steven a. doug los, the political compromise of the bill, and it's brilliant. if you want to know why steven a. douglas was known for his political brilliance, read about him in 1850. that's when he became the great steven a. douglas. now, he was forever in slow and rapid after wards because he in effect by promoting the kansas-nebraska act years later, and essentially ofuated what had been achieved in the compromise of 1850. that, too, helped radicalize northerners. the blood in kansas that came out of the kansas-nebraska act helped radicalize northerners. john brown, harper's raid and other abolitionist activity radicalized northerners, and so it would certainly be wrong to suggest the compromise all by itself somehow was all that mattered in that decade. these other things were partly offshoots of it, but, again, war would have come in 1850 without it. hi. >> i was wondering if it's tough to deal with hypotheticals, but if you could comment on compromise would have been different or would have happened if james polk had run for president, run for a second term and won? >> wow. i have to say, that's

series of face-offs between illinois incumbent democratic senator steven douglas and his opponent republican abraham lincoln. let's take a look at a scene from the film abe lincoln in illinois which dramatizes their famous match-up. >> it is the old issue of human rights versus property rights. it is the eternal struggle between two principles. the one common right of humanity. the other the divine right of kings. it is the same spirit which says you toil and work and earn bread and i'll eat it. >> jennifer: how fantastic that would be to have language like that tomorrow night. debates, those debates dramatize there help to catapult a little known abe lincoln into national politics. coming to us tonight from houston to discuss the debates ahead of tomorrow's verbal bout between president obama and governor romney is douglas brinkley. douglas is a presidential historian. rice university professor and author of the new book "cronkite." welcome back inside "the war room." >> thanks, governor. thanks for having me. >> jennifer: you bet. so is it just me or do you also think that tomorrow's debate is being pumped up more than

will be wait and i think it shows you a lot about where the republican party was in the 1970s. 1975 when douglas stepped out and forward dominic john paul stevens to replace them. in his hearing he was not asked a single question about abortion because he was not part of a political dialogue in the way that later became. the big issue, big change began in 198 1980 that goes with the election of ronald reagan ronald reagan brought with them to washington a very underrated figure in a recent american history, somehow i don't think gets his due as an important person. that's edwin meese because edwin meese at first was in flash and then attorney general. said look, there has been a liberal agenda at the supreme court. there needs to be a conservative agenda at the supreme court. what was that agenda? expand executive power and end racial preferences, speed up execution, welcome religion into the public sphere, and above all, reverse roe v. wade and allow states once again to ban abortion. a big part of the reagan revolution was the arrival of washington of a group of young and committed conservative lawyers who wanted to work in that, on behalf of

wade, and i think that tells you a lot about where the republican party was in the 1970s. 1975, um, william douglas stepped down, president ford nominated john paul stevens to replace him. in his confirmation hearings, he was not asked a single question about abortion because it was not part of the political dialogue in the way that it later or became. um, the big issue, the big change began in 1980, of course, with the election of ronald reagan because ronald reagan brought with him to washington, um, a very underrated figure in recent american history, someone who i don't think gets his due as an important person, and that's edwin meese. because edwin meese at first as an adviser and then as attorney general said, look, there has been a liberal ayen da at the supreme court -- agenda at the supreme court, there needs to be a conservative agenda at the supreme court. what was that agenda? expand executive power, end racial preferences intended to assist african-americans, speed up execution, welcome religion into the public sphere and, above all, um, reverse roe v. wade and allow states once again to ban abortion. a big part of the reagan revolution, um,

wade, and i think that tells you a lot about where the republican party was in the 1970s. 1975, um, william douglas stepped down, president ford nominated john paul stevens to replace him. in his confirmation hearings, he was not asked a single question about abortion because it was not part of the political dialogue in the way that it later or became. um, the big issue, the big change began in 1980, of course, with the election of ronald reagan because ronald reagan brought with him to washington, um, a very underrated figure in recent american history, someone who i don't think gets his due as an important person, and that's edwin meese. because edwin meese at first as an adviser and then as attorney general said, look, there has been a liberal ayen da at the supreme court -- agenda at the supreme court, there needs to be a conservative agenda at the supreme court. what was that agenda? expand executive power, end racial preferences intended to assist african-americans, speed up execution, welcome religion into the public sphere and, above all, um, reverse roe v. wade and allow states once again to ban abortion. a big part of the reagan revolution, um,

steven vancore is agreeing with you. hos let us go on to douglas. caller: she brought up something good about the filibuster. the representative from florida has said that they had areat job growth in florida. i am wondering if this accepted any stimulus money like wisconsin. also, mitt romney said that he would -- it would taken eight to 10 years to fix the economy. the president has only had four years and he has done more in that time than any other president. host: steven vancore? that is probably an aggressive number for him. but your point is well taken. it takes a long time to turn this around. i would like to go back with harry upset about the filibuster. was created as a way -- the senate have this thing called closure. when things had gone bad, they shut down the process. prior to 1980, this was only used on average of once a year. and the last congress, the united states senate did this on average once a week. that is not an attack on republicans or democrats, but congress has become far more partisan than it ever has. the have moved to the far left and far right. that is in a large part from the american people are so dissatisfied with congress. here i

steven douglas and abraham lincoln debates, the guys would stand up. and how long would those debates -- >> three hours, four hours. >> on and on. it is amazing what -- >> lincoln, i think you see atually in david's story. because it was an era when you could make gaffes also. the longer he was in office, the shorter his speeches became because he didn't want to give people an opportunity to pick at the things he said. for example, the gettysburg which lasts a minute and a half, the speech before was 2 1/2 hours. the other thing that the movie does, which is so interesting in the context of this election is that you realize lincoln is a practical politician. yes, he's idealistic, but he's ultimately a realist, and it's about getting things done. and the frame of the movie that steven talked about, the passage of the 13th amendment, lincoln was out there, you know, riding down boats, and how do we get the congressman from ohio and india indiana. it's interesting. >> a little lbj in lincoln. doris, one of my favorite lines that doris says about lincoln, she says this while going around promoting the book. yes, lincoln was a great man, but lincoln was also a good man. we have a lot