| 00:00:09 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
IS, AND WHAT IT IS IS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. I ALSO WANT TO OFFER A SPECIAL GREETING TO OUR C-SPAN VIEWERS. WHAT I THOUGHT WE WOULD DO THIS AFTERNOON IS...
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| 00:02:13 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN FOR AND A NETWORK NEWS STATION. WE'RE BOTH SLIGHTLY WORSE FOR AIR -- WORSE FOR WEAR
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| 00:02:28 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
AFTER TWO PRESIDENTIAL CONVENTIONS IN ST. PAUL AND DENVER. ANYWAY, ARE YOU WORKING ON A LINCOLN BOOK? >> AT SOME POINT. >> FIRST OF ALL, HERE WE ARE ON...
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| 00:03:00 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
ALTHOUGH ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA YOU MIGHT WANT TO INCLUDE THE GEORGE WASHINGTON. IF ANYONE HAS
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| 00:03:07 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
NOT READ RICHARDS BIOGRAPHY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, "PATRIOTICARCH,"
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| 00:03:19 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
YOU SHOULD GO OUT AND BUY 10 COPIES OF IT. SET IN WASHINGTON ASIDE, I THINK ABRAHAM LINCOLN, OF COURSE. IF YOU LOOK AT PRESENCE AND THE DIFFICULTIES...
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| 00:05:26 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
JUST IN TERMS OF THE ABILITY TO SEE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET DOWN AND GETTING THEM DONE IN AN EXISTING CONTEXT, OF COURSE. >> IT DOES HE HAVE...
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| 00:05:39 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
TERMS OF POLITICAL MASTERY? >> COME CLOSE, BUT PROBABLY NOT ON THE SAME LEVEL BECAUSE ROOSEVELT MADE A LOT OF COSTLY MISTAKES THAT LINCOLN DID NOT MAKE...
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| 00:05:56 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
AND EVEN TO SOME EXTENT WITH HIS POLITICAL STRATEGY, BUT ROOSEVELT MADE A LOT OF MISTAKES IN TRYING TO TRANSFORM THE
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| 00:06:02 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
ECONOMY DURING HIS FIRST EIGHT YEARS. HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO PULL THE NATION OUT OF THE DEPRESSION. HE OVERREACHED IN A WAY THAT EVEN LINCOLN'S FIRST...
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| 00:06:53 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
QUITE A HUMBLE QUASI SAINTLY FIGURE THAT IS IDOLATERS OR HIS POLITICAL PROMOTERS FROM -- PRESENTED HIM AS. HE WAS A MAN WITH
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| 00:07:08 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
CONSIDERABLE SELF-CONFIDENCE.
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| 00:07:09 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
BUT THAT IS NOT THE SAME THING. FDR HAD THAT AND THEYAN UNATTRACTIVE QUALITY, AS WELL. >> FDR ENJOYED AT TIMES OF VANQUISHING OPPONENTS, AND SOMETIMES...
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| 00:07:41 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
POLITICIANS MEET ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE AND SOMETIMES YOU ARE TIRED AND CRANKY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO THINK OF A CASE WHERE LINCOLN WAS INTENTIONALLY CRUEL...
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| 00:08:56 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
LARGER QUESTION, AND I THINK WE WILL ALWAYS BE ASKING IT. I STILL HAVE NOT ANSWERED TO MY OWN SATISFACTION WHERE DID ALL OF THIS REALLY COME FROM? LINCOLN...
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| 00:09:17 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
DEPRIVATION THAT GIVES HIM A LOT OF MOTIVE TO SUCCEED IN LIFE OR PUSH TO SELL FORWARD. AND HE SURE HAD THAT. HE HAD A FATHER WHO WAS BORDERLINE ABUSIVE,...
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| 00:10:48 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THAT JOSHUA SPEED WAS THE CLOSEST THING THAT LINCOLN HAD TO AN INTERMITTENT FRIEND. AND OF COURSE HE WENT AWAY. AND THE FRENCH SHIP DID NOT DIE, BUT...
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| 00:11:31 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
IS, THAT IS HOW HE SAW HIMSELF. HE WAS ALMOST ALWAYS ALONE. WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? >> WHAT YOU SEE PARALLELS WITH FDR AND MAYBE EVEN RONALD REAGAN?...
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| 00:11:58 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
IN.
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| 00:12:01 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THE RELATIONSHIP THAT EXTENDS OVER YEARS AND DOES NOT HAVE A VERY MUCH TO DO WITH YOUR PROFESSION OR GETTING SOME PROFESSIONAL ADVANTAGE. ROOSEVELT WAS...
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| 00:15:00 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
ME>> HUMANE LINCOLN AND ROOSEVELT? >> YES. I'M IN A CONFIDENCE IN THE UNIVERSE, AND THE GOODNESS OF THE UNIVERSE. IT AND TALKING ABOUT THE EDUCATION OF...
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| 00:15:25 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
A COMPLEX, DRIVEN POLITICIAN LIKE RICHARD NIXON. HE DID NOT HAVE A VERY SUNNY VIEW OF THE UNIVERSE. DO AGREE WITH THE NOTION THAT LINCOLN AND ROOSEVELT,...
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| 00:16:05 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
SIDE. HE SAID THAT RELIGION FOR HIM WAS TRYING TO DECIPHER WHAT GOD'S PURPOSE FOR HIM WAS. THERE WAS A WONDERFUL PAPER FOUND AT HIS DESK AFTER HE DIED...
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| 00:17:16 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
OR EVEN PHYSICALLY ABUSIVE, THE ABSENCE OF A MOTHER, THE SISTER DIES,
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| 00:17:22 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THAT HUGE INSECURITY. I DO NOT THINK YOU CAN COME OUT OF A SITUATION LIKE THAT AND HAVE THE SUNNY CONFIDENCE THAT FDR HAD. >> AND YOU THINK THE HUMOR...
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| 00:17:52 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
LINCOLN-HATERS CLAIMED THAT WHEN HE WENT TO ANTIETAM, HE TOLD THESE FLEMISH STORIES AND IT SHOWED THAT LINCOLN DID NOT CARE ABOUT THESE
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| 00:18:01 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
AND DEAD SOLDIERS. BUT THE FACT IS, SOME PEOPLE IN HIS OWN CABINET DID NOT THINK THAT THIS WAS WHAT A PRESIDENT SHOULD BE DOING. LINCOLN ONCE SAID, "I...
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| 00:18:58 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
SAINT ALONG WITH HARRY TRUMAN KIND OF
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| 00:19:02 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
AFOUR ART AND POPULAR PRESIDENTS. >>
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| 00:19:08 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
SUCH AS NIXON. >> AFTER THE KENT STATE MURDER OF STUDENTS, BUT NIXON WENT TO THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL. THAT WAS A RATHER SURREAL CONFRONTATION WITH COLLEGE...
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| 00:19:30 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THE FIRST GREAT COMMUNICATOR. AND YET, IT IS FUNNY. THERE SEEMS TO BE
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| 00:19:34 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
AN ASSUMPTION THAT LINCOLN, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD NOT BE VERY GOOD ON TELEVISION OR RADIO. WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> TV OR RADIO, I THINK YOU CAN ARGUE AROUND....
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| 00:19:50 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
TO DO -- AND THIS IS WHY YOU CANNOT QUITE COME TO GRIPS WITH HIM, BECAUSE HE MADE UP FOR THIS LACK OF FORMAL EDUCATION BY READING HIS EYES OUT, EUCLID,...
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| 00:20:03 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
BUT THE BIBLE TO SOME EXTENT. THIS IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE LIKE THAT. HE WAS SETTING ABOUT ACQUIRING WHAT HE DID NOT HAVE. SO THAT, COMBINED...
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| 00:20:56 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
LEADER. PEOPLE ASSUME THAT EVERYTHING YOU EVER DID IS TO BE EMULATED. AND I THINK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT STUDIED LINCOLN CLOSELY, IT
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| 00:21:04 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
MAY SEEM THAT WAY. >> DOES HE PAY A PRICE, WASHINGTON DOES CLEARLY, FOR HAVING BEEN DEIFIED, IF NOT WHILE HE WAS ALIVE, THEN IMMEDIATELY AFTERMATH OF...
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| 00:21:27 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THE 1960'S, WHEN EQUAL RIGHTS WAS BEGINNING TO BECOME A REALITY, PEOPLE BEGAN TO LOOK CLOSELY AT ABRAHAM LINCOLN, ESPECIALLY AFRICAN-AMERICANS WOULD...
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| 00:21:39 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
ABOUT THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION, BUT THERE WERE THINGS THAT DISPLEASED THEM VERY MUCH -- LIKE BEING SENT TO LIBERIA, OR WHEN HE TOLD AFRICAN-AMERICAN...
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| 00:23:07 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
TO SLANDER ANY RAILROAD LAWYERS IN THE AUDIENCE. >> HE DID NOT CAMPAIGN AS A RAILROAD LAWYER. HE WAS THE RAIL SPLITTER. >> THE POINT IS THAT PEOPLE...
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| 00:23:33 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
HIM OR HER TERMS HE DID NOT HAVE THE KIND OF EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE LOOKED AT IN THOSE TIMES IN A PRESIDENT, MILITARY
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| 00:23:39 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
IN PARTICULAR, AND OTHERS. AND SO THEY WERE RIGHT THERE. BUT I THINK IF YOU HAD TO LOOK AT ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT TOUCHED ON THAT MADE...
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| 00:25:31 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
TO BE PEOPLE WILL NOT APPEAR TOGETHER ON THE SAME STAGE. >> OR IN THE SAME CITY. >> THE CIVIL WAR, COMPARED THE ON CIVIL WAR IN THE LINCOLN SCHOLARLY...
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| 00:25:58 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THE
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| 00:26:01 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
GENEROSITY THAT HE DISPLAYED AS PRESIDENT? I DO THINK THAT THERE IS ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN HIS PERSONAL LIFE AND HIS PRESIDENCY? >> OF COURSE. AND I...
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| 00:26:31 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
IS THAT THE DOCUMENTATION OF THE LINCOLN MARRIAGE IS EXTREMELY SPARSE. WE HAVE MAYBE A COUPLE OF LETTERS AND CERTAINLY ACCOUNTS LATER ON WHICH MAY OR...
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| 00:29:04 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
IN 1952 SAYING THAT PRESIDENT LINCOLN WERE ALIVE TODAY, I AM CERTAIN HE WOULD BE A [LAUGHTER]
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| 00:29:11 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
TAFT REPUBLICAN]TAFT REPUBLICAN. 1[LAUGHTER] >> WHAT IS ABOUT LINCOLN AS A POLITICAL LEADER IN THE WHITE HOUSE THAT IS OF RELEVANCE TO THE LEADING CANDIDATES...
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| 00:29:48 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
OTHER, BECAUSE THE OF TO FLY BACK TO THEIR STATES AND RAISE MONEY AND SO ON. AND ONE OF THE LESSONS OF LINCOLN IS APPLICABLE NOWADAYS
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| 00:29:56 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
IS, AS YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED, ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS SOMEONE WITH EXTREMELY STRONG VIEWS ABOUT VERY FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN NATURE AND AMERICAN POLITICS....
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| 00:32:17 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
IN RETROSPECT WOULD PROBABLY PLEAD GUILTY AND WHAT HE WOULD SAY WAS THAT HE HAD TO DO THINGS
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| 00:32:22 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THAT WORK, PERHAPS, EVEN OUTSIDE THE CONSTITUTION BECAUSE HE WAS DEALING
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| 00:32:27 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
WITH A NATIONAL EMERGENCY. IT WAS A REBELLION AGAINST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. HE WAS IN FORCE IN THE CONSTITUTION BY REPRESSING REBELLION, SO IN THAT...
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| 00:32:36 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
WAS OBSERVING THE CONSTITUTION. BUT I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT WHAT LINCOLN WOULD HAVE SAID WAS IN THOSE CASES LIKE HABEAS CORPUS AND OTHER AREAS...
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| 00:33:59 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
1864, BEARING IN MIND THAT THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS ISSUED IN 1863, SOME OF THE REPUBLICAN
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| 00:34:06 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THE ADMINISTRATION HAD DECLARED THAT THE ENTIRE SLAVER THE SITUATION WAS
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| 00:34:10 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
INHUMANE, THERE WAS NO LONGER SLAVERY IN THE TERRITORIES. >> I SHOULD'VE SAID THIS EARLIER. I HOPE THAT YOU KNOW THAT
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| 00:34:18 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT LINCOLN AND THE COURSE OF OTHER BOOKS, BUT I AM NOT A LIFELONG LINCOLN SCHOLAR, AS MANY ARE WHO ARE HERE. SO I WILL DO MY BEST. THE...
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| 00:34:35 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THAT THE CIVIL WAR HAD GONE ON FOR THREE YEARS, AND DURING THE SUMMER OF 1864, GENERAL GRANT WAS MIRED IN VIRGINIA AND SHERMAN HAD NOT COME TO ATLANTA...
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| 00:37:28 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
HANNIBAL HANNIBAL, AND IN HIS PLACE HE PUT IN ULYSSES GRANT. BUT LINCOLN WAS ANXIOUS TO BE SEEN BY THE COUNTRY OF RUNNING AN EFFECTIVE COALITION GOVERNMENT....
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| 00:38:50 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
EUROPE. ROOSEVELT HAPPENED TO BE READING THE BOOK BY
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| 00:38:56 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
CARL SANDBERG, AND READING
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| 00:38:57 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
IT VERY CLOSELY, AND ONE THING HE DID THAT SUMMER WAS WHEN ROOSEVELT BROUGHT REPUBLICANS INTO HIS CABINET ON THE EVE OF WORLD WAR TWO AND CHOSE AS VICE-PRESIDENT...
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| 00:39:39 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THINK HISTORY WOULD HAVE CHANGED? >>
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| 00:39:42 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
I
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| 00:39:44 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
AM NOT A
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| 00:39:45 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
SERE WITH A CRYSTAL BALL. THE QUESTION WAS, WHAT MIGHT BUT HAPPENED HAD LINCOLN LIVED IT. ?
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| 00:39:54 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HISTORIANS TO OR LESS CAREFUL THEN RICHARD OR I CAN TELL YOU
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| 00:40:05 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
WHAT A DEAD POLITICIAN MIGHT HAVE DONE. THERE WILL NEVER BE CONTRADICTED, BUT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THE BEST THING TO DO. IT IS LIKE KENNEDY AFTER 1963....
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| 00:41:43 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
I THINK THAT WOULD STICK WITH HARDING. >> HE WAS JUST INAPT. "HE WAS INACTIVE, BUT THE CONSEQUENCES. I WOULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT, AND FORGIVENESS FOR HIJACKING...
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| 00:42:01 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
WARREN HARDING, BUT HARDING AND LINCOLN ARE VERY RARELY MENTIONED IN THE SAME BREATH. >>
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| 00:42:06 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
ESPECIALLY BY REPUBLICANS.
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| 00:42:08 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
WARREN G. HARDING, BECAUSE OF HIS INEPTNESS WAS UNABLE TO DO THE THINGS THAT MIGHT AFFORDED THE GREAT DEPRESSION, SO IT WAS INEPTNESS WITH GREAT CONSEQUENCES...
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| 00:42:27 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
PRESIDENTS. BUT REASONABLE PEOPLE CAN DIFFER ABOUT THIS. >>>> HOW MUCH GRIEF DID THE FACT THAT MRS. LINCOLN WAS A SOUTHERNER CAUSE AND POLITICALLY? THE...
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| 00:43:03 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
NOT AVAILABLE, THE OF THROWN OTHER THINGS AT HIM. >> AND IT EVEN EXTENDED IN VERY PERSONAL WAYS. AFTER THE DEATH OF WILLY IN 1862, HER SISTER EMILY CAME...
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| 00:43:29 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THE CAME AND STOOD BY HER BEDSIDE EVERY NIGHT. AND SHE SAID SHE TALKED TO HIM. BY MOST ACCOUNTS, ITALY AND MARY WERE VERY GOOD FOR EACH OTHER. FAMILY...
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| 00:45:09 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THAT IS WHAT ALL THE WAY TO THE EVE OF HIS DEATH WHEN HE ORDERED THE BAND TO PLAY DIXIE AND TOOK STEPS TO DEMONSTRATE PEACE AND RECONCILIATION. >> POLITICALLY,...
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| 00:45:47 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
FOR A LONG TIME THAT PREVENTED HIM FROM GIVING A MORE FAVORABLE ATTENTION TO THE ADVOCATE OF IMMEDIATE EMANCIPATION. >> BUT THINK HOW DIFFERENTLY THAT...
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| 00:46:14 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
YOUR INTELLECTUAL ENDEAVORS AS A PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN WHEN IT COMES TO THE ISSUE OF PRESIDENTIAL CHARACTER? WE'RE COMING TO THE CONCLUSION IN RECENT...
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| 00:46:30 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
EQUIPPED SOMEONE TO TAKE OVER THAT OFFICE IN TIMES OF
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| 00:46:33 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC OF PEOPLE, A TREMENDOUS INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE. WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING NOW. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM YOUR HISTORY OF THE...
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| 00:47:08 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT TIME FROM NOW. BECAUSE, NOT TERRIBLY MANY OF US HAVE MUCH FAITH IN THE JUDGMENT OF LEADERS OF EITHER PARTY AND THEIR ABILITY TO...
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| 00:49:07 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
HE SET ASIDE HIS STRICT CONSTRUCTIONIST OF OIL WENT LOUISIANA CAME ON THE MARKET. AND I SUPPOSE THAT SOME OF YOU ON ONE SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI THINK...
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| 00:49:50 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
FILLED WITH HIGH DIFFICULTY AND WE
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| 00:49:52 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
MUST RISE WITH THE OCCASION. AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE GREAT PRESIDENTS OF OUR PRESIDENTS WHO IN TIMES OF THE ABILITY MANAGED TO RISE TO THE OCCASION...
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| 00:50:31 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
WOULD HAVE GOTTEN ANGERED AT ATROCITIES, BUT A FEW OF US MAY NOT OF MAINTAINED OU COMPOSURE AND MAY NOT SOUGHT THE THE PEACE. MANY PEOPLE FELT THAT WAY...
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| 00:51:19 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP [WITH HIS CABINET? >> LYNDON JOHNSON SAID THAT IT WAS BETTER TO HAVE THE ENEMY INSIDE THE TENT TO SINGLE OUT AND SEND...
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| 00:51:59 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THE TENT PISSING IN. >> THE HUMILITY, THE MAGNANIMITY THAT SOMEONE WHO HAD SPENT A LIFETIME BEING CONSUMED BY AMBITION, HE COULD LOOK AT SOMEONE LIKE...
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| 00:52:35 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
AND HE WAS THIS PASSIONATE ENOUGH, EMOTIONALLY DISTANT ENOUGH, THAT HE COULD MANIPULATE THOSE EMOTIONS. >> AND HE WAS AN PATHETIC ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT...
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| 00:53:08 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
PENNSYLVANIA. HE WAS PUT ON THE TICKET AS A PRICE, AS PART OF THE BARGAIN AT THE CONVENTION. IT DID NOT WORK. SO HE WAS DISPATCHED. HOW FAR COULD YOU...
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| 00:53:23 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
SOMEONE? HE WAS MADE AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA. HE WAS SENT TO THE COURT AT ST. PETERSBURG. BUT HE DID NOT GO IN DISGRACE. LINCOLN AND OUT OF HIS WAY TO PUBLICLY...
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| 00:54:29 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
BACK BECAUSE STANTON REFUSED TO CARRY OUT ONE
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| 00:54:33 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
OF LINCOLN'S ORDERS. AND STANTON REFERRED TO THE PRESIDENT IS A DAMNED FOOL. AND LINCOLN ASKED, DID HE? THEN I MUST BE A DAMNED FOOL BECAUSE STANTON IS...
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| 00:55:07 |
Unidentified Speaker, -
THIS OUR WEB SITE DEDICATED TO LINCOLN EVENTS AS PART OF THE TWO-YEAR DEDICATION TO THE LINCOLN
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NOTE: The transcript for this program was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.