north carolina killed maybe 60 people, may dozens homeless and he did it knowing the full malice of what he was doing. and he remained to his less forcefully in later years than at

so world war two really corresponds the time of the roosevelt court.ut some of the roosevelt justices, of course, including douglas, you know served for a considerable period of time. but there was a sort of very great turnover very quickly, the legacy of the court. on the other hand, in my view was very long and all, you know, thewhere the supreme court self conscious contrast to our enemies those mebeca very cornerstones of the court's jurisprudence for many decades so just as examples skinner versus oklahoma, the compulsoryit was the first time the supreme court recognized a fundamental liberty interest in the decision about whether to a child or not. and it became a very influential opinion. it is cited other reproductive cases. and of course now we have dobbs and the dissent turns in dobbs and dobbs decision that overruled roe versus wade. the dissenters in dobbs specifically point to skinner oklahoma, as one of the opinions thatthreatened by the framework of dobbs. but it had important implications other areas also skinner is cited and relied on

but the franklin roosevelt justices, too, didn't he? about a few of th personalities talk about that shift in the from the court packing that disaster all the way throh inhe nt years how sudt turned over and you've got a new largely new set of personalities there. it's remarkable story. and■ actually, it's one that i think is under appreciate it. you kneverybody knows about the failed court packing plan, but not as many people realize that by the summer of 1941, due wave resignations and deaths, fdr had appointed some seven of the nine justices and he had elevate an eight to be chief justice. positions to fdr. it wasy the biggest impact on the supreme court of any president since george washington. andst the number of justices. they were all extremely to fdr in some instances too closeclose personal relationships. and just to kind of briefly get the players on the table, they sort groups, four of the jcey well known, hugo black,frankfurter, , robert jackson. those are the four very well known ones. then there are four who were not very

that was teddy roosevelt spent, i believe he spent his last $200 to buy the bronze. and when his father found out, give me his uncle i found out that teddy wasted his money on this bronze gave him a scolding. but if you go to sagamore hill today in teddy roosevelt's personal on the mantel is copy of sheridan's right it was probably kelly's most popular work teddy roosevelt said he considered three bronzes to the typical american pride. i believe he used the words. one was the puritan by saint-gaudens, the other was bronco buster by frederic remington and kelly's shared. while interviewing general sheridan kelly says to the general in all the paintings of surrender at appomattox, you figured prominently in the room, where exactly did you stand during the surrender? it appomattox. and sheridan says. well, kelly would like to be in your picture, but i wasn't there. i arrived at the mclean on april 9th, 1865, and we shook hands all around and said to the others, gentlemen, i've been in the saddle for ten days and i am exhausted. and he went down and he laid that beneath

franklin roosevelt, as it affected eleanor roosevelt. yes. did attend the wte house when roosevelt was in the white house. she attended hazel scott, the famous pianist and probably her best friend or one of her best friends. it was it was no, it was a fundraiser for the infantile paralysis. but she had yearly and they and she actually ran into him in the basement when was in his wheelchair. and they had a conversation. but yes, she was invited to the white house. she did go to the white house and hazel scott went her. yes. franklin roosevelt was never as daringly progressive as his wife, eleanor. we know that eleanor was much more liberal after this brilliant dissection of the song. wouldn't it be appropriate for us to close this session with another hearing of the original performance. i'm sorry. yes. let's get a question over here first. i'm over here. not a lot. c-span wants to. all right, i'm just curious. the new yorker had that ad. so the ad was get people to go to cafe society. it was an ad for the song, which they got. right. i mean,

i mean roosevelt, and he intended to maintain us-soviet relations at a good level, obviously, and the anti-communists said that roosevelt was too soft and behaved incorrectly, but personally i think that roosevelt was the best president in the history of the united states, and he , probably would have led. relations in a different direction, unfortunately, he died, at the end of the war, harry truman was a very inexperienced president, he was influenced by hardliners, and then a lot of things happened after 1945 and as a result the cold war began, this was already inevitable, but almost no one understands this today, because people do not know history. and after the second world war, the soviet union wanted to feel safe. it is not surprising, but no such agreement was signed following the second world war. the west unilaterally decided that it would rearm germany just 4 years later. again, i think there were serious mistakes made here on the us side because the united states was going to maintain a nuclear monopoly, refused to talk with the soviet union on this topic, all this led to

you do that as franklin roosevelt did. have constant press conferences where you are not afraid of any questions that are going to be asked. you stay on top of the public opinion polls. you travel the country and you don't just talk, you listen. in roosevelt's case, he sends eleanor all over the country. she comes back. here's what people in arizona are thinking, here's what people in michigan are thinking. there is always formation gathering context and the state of mind, so that when he decides where things needs to go -- need to go, he has the public sentiment agreeing with him on where things need to go. that chapter on roosevelt and how he went about moving public sentiment from isolationism in the 1930's toward being ready, willing and able to fight world war ii, knowing that if they didn't, hitler's would take over the world, is a master -- hitler would take over the world, is a master class in world organization. host: let's hear from lori, calling on the democrats line. good morning. caller: i was wondering about