to harness the media of his age to communicate with the american public. our senior contributor ted koppel has this overnight news history lesson. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: imagine the world a century ago. there was film, of course, but the news was delivered almost exclusively in print. tens of millions have been killed in the first world war. tens of millions more died in a global influenza pandemic. after the war, in france, the american president woodrow wilson mustered his wartime allies behind the so-called league of nations. but he couldn't sell the plan here at home. wilson crisscrossed the country by rail, delivering one speech after another, the effort almost killed him. >> it's easy to think, okay, presidents are always barn storming, going around the country talking to the people. >> reporter: she is professor of american history at harvard university. >> to campaign on your own behalf was considered undignified well through the 19th century. so even just going around the country was a novelty. >> reporter: in effect, wilson was going door to door, but he had none of the tools that woul

he sat down with ted koppel. >> you have led a very active and focussed life. >> useful.i think i've been useful. are you content with it? >> no, because it's not my nature. you have to believe there's more to do, constantly, because there is. >> larry kramer died of pneumonia at age 84. that's "nightline." thanks for staying up with us, goodnight, america. that's "nightline." thanks for staying up with us, goodnight, america. da, ba, da, ba, da, ♪ ♪ jimmy kimmel live ♪ this is ridiculous. >> from his house! >> jimmy: hi, i'm jimmy. welcome to my abode. hey, remember when marie condo made us throw out all our stuff i want those things back now. it seems like every day we're learning something new while we're in quarantine. for instance, this is something i learned over the weekend. did you know hitler had an alligator? well, he did, and now that alligator is dead. this is a gator named saturn who passed away at age 84. during world war ii, saturn was believed to have been owned by adolf hitler, which is crazy. who knew hitler had his own neverland ranch. the moscow zoo, w

. >> pauley: ahead, ted koppel with more on f.d.r.'s fireside chats. come back. >> pauley: f.d.r.'s fireside chats forever changed the way our presidents communicate. in fact, as ted koppel now tells us, they set an example for every president to come. >> imagine the world a century ago. there was film, of course, but the news was delivered almost exclusively in print. tens of millions had been killed in the first world war, and tens of millions more died in the global influenza pandemic. after the war, in france, the american president, woodrow wilson, mustered his war-time allies behind the so-called league of nations. butldn't t plan here at home. wilson criss-crossed the country by way, delivering win speech after another. the effort almost killed him. >> presidents kind of barn orm anroundhe country talking to the people. >> reporter: gyp gyp jill lapore is the professor of history at harvard university. >> to campaign on your own behalf was considered undignified. so going around the country was a novelty. >> reporter: in effect, wilson was going

idea ted koppel has a long criminal record was found guilty of assault and sentenced to 10 months in jail but he appealed was just a reason for this hearing. the. cameras aren't allowed inside the courtroom that. after 4 i'll ask the conscience. and how was it for you today to assure me i never expected it to go so well and of yes it was i'm very pleased to know something. to turn. the conviction isup helped but the attack that intends to appeal again. once you wake up in the morning and just switch on the radio or you switch on the t.v. you're confronted with all these stereotypes about africa and. it's really difficult to talk about racism in germany because once i experience it when i talk about racism people say oh you're too emotional you're overreacting that comfy true i'm sure the person didn't mean it that way so they don't really take it serious and that it's really hard because i feel like i am not taking seriously my experiences. well those were i think a lot of the secrets. i was raised. without regret it is the shit all it is. and listening and the author of this play is