1 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: On this episode of Newts World, my guest is Brett bher, 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 1: chief political anchor for Fox News Channel and the anchor 3 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: and executive editor of a special report with Brett Bhaer. 4 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 1: He's a good friend and I have to tell you 5 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: he does an extraordinary job and has become a very 6 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: good historian as well as a reporter of current news. 7 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: Many of us watch him on Fox News. I'm thrilled 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: that he would take time out of this extraordinarily busy 9 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: day and talk with us about his new book, To 10 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: Rescue the Constitution, George Washington and the Fragile American Experiment. Brett, Welcome. 11 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: I have to just ask you for a second, Given 12 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: everything you do, how do you find time to write 13 00:00:58,280 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: serious books. 14 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 2: Like this speaker, Thanks for having me on. It's a 15 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 2: labor of love, and you know this as a lover 16 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:11,279 Speaker 2: of history, that it's addictive. I started it with writing 17 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 2: about Dwight the Eisenhower in three days in January, Reagan, 18 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 2: Fdr Churchill, and Stylin. My last book was on Ulysses S. 19 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: Grant And basically what I do is this has been 20 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 2: a blueprint. The first book took three and a half years. 21 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: Now a book takes about a year and a half. 22 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 2: I've got a great team, a researcher who gets these 23 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 2: nuggets of history. I've got a co author that I 24 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: bounce back and forth and we create this quilt of 25 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 2: what we have, this new stuff, and really delve into 26 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 2: the narrative of history. And I just take this so 27 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 2: to straw moment and then bounce back and see how 28 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 2: this leader gets to this moment. It's just a process 29 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 2: that I love. So I spend about a couple hours 30 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 2: a night, usually with a glass of wine, and really 31 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: get into it. And so I want to fit it 32 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: into my day, and I've been fortunate to be able 33 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 2: to do it. 34 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: We talked about your grant book, which I found very 35 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: very helpful, and then frankly opened my eyes to some 36 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: things I didn't know. And so I'm a very big 37 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,679 Speaker 1: fan of Washington and wrote three novels about the Revolutionary 38 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 1: War in Washington's roll. So the fact that you would 39 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,679 Speaker 1: pick up on this, I think is very very important, 40 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: and it's a part of Washington that I think is undervalued. 41 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 1: But before we get to that, if you don't mind 42 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: just for a minute, what is your reaction to the 43 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: horrifying news you've been covering coming out of Israel. 44 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 2: Well, I think it's just that it's horrifying and to 45 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 2: see this level of depravity is really something. It's something 46 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 2: we haven't seen. Some people have called it a second Holocaust. 47 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 2: If you'd look at the numbers of people here, it's exponential. 48 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 2: If you look at the size of Israel, people forget, 49 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 2: it's about the size of the state of New Jersey. 50 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 2: And this isn't soldier on soldier. It is terrorist on family, 51 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 2: It is terrorist on babies. So there's not a moral 52 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 2: equivalency here, and I think it's really important for us 53 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 2: to cover it in that way, to not look away 54 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,839 Speaker 2: from it, but be prepared for what's going to be 55 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 2: a long haul here as not only Israel, but the 56 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 2: world as. 57 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: You look at the truly horrifying things that are coming 58 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 1: out the killing of forty babies, for example. Are you 59 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: surprised by the pro Palestinian messaging on some of our 60 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: most elite campuses. 61 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 2: I am, and I think that there's been some pushback 62 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 2: to that, to the point where some of these university 63 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 2: presidents have had to put out statements semi walking it back. 64 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 2: But listen, you can't look at what's happening on the 65 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 2: ground and say, you know, this is Israel's fault. That's 66 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 2: what some of the messages have been. And obviously there's 67 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 2: a bigger issue here about the way forward with the 68 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: Palestinians writ large, but Hamas is a terrorist organization. Israel 69 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 2: is now committed to white it out, and what that 70 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 2: looks like and how the world reacts to it is 71 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 2: going to be the story of our time. 72 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: I'm actually writing some things on the difference between the 73 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: necessary and the reasonable, and when you're dealing with what 74 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: President Biden described as evil, I think you have to 75 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 1: do the necessary, even though for a lot of people 76 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: will seem unreasonable. It's a really hard problem when you 77 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 1: have two million people and you know that Hamas is 78 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 1: going to do everything it can to maximize civilian casualties 79 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: and to try to trap Israel into a sort of 80 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:37,159 Speaker 1: house by house and building by building a campaign. And 81 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: we'll be following you every day as you cover this, 82 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: but for the moment, let's go back in history and 83 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 1: take a look at Washington and the way you sort 84 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: of recapture him and establish him. When you think about Washington, 85 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 1: having done the research you've done, what really comes to mind. 86 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 2: I think he was a steady, kind of thoughtful presence, 87 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: whether on the back field or in the formation of 88 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,919 Speaker 2: our government. He was kind of a reliable voice of reason. 89 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 2: I found that through the different writings and diaries of 90 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 2: other people as well as himself, that he was always 91 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 2: searching for common ground and a way forward. And you know, 92 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 2: he was basically the indispensable man in every room, and 93 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 2: he added gravitas to every gathering. He wasn't a bomb thrower, 94 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: he wasn't the flashiest. In fact, it was the opposite. 95 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 2: It was the absence of self promoting ego that kind 96 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 2: of gave his public service this purity that a few 97 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 2: others at the time or since have embraced. I just 98 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:45,239 Speaker 2: found him such a fascinating character, more in the study 99 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 2: of him than I ever realized. And that's what I 100 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 2: think this book does, is it provides the narrative that 101 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,359 Speaker 2: fills in some of the blanks. And I really hope 102 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 2: people read it for that, because the founding of our 103 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 2: country can tell us a lot about where we're going. 104 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: It's doubly interesting to me because I think you've done 105 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 1: something of very very few historians that it'll do, and 106 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: that you deal with Washington not as a myth or 107 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: as a symbol, but as a human being, somebody who 108 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: has a wife, he has passions, he loves dogs. There's 109 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: something very few people have really been able to come 110 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: to grips with Washington the person in the way that 111 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: you have, And I think that's fascinating. Did you set 112 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: out to do that or to just grow on you? 113 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 2: It kind of grew I knew I wanted to paint 114 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 2: the picture as accurately as I could, but in the 115 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 2: way that I've been doing these books, I want to 116 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 2: put people in the room and having an experience. You know, 117 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 2: it's not really a history book. It's more something he 118 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 2: could read on the beach and come to the end 119 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 2: of it and learn a lot seeing the man, his 120 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 2: love of Martha. There was sadness about the research. She 121 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 2: burned all but two of their letters, and they had 122 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 2: many letters back and forth. But you can only imagine 123 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: that the insights we might have gleaned from those letters 124 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 2: lost to history. But they had this loving, compatible marriage, 125 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 2: and he talks about her as being this beautiful, vivacious person, 126 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 2: And you're right, he was really charmed by her two 127 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: young children that he accepted as his own. Jackie and 128 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 2: Patsy they'd never have their own children, but they became 129 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 2: his children and they had some normalcy, and he desperately 130 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 2: wanted to be back in Mount Vernon with everything he 131 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 2: had before being called to duty and pulled away. And 132 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,560 Speaker 2: every time he was called, he stepped up to that service. 133 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 1: One of the things that struck me about Washington he 134 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: really liked to dance. You don't think of Washington having 135 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: a good time, you know, maybe having a cup of 136 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,800 Speaker 1: ale and then dancing with the ladies. But apparently he 137 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: was a good dancer and he liked to enjoy getting 138 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 1: out there on the dance floor. 139 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:00,960 Speaker 2: He loved women too, I mean, pre Martha, he loved women. 140 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 2: He had an early heartbreak and he wrote this poem 141 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 2: about how his heart was hurt because he was going 142 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 2: after these ladies that turned their back on him. But 143 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 2: he found Martha and that became the love of his life. 144 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 1: And she would come to Valley Forge when they were 145 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: there for the Winner or wherever they were wintering during 146 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 1: the war. I think it frightened him in times because 147 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: of smallpox and other kind of things, but she was 148 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: determined to be with him and to sort of become 149 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: the mother for the entire army and to take care 150 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 1: of people and do useful things. So the two of 151 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: them as a couple I think in some ways are underrated. 152 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 2: I agree. I'm that Valley Forged moment, as you've written about, 153 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 2: is a crucible for him. It's really a moment a 154 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 2: contrast in leadership between Washington with this group of soldiers. 155 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:49,840 Speaker 2: That they don't look great. He says they're dirty and 156 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 2: nasty is how he describes them. However, he gets them 157 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 2: to believe that they can win, and the contrast with 158 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 2: the British who were sitting in Philadelphia having spent the 159 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 2: winter relaxing in love xury that eventually leads to their 160 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 2: demise and the defeat of the British. 161 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: He's open enough to accept a European trainer and von Jouben, 162 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: who actually creates a genuine army that's capable of fighting 163 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 1: head to head with the British and ultimately driving them 164 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:19,120 Speaker 1: from the battlefield, which begins the real change of the war. 165 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 2: You couldn't speak a word of English, and he does 166 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,680 Speaker 2: the training through a translator, which is really something. 167 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 1: The other thing about Dolly Fortune course, is that Washington 168 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 1: loved plays and dramas, and his favorite was a play 169 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 1: about Kato and the fact that Kato preferred dying to 170 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 1: surrendering to Caesar, and they actually took over the bakery 171 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 1: house and gave the play for the officers and men 172 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: to come to. It was again an example of a 173 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: side of Washington we don't normally think of. But he 174 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 1: actually liked things like plays and would go to them 175 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 1: and gain strength from them. He would read Kato and 176 00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: get tears in his eyes thinking about the dedication to 177 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 1: free him and to liberty that was involved. Now, you 178 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: make a point that I think is very significant that 179 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: one of the things which is a formative moment in 180 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:10,959 Speaker 1: his life is when he's eleven and his father dies. 181 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: How did you come to grips with that and how 182 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: did it hit you about how that changed him? 183 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 2: I think we're all shaped by our upbringings, and in 184 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 2: his case, the most decisive event is that the lungs 185 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 2: of his father when he's eleven, and he's forced to 186 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 2: kind of grow up fast and to shoulder more responsibility 187 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 2: in his household, and he didn't. A lot of prosperous 188 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 2: families sent their children for education in England, he didn't 189 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 2: the death of his father, that was money for George 190 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 2: to go, so he missed out on that. But he 191 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 2: was taken under the wing of his adult stepbrothers and 192 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 2: an influential family of a close friend. So we don't 193 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 2: know a ton about George's childhood, but it kind of 194 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 2: gives us a sense he grew up fast with the 195 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:59,040 Speaker 2: death of his father, and I think that did form 196 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 2: who he was early age. We do know that his 197 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 2: mother was controlling and dobbin arian and kind of coached him, 198 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 2: and civil behavior and rules of civility as well. 199 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: Hi, this is newt. In my new book, March the Majority, 200 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: The Real Story of the Republican Revolution, I offer strategies 201 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: and insights for everyday citizens and for season politicians. It's 202 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 1: both a guide for political success and for winning back 203 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 1: the Majority. 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You have a very interesting 216 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 1: I think the point about that that creates kind of 217 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: a fascinating alternative history in that he wanted to get 218 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: away from his mother and literally contemplated joining the Royal 219 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:46,080 Speaker 1: Navy when he was fourteen, and his mother blocked him. 220 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: And I couldn't help as I was reading that and 221 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,680 Speaker 1: looking at it that imagine how different the world would 222 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 1: have been if his mother allowed him to go and 223 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:55,559 Speaker 1: become a seaman and rise in the ranks of the 224 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: Royal Navy. He would have been on the other side 225 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: had there been a revolutionary war in history would have 226 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 1: been very very different. 227 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 2: Very different. And his mother said, no, that is not happening, 228 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:09,199 Speaker 2: and put an end to it right away. 229 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 1: She sort of dominated him, or she did dominate him 230 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: when he was younger. And yet even though he took 231 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: good care of her, bought her a house, and tried 232 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:19,560 Speaker 1: to make sure she was okay. That seems to me 233 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 1: she was always kind of complaining and nagging. 234 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 2: She really was, I mean, she was dominating in how 235 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 2: she treated him, but she was always complaining that she 236 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 2: didn't really have enough. He wanted to make sure she 237 00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 2: was taken care of and always checked in on her. 238 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:37,359 Speaker 2: But that's clearly comes across in self of the writings. 239 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 2: He's kind of rolling his eyes at some of the 240 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:40,960 Speaker 2: things she says. 241 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 1: And then death intervenes again when his stepbrother Lawrence dies. 242 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 1: He becomes the executive of his brother's estate and really 243 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:53,439 Speaker 1: has to grow up rapidly at that point. 244 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 2: That's right. He had a really great relationship with Lawrence, 245 00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 2: And again that's kind of the nation of who Washington becomes. 246 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:04,440 Speaker 2: He grows up early, has to deal with a lot 247 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 2: of hardship, and we don't have a ton of details, 248 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 2: and which is why some biographers had the early days 249 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 2: of the Cherry Tree story that generations his school children learn, 250 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 2: but it turns out to be kind of just made up. 251 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: It's interesting though, because he does grow up early. He 252 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 1: becomes a surveyor and goes to the West and I 253 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: know when I've been in Little Washington's a little sign there. 254 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 1: He laid out that town when he was nineteen years old, 255 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 1: and he's already kind of moving to the west and 256 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: looking for land and being to think big thoughts. Because 257 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: he replaced his brother Lawrence in the Virginia Militia. He 258 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: rises pretty rapidly there, and ironically, his first great assignment 259 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: ends up as a disaster. He picks the worst. But 260 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: I want up and visitor one time at Fort Necessity, 261 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 1: which was you had to be totally not thinking about 262 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 1: anything military to have picked that. Because it's down in 263 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: a little valley. The people around you're going to be 264 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: shooting down into you. So he has to surrender his troops. 265 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: And what he has done is he has started what 266 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: became in Europe the Seven Years War and in the 267 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 1: United States the French and Indian War, and writes a 268 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: pamphlet explaining why that he did the right thing, and 269 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: then comes back and rises again. His very first military 270 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 1: operation is a disaster. He loses his troops, but he 271 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 1: rises above it and ultimately has an amazing military career. 272 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,400 Speaker 2: It's amazing that he bounces back from that. I mean, 273 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 2: arguably he's sometimes blamed for actually starting the fight in 274 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 2: the French and Indian War, but he's sent back into 275 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 2: the Ohio Valley and has given this command, and he's 276 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 2: with these Indian guides and the leader of that is 277 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 2: called the Half King, and they're near this French encampment 278 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 2: and they assume that the French are going to play 279 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 2: an attack. So he gets his men and attacks them 280 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 2: at dawn, and it turns out the French should not 281 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 2: come to fight, but they were going to launch a 282 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 2: diplomatic mission. Having been attacked, they launch a counter attack. 283 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 2: Washington finally surrenders. So it's amazing that he bounces back 284 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 2: from that and essentially gets promoted. 285 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 1: Mount Vernon, which does an amazing job of presenting Washington 286 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 1: as a remarkable education center and museum nowadays. And they 287 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: make the point that when he does bounce back, he 288 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: becomes an advisor to General Braddock. As the English leave 289 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 1: Carlisle to march West, tries to suggest to Bradick that 290 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: marching in rows of four wearing red uniforms is not 291 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: clever because the French and the Indians are going to 292 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 1: shoot from behind trees when they do get ambushed. Braddock's 293 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 1: wounded and then dies very early in the fight. Washington 294 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: is physically most obvious person. He's on a big horse, 295 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 1: and he literally rallies the British troops even though he's 296 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: a colonial, and saves them from a total disaster. Ends 297 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: up with I think several horses shot up from under 298 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: him and four bullet holes in his coat, And years 299 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,679 Speaker 1: later runs into this Indian at Powow and the Indian 300 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: says to him, you know, God must have something big 301 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: for you, because we were all shooting at you. You 302 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 1: were so obvious, he said, I personally shot at you 303 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 1: thirteen times and I couldn't hit you. And I think 304 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 1: part of Washington's sense of calm and evitability came out 305 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 1: of that that he had survived this moment, he had 306 00:17:26,040 --> 00:17:29,120 Speaker 1: saved the army, he had not been killed. I think 307 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: the rest of his career there were no threats quite 308 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: as dire as the ambush that killed Braddock and almost 309 00:17:36,119 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 1: destroyed the army. 310 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, he redeemed hisself by standing by Braddock. And he 311 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 2: basically was a quick learner, and he was brave, and 312 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 2: he started to learn lessons that really would form his 313 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 2: military identity during the war. 314 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: There's a story He used to go down to Wimsburg, 315 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: which is the other great place to have this sense 316 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: of the colonial period, and he would serve in the 317 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: legislature and would go to the taverns. Governor Bird, who 318 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 1: was a leading local figure, would bet strangers a shilling 319 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: that Washington could break a walnut between his thumb and 320 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: his first finger, which anybody who's listening to us can try, 321 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,720 Speaker 1: and they will find that it virtually impossible. And of 322 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:17,880 Speaker 1: course he could do it. He's just physically that strong. 323 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:21,000 Speaker 1: I'm not sure whether Bird actually ever shared these shillings 324 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: with Washington, but he at least got a free drink 325 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,360 Speaker 1: out of it. You talk about the importance of Washington 326 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 1: at the very beginning at the Constitutional Convention and before that, 327 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:37,640 Speaker 1: of course the Continental Congresses, and it's fascinating in Philadelphia, 328 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 1: in that really fairly tiny building, you have this picture 329 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: of Washington sitting up there above everything, presiding over it, 330 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: but actually every evening having dinner with people and gradually 331 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 1: moving things, helping people find solutions. Didn't that strike you 332 00:18:57,119 --> 00:19:00,119 Speaker 1: that he was a little bit like Eisenhower and it 333 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 1: was remarkably effective. 334 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 2: Indirectly, yes, one hundred percent, and finding common ground among 335 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:10,359 Speaker 2: a lot of descent and a lot of disagreement and 336 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 2: figuring out a way forward and work in the room, 337 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 2: behind the scenes way, you know, just to go back 338 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 2: a little bit after the war and before the Constitutional Convention, 339 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 2: we just don't fully appreciate. I don't think how dangerous 340 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,120 Speaker 2: it was. It was really the most divided dangerous time 341 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,719 Speaker 2: of that error, so bad that the Articles of Confederation 342 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 2: are not knitting the states together, the colleagues together. They 343 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 2: begin fighting with each other, so much so that some 344 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,719 Speaker 2: people say, you know what, forget this, let's go back 345 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 2: to British rule. They're fighting tax collectors and rebelling all 346 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:47,880 Speaker 2: over again. There's the rebellion to Massachusetts, Shares rebellion and others. 347 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 2: In the midst of that is what starts this Constitutional Convention. 348 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 2: And George Washington gets called up again because he is 349 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 2: the person with gravitas to be in the room. He 350 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:01,919 Speaker 2: finally says, I'll do it. He's got rheumatoid arthritis. He 351 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 2: gets in the carriage, he makes his way to Philadelphia, 352 00:20:05,359 --> 00:20:09,399 Speaker 2: and he becomes, not surprisingly because everybody thought it was 353 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:13,679 Speaker 2: going to happen, the center of this convention. And he 354 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 2: sits in this chair, a special chair that's carved in 355 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 2: the Assembly room, and it's got a crest rail and 356 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 2: a liberty pole and a cap a symbolizing freedom, and 357 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 2: then the sun on the back of the chair, and 358 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 2: Ben Franklin, you know, as the delegates are signing the 359 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:31,479 Speaker 2: Constitution at the end, he says, I've often looked at 360 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 2: that stone behind the President without being able to tell 361 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,919 Speaker 2: whether it was rising or setting. But he's happy to 362 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,640 Speaker 2: know that it was rising at the end of the convention. 363 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 2: So it's a fascinating look at that soda straw moment. 364 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,280 Speaker 2: How we almost didn't make it. We really almost didn't 365 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:49,680 Speaker 2: make it was hanging in the balance the foundation of 366 00:20:49,720 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 2: the country. 367 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 1: It always struck me that had Washington not agreed to 368 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,679 Speaker 1: go to Philadelphia and to preside that probably they couldn't 369 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 1: have put it together. We would have remained thirteen isolated states, 370 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 1: and we eventually would have been, I think, dominated by 371 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 1: the Europeans. But somehow somebody once said that followers invest 372 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:32,160 Speaker 1: their fears in the leader's courage, and Washington, in sense 373 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 1: personified that he was so confident, so strong, so above 374 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: everybody else that people could say, look, if he'll stand 375 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 1: here and do it, I'll stand next to him. But 376 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,119 Speaker 1: without him, I think the whole thing might have fallen apart. 377 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 2: It was lengthy, The convention was lengthy, It was dramatic. 378 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 2: Sometimes it was rowdy. The fights over big things like 379 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 2: representation in states, small states, over states rights versus a 380 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 2: federal overview, some of the fights that we still have today. 381 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,959 Speaker 2: And the fact that a consensus was reached at all 382 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 2: is remarkable. And four months they had compromises to reach 383 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 2: how this document was formed, But in the end Washington 384 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:20,439 Speaker 2: calls it a miracle that they can do that and 385 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,919 Speaker 2: then ratify it in a very tense time. 386 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:26,159 Speaker 1: I mean, here's a guy who's now going to the 387 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,479 Speaker 1: Continental Congresses, spent eight years in the field as a general, 388 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 1: going home, comes back out again, helps preside over the Constitution, 389 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:36,360 Speaker 1: and now the country looks around, and of course there's 390 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 1: only one person who could become president, so he once 391 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:43,560 Speaker 1: again has to leave Mount Vernon and go to New 392 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: York to be sworn in. In that sense, he really 393 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:48,800 Speaker 1: was sort of indispensable, wouldn't he He. 394 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 2: Was, and he answered the call every time. And as 395 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 2: the first president, imagine what it's like. You know, there's 396 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,920 Speaker 2: no models to look at, there's no blueprint. No one 397 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 2: leaves a note in the day ask, you know, with 398 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:04,199 Speaker 2: tidbits of what to do in the obla humphas. No 399 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,639 Speaker 2: one passes in the torch. He was the torch. And 400 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 2: so every aspect of this is inventing a new as 401 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 2: he's doing it. And he's very cautious in that time 402 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 2: to avoid any semblance of authoritarianism or a monarchy or 403 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:23,399 Speaker 2: even sounding like a monarchy. He makes the executive what 404 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 2: it becomes. And you know, Martha is a part of that, 405 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 2: because they want to make sure that everybody feels good. 406 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 2: They treat it as the president's house and the people's house. 407 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 2: So every day people arrive in droves wanting to talk 408 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,640 Speaker 2: to the president and they'd walk right in. And finally 409 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 2: they set up a schedule of times every week where 410 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:45,360 Speaker 2: citizens could come and be heard, and then they had 411 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 2: a reception hosted by Martha Washington and refreshments and the 412 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 2: whole bit. But he sets the standard for the process 413 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 2: of government and comes up with the cabinet with different 414 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 2: voices like Hamilton and Jefferson, who are always at each other. 415 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 2: And that's the thing about this new is that it 416 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 2: was really fun for me to get to the other characters, 417 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 2: not just Washington, but the other people in that time. 418 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 2: Just to learn a little bit more about those people 419 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:14,920 Speaker 2: and how they interacted with one another was fascinated to me. 420 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: Jefferson and Hamilton are bitter opponents, have very different visions 421 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: of America. But when the time comes to convince Washington 422 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 1: that he has to run for a second term, that 423 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 1: the country's not stable enough yet, and if he goes 424 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 1: home after only four years, that there's a real danger 425 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,879 Speaker 1: that the experiment will fail, they suddenly come together and 426 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 1: here are these two great rivals, both of them saying 427 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: to him, as a team, you have to do this. 428 00:24:41,119 --> 00:24:43,879 Speaker 1: The country will not survive if you don't give us 429 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:47,479 Speaker 1: one more chance to have you as our leader. And 430 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: I think that was a tribute to just how central 431 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:54,160 Speaker 1: he was to everything in America that neither Hamilton nor 432 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:59,800 Speaker 1: Jefferson could imagine anybody but Washington continuing. And yet Washington 433 00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: all also established what I think was a pretty good standard, 434 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,199 Speaker 1: which was to leave after eight years and say I 435 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: may be indispensable, but you're going to have to learn 436 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,159 Speaker 1: to do it without man. Of course, that led to 437 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 1: a fairly bitter and tumultuous period for four years between 438 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 1: Adams as a federalist and Jefferson, who's inventing the modern 439 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: Democratic Party. But by then the system had become sort 440 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: of a structure that could withstand the stress without Washington 441 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 1: all the. 442 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 2: Way through everything he did, every time he took on 443 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,400 Speaker 2: the next thing, it did always start with this sort 444 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:35,800 Speaker 2: of humble I might not be the guy. I might 445 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 2: not meet the moment each one of these times as 446 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 2: the commander, as you point out, in the Continental Congress, 447 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,360 Speaker 2: in the Convention, the Constitial Convention, and as president, each 448 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,760 Speaker 2: time he says I might not be him. So it's interesting, 449 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 2: but I do agree with you that I believe that 450 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 2: the most significant action at Washington takes is to leave 451 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:58,760 Speaker 2: after two terms. There was no prescribed limit on how 452 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:00,040 Speaker 2: long a president can serve. 453 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: Which in a way he had done once before. Cliston. 454 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:03,840 Speaker 1: I went over one time when we were doing a 455 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:07,680 Speaker 1: film called The First American about Washington, and we went 456 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: over to Annapolis. In the state capitol. They've dedicated this 457 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:15,640 Speaker 1: entire room where Washington delivered his sword to the Continental Congress, 458 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 1: which at that time was meeting in Annapolis, and they 459 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: have the statues of all these people. Interestingly, all of 460 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: the members of the Continental Congress are sitting Washington standing 461 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:29,639 Speaker 1: because he is their servant, and he is returning his 462 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: sword to them and giving up power as commander of 463 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,400 Speaker 1: the army. And when he was told about it, King 464 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:37,919 Speaker 1: George said, if he really does that, he'll be the 465 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:41,159 Speaker 1: greatest man of the century, because the whole idea that 466 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 1: he could have easily been the dictator. And instead he 467 00:26:44,359 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: went back to Mount Vernon and stayed there till he 468 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:48,480 Speaker 1: was called back by the country once again. I've always 469 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 1: thought that room probably is undervalued by people. It's just 470 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: to go and realize. This was the moment when Washington 471 00:26:55,520 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 1: clearly was saying I fought for freedom, not for and 472 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 1: now that we're free, I'm going to go home, which 473 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,119 Speaker 1: of course set the stage a few years later to 474 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:07,560 Speaker 1: bring him back once again. 475 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 2: He desperately wanted to be home. He just wanted to 476 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 2: be home. I mean that comes through every one of 477 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:15,479 Speaker 2: his writings. He just wanted to get back to Mount Vernon. 478 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:19,679 Speaker 2: He wanted to work and form be with Martha, and 479 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 2: there wasn't destined to be until the very end. 480 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: Let me just ask one last question, Brot, and I 481 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:27,040 Speaker 1: really appreciate giving everything that's going on you're taking this 482 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 1: time with us. If you had to summarize it, what 483 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 1: would you say to young people is the lesson they 484 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:37,120 Speaker 1: should learn about freedom and America from George Washington? 485 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 2: I think there are multiple lessons. One is every time 486 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:45,000 Speaker 2: he was asked, he served. He believed that there was 487 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 2: something justified worth fighting for in each one of these 488 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 2: things that he stepped up to do. He formed the 489 00:27:53,119 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 2: country and it wasn't easy. And after this process, I 490 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:58,919 Speaker 2: would say, the thing that researching and writing of this 491 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 2: book gave me is really a sense of hope. Not 492 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 2: because the founding of our nation went so smoothly, but 493 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,960 Speaker 2: because it didn't go smoothly. It was kind of chaotic 494 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:12,440 Speaker 2: and driven by descent, and the whole experiment almost collapsed 495 00:28:12,480 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 2: many times. And so I guess the lesson today was 496 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 2: that we shouldn't fear dissent. Valued principle is one thing, 497 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 2: open exchange of ideas. Dissent, though, is baked into the 498 00:28:24,359 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 2: cake of our union, and so is coming together. So 499 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:31,880 Speaker 2: the job is to mesh descent with union. And that's 500 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 2: what Washington tried to do. If tried to find common ground. 501 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 2: And you know, in today's social media, when there's all 502 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:41,800 Speaker 2: kinds of stuff that flies around on X formerly, Twitter 503 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 2: and online and people drive to stir up their supporters. 504 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 2: I think Washington taught us it's okay you can argue, 505 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 2: but eventually you got to move forward. That's what he 506 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 2: was about, finding common ground, moving forward. 507 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: I think that's a great, great summary given everything you're doing. 508 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 1: I really want to thank you for joining me. It's 509 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: fascinating every book you write, you find an approach and 510 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: an angle and a theme that nobody else has thought of. 511 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: Your new book, To Rescue the Constitution, George Washington and 512 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 1: the Fragile American Experiment is a really important contribution to 513 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 1: where we are today, and I encourage all of our 514 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 1: listeners to get a copy, and all of us look 515 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:27,160 Speaker 1: forward to continue watching your reporting on the Fox News 516 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 1: Channel and on Special Report with. 517 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 2: Brett Behar Speaker. Thanks for having me. 518 00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest Brett Bhaer. You can get 519 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 1: a link to buy his new book, To Rescue the Constitution, 520 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: George Washington and the Fragile American Experiment on our show 521 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: page at newtsworld dot com. News World is produced by 522 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:52,440 Speaker 1: Gangwigh three sixty and iHeartMedia. Our executive producer is Guarnsey Sloan. 523 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:56,480 Speaker 1: Our researcher is Rachel Peterson. The artwork for the show 524 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 1: was created by Steve Penley. Special thanks team at Gingrid 525 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: three sixty. If you've been enjoying Newtsworld, I hope you'll 526 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:06,960 Speaker 1: go to Apple Podcast and both rate us with five 527 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: stars and give us a review so others can learn 528 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 1: what it's all about. Right now, listeners of Newtsworld can 529 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 1: sign up for my three freeweekly columns at gingrishtree sixty 530 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 1: dot com slash newsletter. I'm Newt Gingrich. This is Newtsworld.