it's about why he believes and what he believes in and of the sort of fundamentals of teddy roosevelt that were meaningful and significant. one quote from your book and one of the j findings we find for te defendant todore roosevelt with the suggestion of the cost be evenly divided between the two parties. what was the jury trying to explain? >> i think they thought the case wasn't frivolous. it wasn't that it was a silly lawsuit they ruled in favor of teddy roosevelt but i think that they wanted some sort of equity. of course that's not up to them to decide and i can tell you taking pictures of teddy roosevelt after the case, something that you wouldn't see today and it's funny because roosevelt ended up sending all of the jurors a signed version of it. i thought it would be a fun thing to have. >> your co-author on all five of the trial books is david fisher. who is he? >> david fisher is an incredibly talented writer and historian. these books don't happen without david fisher. as i mentioned, he approached me about the lincoln book and since then it's been very much give and take

when teddy roosevelt died in 1919, there was still talk of him running for president again in 1920. we are talking 1950 -- i should step back and say roosevelt had been talked about a possible candidate in 1916. this was teddy roosevelt's chance to get on the witness stand and defend his career. it was not just about this case. that is not white teddy roosevelt was so eager to get on the stand. he got to talk a lot about why he believes in what he believes in, why the fundamentals of teddy roosevelt were meaningful and significant. >> one quote from your book and one of the juries findings, "we find for the defendant theodore roosevelt with the suggestion the costs be evenly divided between the two parties." what was the jury trying to convey? >> i think the jurors thought barnes' case, it was not frivolous. it was not that it was some silly lawsuit. they ruled in favor of teddy roosevelt. i think they wanted some sort of equity in terms of who should pay for it. of course, that is not up to them to decide. i can tell you the jurors ended up taking pictures with teddy roosevelt after

although i have a feeling that grover really frustrated teddy roosevelt an awful lot grover was a pretty progressive reformer not progressive as theodore roosevelt i think that got got mr. roosevelt's nose out of joint said it should be doing more should be doing more but we have a wonderful letter that is in the back, a box and some relative basement. right now. it is a letter from president roosevelt to grover early in his term, grover had written saying, i've got this guy who is a really great doctor and really ought to be that you know, the surgeon and president roosevelt back and saying it would be my pleasure to appoint your friend as his surgeon general whatever the official term was right there. so they had a lot of interaction together. and i think there was a great deal of respect for each other, too. so it's and i guess the thing that's most important i find because grover cleveland is kind of an unknown president, nobody knows a lot about him except for those of you have thousand dollar bills in your pocket. you know that, that's where he is. and, you know, when i talk to kid

twenty roosevelt was a huge lincoln fan. i don't know don't believe teddyseveltoo admiration for robet hit was somehow connected to transcribing lincoln's case but i am convinced he did know about him transcribing the debate. >> it was 1915, the case was burns versus roosevelt, one of the facts? >> teddyve roosevelt was after e was president, a comment he had made about a well-known republican, fellow republican leader in the party, it was pretty standard of teddy roosevelt attacking him as being effectively correct because he wanted party officials to make decisions rather than people voting on it themselves. burns sued him and roosevelt was eager to take on the case. teddy roosevelt testified in his own defense for eight days in the case. it was front page news everywhere particularly obviously new york but well beyond because teddy roosevelt was former president of the united states, incredibly popular, president would just run again for president in 1912. now he's the defendant in a big case by burns t but there were real questions about why he brought

take in 1915 the case was barnes versus roosevelt. >> teddy roosevelt was sued after he was president for a comment that he had made about a well-known republican, fellow republican remember, leader in the party. it was pretty standard cluster of teddyst roosevelt as attackig barnes is being effectively corrupt because he wanted party officials to make decisions rather than people voting on it themselves. barnes sued him and roosevelt was eager to take on the case and teddy roosevelt testified in his own defense. this was front page news everywhere particularly obviously newy york and well beyond that because teddy rooseveltt was the former president of the united states incredibly popular former president do it just to run again for presidentop in 1912 ad now he's a defendant in a case brought by barnes. there were real questions about why barnes brought the case. was he doing it for his reputation? was he doing it for some sort of political advantage and in this case unlike in the linking case where the transcript is roughly 100 pages this one you are talking about 4000 pages and no

teddy roosevelt island. so, you know, if you live in the area, maybe you've kayaked or gone out there and and really just been inspired by love, teddy roosevelt love all the roosevelt's. but setting aside that space and in honoring not only roosevelt's legacy, but setting aside some wild space within the potomac river, again, which we managed, and then, of course, rock creek park and ultimately that park becomes the backyard for many, many, many people who live here in the district of columbia. it's the you know, it's the sanity amongst the chaos. it is the place of nature for many people. and the solace that they find, whether they drive back and forth on their way to work or whether they go there on the weekend with their families or their dogs or they use it for health. and we think about the health connection to rock creek park, or they use it to play music or again demonstrate their first amendment rights. and then, of course, all of their work and vision between senior and and olmsted brothers, fed int

so, the teddy bears, the teddy is teddy roosevelt. and the heroes vault association today, which is a group of admirers of pr, they still give out teddy bears to sick kids in hospitals today. that's kind of part of the legacy of this. well, in 1904, he's reelected in quotation marks, it was not really like the first, but he was elected in his own right and that was important to him psychologically, i think, that he not just be brought into the presidency via assassination, but that the american people actually voted there half a provision for him and they did that in an overwhelming fashion in 1904. just a few highlights again, as we look at his career. roosevelt won the nobel peace prize on his second term for another mediation that he supervise, which was working out of treaty details between the russians and japanese, who had engaged in war for the last year and a half. roosevelt was concerned about the balance of power in east asia, he respected the japanese as a rising power in the world, but he did not want to destabilize things

. >> teddy roosevelt may have been approving of the family jewel. [laughter] but that is a quote that he called them. they were instrumental in establishing the park service and providing us the sense of holding the land sacred and not selling them to any developers. >> how far removed are we today? and is that a big deal? >> that is a great question and what started inspiring. a farmer in kentucky that's all he writes about is how we've lost touch with where our food is produced and by whom and how. when i read that in my mid 20s, i thought and i grew up in a farm family in illinois. day in and day out i couldn't tellll you where my food is sourced and therefore i can't tell you how it's grown for the fishermen and women. when you hear the terms like the meat industry or meatpacking plants and you just think about that for a second. i realize i don't ever want mine to be involved in something called an industry and i don't want it too go through a plant either. so i began to pay attention to simply wear my food is coming from. the way we give away

[laughter] teddy roosevelt may have been approving of the family jewels. yes, i think that is a roosevelt quote that he called them the crown jewels. luminaries like him and john muller -- john muir were essential in establishing park service and not selling those lands to any developers. asked how far removed early to the development of our food right now? >> that's what inspired my writing. the work of a farmer in kentucky and that's all he writes about is how we have lost touch with where our food is produced and by whom and how. when i read that, i thought day in and day out, i can't tell you where any of my food is sourced so i can't tell you how it's grown, if the farmers or fishermen and fisher women are treating the animals with decency or if it is explicated. when you hear terms like the meat industry or meatpacking plants and you think about that for a second, i realized i don't ever want my meet to be involved with anything called an industry and i don't want to go through a plant either. i began to pay attention to where my food is coming from.

to say some purest among us not me but others who said that we should go back to the original teddy roosevelt renovation. so i called betty monkman and i asked for the pictures. and you know, i'm i'm getting older and i don't see as well as i used to so, you know, i was peering at these pictures and and so i put on my reading glasses and i i think i said to betty or whoever was standing near. are these heads on the wall? you know, we called for enlargements and and they're surrounding the diners in the state dining room were you know the head of a moose and the head of an elk and ahead of, you know, nine other big game that president roosevelt had begged and wanted to share with his guests and we had a couple of very vigorous discussions in the committee for the preservation of the white house because there were those who thought we should call the smithsonian and call teddy roosevelt's library and asked for the return of the heads. but you know. there is a there's a certain i haven't done it often, but there is a certain, you know, privilege of position that goes with being first lady. i mea

not, me but others, who said that we should go back to the original teddy roosevelt renovation. so, i called betty monkman, and i asked for the pictures. you know, i am getting older. i don't see as well as i used to. so, i was peering at these pictures. i put on my reading glasses, and i think i said to betty or whoever was standing near, are these heads on the wall? [laughter] you know? we called for enlargements, and there, surrounding the diners in the state dining room or, you know, the head of a moose, the head of an elk, and the head of nine other big game that president roosevelt had bagged, and wanted to share with his guests. [laughter] and we had a couple of vigorous discussions in the committee for t5he preservation of the white house. there were those who thought we should call it teddy roosevelt library and ask for the return of the heads. you know, there is a certain -- i haven't done it often, but there is a certain privilege of a position that goes with being first lady. not that you would notice. there are some downsides in being first lady but, you know, every

there's teddy roosevelt, there's abraham like it by george thistle. come and see if on the website, a lincoln book shop. com. we will be able to see this interview and other past interviews on our youtube page. does that sound like i'm blowing the horn enough for abraham lincoln bookshop? >> it's a great place, i have to say, to visitors who have never been. go to chicago and stop, and it's really an incredible store. >> thank you very much. to put one more cap on it, it is an independent bookstore. if you can get your book, a house built by slaves, if you want to order from us will send it to you with the signed book plate. but if you want john's book, find it at your local independent bookstore, you know who i'm talking about. someone in your neighborhood is selling this book to you. all right, john, let's talk about a house built by slaves, african american visitors to the lincoln white house. what made you want to look at abraham lincoln's white house visits with african americans? and write a book about that? >> yeah, so, it started in 2014. i do

teddy roosevelt had the square deal, fdr had the new deal.say this body of defining in cream it -- achievements, we ought to be able to just call it the big deal. if in the tradition of our president you would like to insert an extra adjective in there, feel free. in this big deal is standing on its own. define our times, and we will be proud of it for a generation, and it would be enough to motivate us to get out there and vote in november for the right leader for this state and every state. and for all the reasons the democrats have given us to get out there and vote, republicans have given us even more. this is not only the big deal, it is also the era of the big lie. we need to talk about what we are up against. before we even get into the extremism and the danger to our democracy, let's just take a look at the basics of their policy agenda. every once in a while one of your republican friends will say i'm there for the policy, i like the policy. but look at where that policy has gone. in the end, his come down to really just three pillar

you see a couple of bus here there's teddy roosevelt. there's abraham lincoln by george bissell our website come and see us on the website. it's a lincoln book shop.com you will be able to see this author interview and other past interviews our youtube page. does that sound like i've blown the horn enough for abraham lincoln book shop. it's a great place. i have to say to visitors who've never been go to chicago and stop in. it's really an incredible store. thank you very much and and to put one more cap on it it isn't independent bookstore and if you can get your book. a house built by slaves if you want to order it from us, we'll send it to you with the signed book plate. but if you want john's book find it at your local independent bookstore, you know who i'm talking about someone in your neighborhood is selling this book to you. all right, john, let's talk about a house built by slaves african-american visitors to the lincoln white house. what made you want to look at abraham lincoln's white house visits with african americans um it

you see a couple of bus here there's teddy roosevelt. there's abraham lincoln by george bissell our website come and see us on the website. it's a lincoln book shop.com you will be able to see this author interview and other past interviews our youtube page. does that sound like i've blown the horn enough for abraham lincoln book shop. it's a great place. i have to say to visitors who've never been go to chicago and stop in. it's really an incredible store. thank you very much and and to put one more cap on it it isn't independent bookstore and if you can get your book. a house built by slaves if you want to order it from us, we'll send it to you with the signed book plate. but if you want john's book find it at your local independent bookstore, you know who i'm talking about someone in your neighborhood is selling this book to you. all right, john, let's talk about a house built by slaves african-american visitors to the lincoln white house. what made you want to look at abraham lincoln's white house visits with african americans um it

thoreau, john muir and teddy roosevelt. and so that devotion, nature really came through full tilt on his first historic and famous hike, the chesapeake and, ohio canal. his calendar entry for that day was hardly very revealing. and, you know, it's a wonderful thing when you can go to the library of congress and look through all the files at least of justice douglass, total packrat and a huge correspondent. i there's like literally miles and miles of files. so i looked at his calendar for that day march 20 1954. and it said hike. that was it. well, that was changed his life in the fifties. there's this proposal by the park service to put a highway down to the sea, you know, canal, washington, d.c. douglas objected and response to the washington post, which wrote an had an editorial that favored this highway. douglas said, come along and hike with me. the editors up the challenge and they went on the hike and here they are it's 189 miles, seven days snow rain and only nine people finished the hike including olaus murie, who

actually was the last because the klondike ends and this is when mckinley a shot and assassinated, teddy rooseveltbecomes president in 19 oh one and then very quickly life goes on. and it's the new century and daltone' city and then tourist show up in 1918 oh one because it's already turning into a tourist trap come see the famous klondike gold rush is like a caricature at the end at the conglomeration of all of those absurd or absurdities into one less chance. >> and then there was the mexican expansion x-ray manifest destiny was first discussed in supported by most of the big newspapers that this is what god intends with the form of government of the entire american continent and one new york city major paper talking about manifest destiny said because of that mexico must learn to love its ravish her's so that's a good one a point for the mississippi book festival. [laughter] >> i am more interested so do you have any accounts of missionaries going along with these people and what experiences you have with that? >> you can tell. that was the best. he was a complete failure as a minister back up

it truly was the last because this is when mckinley was shot and assassinated teddy roosevelt becomesnt and then very quickly, life moves on. it is the new century. andil but then something come and see the klondike gold rush. it is like a caricature and the conglomeration of all absurdities into one last chance. >> of course the mexican expansion by the united states. that is when manifest and they should bring their form of government to the entire american continent. why new york city major paper talk about, manifest destiny, because of that mexico must learn to love the ravish her's. your question nails it. it is a good one. [laughter] so do you have any accounts of missionaries going along and the experience with that? >> yes as a complete failure as a minister and a list of everybody that died in massachusetts that week. at the age of 35 he was set to reinvent himself as a missionary. but there were a lot of people but that is a writer and he has lost and then there was a lot of other missionaries at the time. and then there was one must be french so then they managed to give aw

teddy roosevelt becomes president in like 1901. and then very quickly like life moves on, like it's the great white fleet, it's the new century. and like the dawson city, like there's still mining and tourists show in like 1919 oh one because it's already turning into like a tourist trap. come see the famous klondike rush. it's like a caricature of itself by the. so it's like the conglomeration of all those absurdities into one the last chance. and of course was the mexican expansion by the united states. that's really where manifest destiny was first discussed and editorially supported by most of the big newspapers, that this is what god intends. america should bring its democracy, its form of government to, the entire american continent and one new york city major in talking manifest destiny said that because manifest destiny, mexico must learn to love its ravagers. hmm. so your question really nails it. it's a good one point for the mississippi book festival. i asked a question. i'm sorry. so. oh, sorry. i didn't mean to interru

i mean, you can go all the way back to when teddy roosevelt was running for reelection with the bullse party after he left office the first time as president. neil: that's right, very good example. >> he was shot. so, it goes way back. there is no absolute answer to stopping it, but i really do believe that people like the pelosis and the higher ranking people that are more of a higher threat really should probably think about private security or at least setting their house alarm at night before they go to sleep. this individual broke into the house and apparently, no alarms went off. it's hard for me to believe that there is no house alarm at the pelosi residence, so, that would have helped a great deal. and i think they're probably capable of hiring private security or at least asking san francisco p.d. to keep an eye on the place when he's there and she's not. neil: i didn't think of that. or the alarm thing. you raise a lot of good points. you always make me think and forgot how good you are at history. so i'll have do my homework next time i have you on. thanks to dan emmett, a

one of nixon's favorite poems was teddy roosevelt -- the man in merino. he talks about the man with the sweaty brow, who has gotten into the arena and fought for what he believed in. and he has done his best. and he makes -- the poem makes the point that it is much better, much more a credit to the person that gets into the arena and fights for what they believe in. they are the people that we should honor, and i believe it is imperative that we get new blood, young blood,