presidential libraries around the country, the newest one being built to mark the life of president theodore rooseveltady sparking controversy. barry petersen reports. ♪ >> reporter: the lakota nation called what's translated into the badlands. so serene, it can heal slowly. and healing is what a broken 25-year-old teddy roosevelt sought after his mother and wife died on the same day in the same year, hoping physical strength could rebuild inner strength. >> he tested himself physically, mentally, and he proved that he could do it. >> reporter: edward o'keefe wrote "the loves of theodore roosevelt: the women who created a president." >> as he later said, it's better to wear out than rust out. >> reporter: o'keefe is also ceo of the theodore roosevelt presidential library now under construction. it will rise gently out of the prairie with huge windows facing the badlands and a grassy walking trail on the roof. the $330 million complex will open in july of 2026. near madura, north dakota, population 150. roosevelt travelled to the badlands from here because madura was as far as the railroad went. when y

well, those buffalo heads are there because the theodore roosevelt, he ordered it. ot the original, but it's a copy of the original, which was put there after the 1902 renovations with lions on the front of it. and roosevelt had a thing about lions. all the architects of the time love the new york public library and all. he just disliked them all. he once made a speech against the ones at the new york public library. he thought the american bison was what should have been. one of the last things he did in the white house was. order those lions heads re carved as bison had. so you have buffalo on the mantelpiece he's. looking down from the state dining room through the parlors. you see a portrait of theodore roosevelt hanging in the east room that george washington designs. and tr revives as part of his renovation of the white house. when i look at that portrait in the east room, i have to think about he sergeant, the painter and singer, sergeant they didn't get along. sergeant was too emphatic and could not arrive at a pose. roosevelt got very impatient with him and

policy" which is a history of american policy from 1765 to 2015, thee door roosevelt and -- theodore roosevelt and woodrow wilson are opposites. roosevelt is the great apostle of power, of the balance of power. the power of politics. of what we call real politic. the opposite to that is which will so enianism -- wilsonism. real politic has to do with interests and with power. wilsonism, sometimes called idealism, has to do with ideas and with american values. the first seeks to protect american interest the second seeks to promote american values. theodore roosevelt was really the apostle of the first tradition, although he was aware of the second. wilson was the apostle of the second, although he was very much aware of the first. and when it comes to one of the titans in the titans of the 20th century, franklin roosevelt managed to synthesize the two in a way that other presidents have followed. franklin roosevelt followed in the foot steps of his distinguished cousin theodore roosevelt, but also in the footsteps of woodrow wilson whom he served throughout world war i as assistant secretary o

in the theodore roosevelt tradition? he and richard nixon were the most realist we have had in the postwar period. but to show you the of woodrow wilson kept i think woodrow wilson's desk in the oval office he believed woodrow wilson although he was not a wheel and he was an anti wilsonian. henry kissinger first book his doctoral dissertation the world restored is about the peace conference at vienna following, the great napoleonic wars, which aimed not at transformation but at stability and. kissinger is very approving of the statesmanship of those who made the peace. vienna. i have always read that book as an indirect of woodrow wilson for trying to go further and yet realize i'm settling for what you get. try not trying to beyond what seems feasible, the time also has its after all for david ben-gurion and for the jewish in israel and mandatory palestine by the british. a jewish was simply a dream. a dream up by a viennese journalist, theodor herzl, although with deep roots in the jewish tradition, the bible and gurio

no greater champion in the presidency ever existed than theodore roosevelt for the white house.wasn't just tr he had this wonderful, rambunctious entertaining above all, entertaining family. these children who roller skated in the east room. i mean, same room where william mckinley's coffin had rested in september 1901. this surge of energy, henry adams called tr pure act well, his children, you know, got into the act. some of the stories i think, after the roosevelt's time became little more extravagant. i have trouble imagining spitballs on the presidential portraits of george washington. it was certainly didn't happen again. if it ever first because the roosevelt's were extremely conscious of propriety in that sense that the father didn't allow it and he was a good sport about it. but the mother wouldn't have been a good sport about it. if you want to ask yourself to whom does the modern white house owe the most, it's arguably edith roosevelt. it was edith roosevelt who said, this is a home, not an office building. and who was indirectly always responsible for of the west win

. >> i'm tweed roosevelt, theodore roosevelt's great grandson. >> and ulysses grant dietz. i'm the. youngest great great grandchild. >> of ulysses. >> and julia grant. >> if you didn't tell me, i'd have no clue. they belong to a club that you literally have to be born into. the society of presidential descendants. and every year on presidents day, this fraternity links up in key west, florida, at a historic spot called the little white house for a reunion of first families. so much of america's history is part of their family history. >> susan ford, i think, was said, i wasn't sure, but that the job was sort of twofold, one to, you know, keep up with the legacy, your ancestors legacy, to preserve that, promote it and defend it. but the second part of the job is to do something with it on your own, make it your own in some way. >> part of the preservation is sharing stories with eager audiences. at harry truman's second home, the little white house is a museum now, but clifton used to come here with his grandparents in the 60s. >> people ask, what was your grandfather? what were your

and my question is targeted on theodore roosevelt. and i just want see if do you have any portion of your book that discusses like maybe using roosevelt as an example of like presidents who are perhaps very difficult to deal with because they have like an anti-corporate view or they're a big trust busters or the against monopolies and did you have like ceos that perhaps still tried to meet with him or just used him as an example of how it would be hard to? foster like a connection between and presidents. yeah, well, thanks. first of all, i'm very interested in that roosevelt and booker t relationship because. one thing that i talk about that's relevant to the power of money is that roosevelt would befriend and thinkers and he would bring them into the white house to discuss ideas with him and some his antitrust ideas came from some of the people he was reading. and so i think that's an important part of roosevelt's persona. he would much rather meet with a thinker or an artist or an intellectual than he would with a corporate ceo for,

washington and theodore roosevelt. my question is on theodore roosevelt. do you have any portion of your book that discusses, maybe using roosevelt as an example of presidents who are perhaps very difficult to deal with because they had like an anti-corporate view or big trust busters. do you have c.e.o.'s that perhaps still tried to meet with him or use him as an example of how it would be hard to foster a connection between c.e.o.'s and presidents? >> thanks, first of all. i'm very interested in that roosevelt and booker t. relationship. because one thing, i talk about this in "the power and the money," roosevelt would befriend authors and thinkers. you'd bring them into the white house to discuss ideas with him. and some of his antitrust ideas came from some of the people he was reading. so i think that's an important part of roosevelt's persona. he would much rather meet with a thinker or artist than he would with a corporate c.e.o. for the c.e.o.'s themselves, he was eager to bash them, and he certainly bashed john d. rockefeller plenty. in fact, rock

it will honor theodore roosevelt, while also including his complicated legacy.a, population about 150, has claims to fame. >> pitch fork, steak fondu. >> reporter: teddy roosevelt's influence from restaurants to a statue. >> he's 5'8". >> reporter: joe reed, who plays teddy in a local play. what's your favorite thing? >> his personality is something that's been spoken of as being electric or magnetic, something that inspired others. >> reporter: and now a $330 million presidential library opening in 2026 overlooking the badlands that teddy treasured. >> he tested himself physically, mentally. and he proved that he could do it. >> reporter: edward o'keefe wrote a book on roosevelt and his ceo of the library. >> he found america here. he found real people, hard-working people. >> reporter: but he also mirrored the racism of his times, once saying, i don't go so far as to think that the only good indians are the dead indians, but i believe nine out of every ten are. >> you tell the story. >> i tell the whole story. i don't think it diminishes t.r. to understand he

attractable world crises going to be fundamentally different and early 20th centure we are teeth theodore roosevelturst of american energy that we can tackle all the problems and breathe new life for the second term. david: seems he's reneging on the initial agreement and if i'm wrong, he's trying to pull a fast one on president trump and i don't think he'll win that battle. >> they're going to work this through. they're going to do what they can to get to a solution and the bottom line with the leverage and going with the panamaens and going to mcthings difficult and going to cooperation on the fundamental security interest which is free passage through the canal. if they're not going through the adversary and china and neutrality provision of the treaty that gave the teach. david: nancy pelosi tore up trump's speech at the meeting. i have a feeling he'll do the same with the treaty if they don't snap into shape. alex, thank you for being here. have a great weekend. more kudlow right after this. i'm thinking of updating my kitchen... —yeah? —yes! ...this year, we are finally updating our kitchen..

his mother was a progressive republican, richard nixon was bored at amiri two months after theodore rooseveltt in the 1912 election to woodrow wilson and also his predecessor, his successor taft. that was an atmosphere of progressive republicans in the house. if i can then lead into legislation, not yet the ones frankea mentioned but healthcar, health insurance. because, it was out of that experience at the death of two brothers to tuberculosis at a time of no health insurance, of course no workmen's comp. no unemployment benefits, no social security. it was imperiled financially. his mother had to go twice come to successive times each for one of her two sons who died of tuberculosis. to work forno there to be able o be in us and it's time for helping not just your own kids but other patients. so, nixon grew up to do something about healthcare. he started as early as 1949. this again i think in his mind is in his interior lot through the family the ability to family at the edged altogether. he proposed in 1949 a national health insurance bill along with later founder of new york in a couple

richard nixon, born a mere two months after theodore roosevelt had lost in the 1912 election to woodrow wilson and his and also his predecessor or his successor, taft. and so there was an atmosphere, progressive republicanism in the house. so all this accounts for if i if i can then lead legislation, not yet. the ones frank mentioned, but rather health care health insurance because it was of that context of his own family, of the death of two brothers to tuberculosis at a time of no health insurance, of course, no workman's, no unemployment benefits, no social security, that the family was imperiled financially. his mother had to go twice, two successive times each for one of her two sons who died of tuberculosis to work for their being able to be in the sanatorium by helping not just her own kids, but other patients. so nixon grew up with this impulse to to do something about health care. he started as early as 1949. and this again, i think in his mind and in his interior had a lot to do with with the family, the ability of a family at the age to hold together. and he proposed. in 1949

display of force and the project suffered a severe financial despite the attendance of president theodore roosevelt in 1957. so we're now the 350th. the state of virginia tried again, but it return to norfolk because the site of the 1907 exhibition had become the norfolk naval base. the rest of jamestown island in 1934 had been acquired by the national park service, so that too was unavailable. instead, the state purchased an area near jamestown, but on the mainland to host temporary museum called jamestown festival park. this around america was living through an era of prosperity and the great american road trip and the park's popularity soared. jamestown festival park became permanent. growing into the living history experience we now call jamestown settlement, aka the one with the ships, which i'm concerned asked about when i'm working on the island. last time i was here, you had ships. you're looking for our next door neighbors. but we're fortunate today in some special collections to. have access to materials written the 1907 and the 1957 commemorations of jamestown. side by side with other it

the writings of washington, many volumes of those, the works of theodore roosevelt on the top, beautiful bust of eleanor roosevelt and over here, you will like this. this is a replica of the biden family bible that he has taken the oval office on every time he's been elected to office including the presidency. we have a replica. >> even has the wear marks. >> this is an exact addition as the one he has in the oval office, which we could take credit for re-creating it but we went and obtained an exact copy of what he has. >> we walked past a couple of doors. where to those doors go? >> this door would go into the president's study and dining room. you've seen the picture of the president having lunch with the vice president in that space, some president's actually work in their most of the day and use the oval only for ceremonies. others will spend most of the workday here and use that to take a phone call or do something, have a change of scenery. the door in the wall behind us goes to the roosevelt room and the cabinet room, the door we walked through coming into this building in the re

disappointed, nothing scandalous come the writings of washington many volumes of those on the works of theodore roosevelt eleanor roosevelt, i never hear you like this and think of this is a replica biden family bible committeee is taken the oath of office onh every time that is elected to office including, the presidencies and we have a replica of that pretty. >> it even has the whereabouts. >> isn't as this is the exact same in addition is one that he has in the oval office that wish we could exactly created without and obtain of what yes we walked past a couple of doors were the real white house. >> wer were in the real white house is doorway going to the president study into a dining room. you've seen the picture of the president having with the vice president traditionally he would be no space some presidents actually working there must've the night and use it for ceremonies others will spend most of the day in here is that phone call or do something change of scenery the door that is" behind us, it goes out into the roosevelt room cabinet room the door that we walked through coming into this buildi

. >> unfortunately suffered the fate of his wife, his brothers and theodore roosevelt, his. >> mentorpreme court. in the last ten. >> years of his life, he achieved his dream, and at the end of life, he gets. >> asked, does. >> he remember being president? and he says, no, i. don't remember being president. i finally have. achieved my dream. so his story is kind of. >> a lesson that a. dream deferred. >> doesn't need. >> to be a dream denied. your book, also topical because jimmy. carter is top of mind with his recent death and state funeral, where everyone was reminded about his extraordinary post-presidency, some historians argue it might have been more consequential than his presidency. so what do presidents that follow jimmy carter take from his experience and his example? >> yeah. >> so it's interesting. >> so, so. >> alexander hamilton in the federalist papers, you know, they were. >> debating what to do with ex-presidents. and he said, you know, does it benefit the republic to have, you know, half a dozen. >> men. >> you know, who were elevated to the presidency, wandering arou