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| TIME | SPEAKER | TEXT |
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| 00:00:14 |
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PRESIDENTIAL BIOGRAPHERS AND HISTORIANS ROBERT CARO, BOB CLARK, AND TED SORENSON DISCUSS THEIR RESEARCH... |
| 00:00:31 |
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GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME. I AM THE CONSERVATOR. IT IS MY REAL PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU ALL HERE TONIGHT... |
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AND IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION COVER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT ENTAILS AND WHAT YOU ARE IN |
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FOUR, UP BE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS WELL ANYONE HERE WHO IS A CONSERVATOR. I NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE... |
| 00:02:41 |
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WE ALL OF A DEBT OF GRATITUDE. NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE JAMES ATLAS. I WANT TO POINT OUT... |
| 00:03:06 |
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IT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE |
| 00:03:09 |
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FRAGILITY OF LIBRARIES, AND I RECOMMENDED TO YOU, ALL OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE AS A REMINDER OF WHAT... |
| 00:03:24 |
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] |
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I APPRECIATE THAT. I WISHED I WOULD HAVE KNOWN YOU WERE GOING TO SAY THAT. THIS IS A VERY EASY ASSIGNMENT.... |
| 00:06:40 |
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DECIDE WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE WORDS THAT TED SORENSON |
| 00:06:44 |
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SUPERVISED AND WHO INTERPRETED THE WORDS. |
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AND HOW THEY GOT WHERE THEY ARE. SO IT IS A VERY GOOD PROGRAM. I'M PROUD TO BE HERE. MY DEAR FRIEND... |
| 00:07:47 |
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WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE JOHNSON LIBRARY THE GROUND FLOOR IS A MUSEUM. THEN YOU WALKED THROUGH AND HE... |
| 00:13:05 |
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AND THIS IS WHY WHEN I WAS READING COUNCIL, I HAD A BIOGRAPHER'S NIGHTMARE. HE SAYS HE REVEALS HE... |
| 00:13:53 |
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THANKS VERY MUCH. BUT HE BEGAN BY SAYING THERE ARE TWO HEROES IN MY BOOK. JFK AND MY FATHER. AND... |
| 00:14:50 |
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I MUST REMEMBER THAT. |
| 00:14:55 |
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WHICH IS THE WAY I WANTED TO BEGIN. MY BOOK WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THREE PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES... |
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AND PARTLY BECAUSE HE WAS A UNITARIAN WHICH I TALKED ABOUT AT SOME LENGTH. AND IRONICALLY HE WAS AN... |
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HAD MORE IMPORTANT THINGS. AS I TELL, THE MOTHER AND FIVE CHILDREN. EVERY SATURDAY THEY TOOK THAT ... |
| 00:19:30 |
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PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY IN A SENSE. THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT EVEN AWARE OF IT. THAT IS THE JEFFERSON LIBRARY... |
| 00:20:11 |
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BY SAMI IS HISTORY. WHEN HE LABELED REASON, WHICH I ASSUME WAS POLICY, PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS. AND THE... |
| 00:20:58 |
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MY BOOK IS IN MY YEARS AS A LAWYER CENTS. IT CONTAINS REASON BECAUSE I TALK ABOUT MY BACKGROUND. |
| 00:21:11 |
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MY PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, MY IDEALISM WHICH I INHERITED FROM MY PARENTS. AND IT HAS IMAGINATION, NOT... |
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I BELIEVE YOU'LL FIND IT IN THE SECTION NEAR THE END OF PART TO. |
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PART TWO IS ABOUT KENNEDY. ELEVEN YEARS OF KENNEDY. AND IN THE END THEIR IS A CHAPTER ON KENNEDY'S... |
| 00:22:52 |
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RIGHTS, ONE OF THE GREATEST. AND LET ME SEE IF I CAN READ THIS. OUTRIGHT TO DO IT QUICKLY. HAVE A... |
| 00:23:07 |
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A REMARKABLY INTENSIVE BUT PRODUCTIVE TIME FRAME IN KENNEDY'S CURTAILED PRESIDENCY. ON THE DAY BEFORE... |
| 00:23:20 |
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ON THE CIVIL RIGHTS CRISIS. ON JUNE 10 THE SAME DAY THAT HE SPOKE HE ALSO SIGNED THE EQUAL PAY ACT... |
| 00:23:57 |
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THE STRONGEST DECLARATION SINCE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ON RACE DISCRIMINATION IN THIS COUNTRY. THE NEXT DAY... |
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ON THE ARTS. ONE WEEK LATER AND HE SENT CONGRESS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION OF... |
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I WANTED -- I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED THE HUGE MOMENTOUS EVENTS THAT LOOMS OVER US IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS... |
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EVENTS THAT LOOMS OVER US IN THE |
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NEXT TWO WEEKS WHICH PROVIDES A WONDERFUL FRIEND. AS I LISTENED TO SPEECHES AND AS I SEE THIS PROCESS... |
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AND BOB CLARK WHO IS THE ONE WHO KNOWS. SO I'VE ASKED HIM TO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CREATION... |
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AND ALSO, THOUGH I DON'T WANT TO GET MIRED IN POLITICS I AM |
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INTERESTED IN THE WAY THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION THE USE OF THE WHOLE IDEA OF ACCESS TO PAPERS AND HELP... |
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SO MUCH TO DO. FDR CALLED THE DEDICATION OF THE LARRY IN ACTIVE TRADE. I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE.... |
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FDR CALLED THE DEDICATION OF THE LARRY IN ACTIVE TRADE. I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE. WE JUST PUBLISHED... |
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AND HERE IS THE PRESIDENT'S DOING SOMETHING VERY PUBLICLY. DEDICATING THE FIRST LIBRARY IN THE NATION.... |
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AND PROTECTOR AND HELP PRESERVE THE NATION'S RECORD. THAT IS A JOB THAT ARCHIVISTS TO TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY... |
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ABILITY AND TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE NOT JUST HERE BUT THERE |
| 00:27:40 |
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FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS BEYOND ALL OF US. THE FIRST WAS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. THERE WAS NO... |
| 00:28:21 |
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USED AGAINST HIS FAMILY. ROBERT TODD LINCOLN AS HE WAS AN UP AND COMER. ZACHARY TAYLOR'S PAPERS WERE... |
| 00:29:02 |
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FAMILIES THEY OFTEN HAD TO SELL PAPERS. THEN YOU GET INTO A SITUATION WHEREIN AN OUTGOING PRESIDENT... |
| 00:29:45 |
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RELATED TO HIS PUBLIC CAREER FROM WHEN HE WAS A NEW YORK STATE SENATOR, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE... |
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DIVESTITURES 7,000 LETTERS PER DAY. SO THE ROOSEVELT ADMINISTRATION AGREED TO AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT... |
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GOVERNMENT AFTER THE SECOND TERM. HE NEEDED SOMEPLACE TO PUT ALL THIS STUFF BECAUSE IT WAS DISPERSED... |
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ALSO KNEW THAT HE COULD NOT JUST MOVE TAXPAYER FUNDS TO BUILD WHAT WOULD BE PERCEIVED TO BE A MONUMENT... |
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ONCE IT WAS COMPLETED THAT BUILDING AND LAND WOULD GO TO THE GOVERNMENT TO BE STAFFED BY IMPARTIAL... |
| 00:32:59 |
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ONE OF THEM WAS THE COMPULSION TO DONATE THEIR PAPERS. BRAZIL DID SO. PAPERS STARTED COMING TO THE... |
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WITH HIM BUT CONGRESS WAS CONCERNED HE WOULD DESTROY EVIDENCE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. |
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SO ESSENTIALLY THEY PASSED A LAW TAKING HIS PAPERS FROM HIM. THEY PAID THE FAMILY, BUT THAT SET IN... |
| 00:34:19 |
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GENERATED BY THE PRESENCE IN HIS OFFICIAL OR CEREMONIAL CAPACITY AND BY THOSE WHO WORK FOR HIM ARE... |
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CAN WE TAKE THAT FORWARD FOR A MINUTE SINCE THIS IS A SUBJECT WE ARE ON. IN 2001 JUST A MONTH AFTER... |
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I ANSWER THE QUESTION WITH A COUPLE OF CAVEAT. I WORK AT THE AT ROOSEVELT LIBRARY WHICH IS NOT GOVERNED... |
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WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT. AT I WANT TO SAY THAT OUR ROLE IS TO PRESERVE THE RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN... |
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ANY OF SIX RESTRICTIONS ARE IN PLACE. |
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ONE OF THOSE RESTRICTIONS IS THE ABILITY TO NOT RELEASE FOR OF TIME FRAME OF 12 YEARS CONFIDENTIAL... |
| 00:38:28 |
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IT BRINGS UP QUESTIONS OF HOW INEVITABLY WE ARE ONLY NOW A PART OF THE STORY NO MATTER HOW MUCH OF... |
| 00:38:56 |
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DON'T KNOW AND WHAT YOU WILL NOT KNOW AND ARBITRARY, HOW IT IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY? I AM ASKING YOU.... |
| 00:39:12 |
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I AM ASKING YOU. YOU HAVE A RIGHT NOT TO ANSWER. |
| 00:39:17 |
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THERE IS A CERTAIN WEAKNESS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF A HISTORIAN. FIRST OF ALL, THANK GOD FOR CARBON... |
| 00:39:40 |
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MY FRIENDS WILL NEVER TALK TO YOU. I FORGET THE EXACT WORDING. A CONTRACT FROM THE YORK CITY. OF COURSE... |
| 00:40:26 |
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WORKED AT THE ROME AND SAID AND THE STAND ROBERT MOSES WILL LET YOU SEE IS PAPERS. AND HE FORGOT ABOUT... |
| 00:40:44 |
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THERE ARE THREE MEMBERS OF. THE THIRD ONE IS THIS VAST CORRUPTION RECENTLY CREATED FOR DEPARTMENT... |
| 00:41:17 |
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SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN AN ASSISTANT AND THE PRESIDENT CAN BE KEPT FOR A TROUGH... |
| 00:42:30 |
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TO BRING ABOUT A GOOD POINT. I'M PART OF WHAT WE CALL THE MATURE LIBRARIES. THOSE THAT ARE PRE PRESIDENTIAL... |
| 00:42:31 |
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TO BRING ABOUT A GOOD POINT. I'M PART OF WHAT WE CALL THE MATURE LIBRARIES. THOSE THAT ARE PRE PRESIDENTIAL... |
| 00:43:14 |
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THINGS UNLESS THEY ARE OF PARTICULAR PRIVACY. JUST A HYPOTHETICAL. ASSAM THAT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT'S... |
| 00:43:43 |
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RECORDS BEING UP AND QUICKER. THE JOHNSON LIBRARY IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. THE LBJ TAPES. LYNDON JOHNSON... |
| 00:44:23 |
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I DID NOT MEAN THAT YOU WERE, OF COURSE, THE DECIDER OR EMBLEMATIC GATEKEEPER. I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE... |
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I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TASK BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO THEM, WHAT MADE YOU... |
| 00:45:03 |
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LET ME FIRST SAY ABOUT THE PREVIOUS QUESTION. I REGRET THE FACT THAT THE INCUMBENT PRESIDENT'S HAS... |
| 00:45:34 |
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NATION'S MEMORY. A NATION LOSES ITS MEMORY AND DOES NOT KNOW WHERE IT HAS BEEN. THAT IS WHY THOSE... |
| 00:46:06 |
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MOTIVES, CONVERSATIONS, WHETHER POLITICAL OR NOT, WHICH HAVE NEVER BEEN PUBLICIZED. EVERY ADMINISTRATION... |
| 00:47:13 |
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I DECIDED TO WRITE THE BOOK. IM HAD BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT FOR SOME TIME, LAMENTING THE FACT THAT... |
| 00:48:12 |
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KENNEDY, LIKE A LOT OF OTHER PRESIDENTS MADE A LOT OF TAPES, IN PART, BECAUSE HE WANTED IT FOR HISTORY... |
| 00:48:41 |
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MOVING HIS NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, OF BRILLIANCE HUMAN BEING, MOVING HIM TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT... |
| 00:49:33 |
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IN THE THE HISTORIAN SAID THE HISTORY COMMUNITY KNOWS A LOT ABOUT KENNEDY. HIS CONTRIBUTION TO THIS... |
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TOOK AWAY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MY EYES, AND I DECIDED IF I CAN WRITE I'D BETTER TRY TO READ THAT WHILE... |
| 00:50:48 |
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VERY FORTUNATE THAT YOU DID. WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES. I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS. WHY DON'T WE... |
| 00:51:06 |
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IS THERE ANY REQUIREMENT FOR PRESERVATION AND PUBLICATION OUR AVAILABILITY OF THE PAPERS OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT... |
| 00:51:10 |
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THE VICE-PRESIDENT THAT COULD BE IMPORTANT IN THIS OF MINISTERS AND? GOOD LUCK. THE PRESIDENTIAL... |
| 00:51:19 |
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GOOD LUCK. |
| 00:51:21 |
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THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT ACTUALLY DOES INCLUDE THE VICE-PRESIDENT IN ITS MANDATES. SO THERE. |
| 00:51:33 |
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SO THERE. IF IT'S JOE BIDEN NL OF SOME VERY LENGTHY DOCUMENTS, AND IF IT'S NOT THERE WON'T BE ANY... |
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IF IT'S JOE BIDEN NL OF SOME VERY LENGTHY DOCUMENTS, AND IF IT'S NOT THERE WON'T BE ANY AT ALL.... |
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OTHERS? YES? BUT, THE SCOPE OF THE WORK YOU DID, JUST THE SHEER RESEARCH OF IT. I IMAGINE YOU HAVE... |
| 00:51:58 |
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OTHERS? YES? BUT, THE SCOPE OF THE WORK YOU DID, JUST THE SHEER RESEARCH OF IT. I IMAGINE YOU HAVE... |
| 00:52:17 |
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GOING AS YOU GET STARTED RD YOU LET THE PAPERS GET YOU A LONG? THAT IS A TERRIFIC QUESTION. I DON'T,... |
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THAT IS A TERRIFIC QUESTION. I DON'T, IN FACT, HAVE TEAMS OF RESEARCHERS. A LOT OF HISTORIANS HAVE... |
| 00:52:45 |
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, YOUR OTHER QUESTION, I LEARNED WHEN I WAS WRITING THAT I COULD NOT REALLY STOP TO OUTLINE THE BOOK.... |
| 00:52:54 |
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I TRIED TO DO ALL THE RESEARCH. AS YOU GET INTO EACH CHAPTER YOU REALIZE YOU DIDN'T BOTHER LOOKING... |
| 00:53:15 |
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SENTENCE IS. THE LAST SENTENCE OF THE POWER |
| 00:53:20 |
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BROKER IS WHY WEREN'T THEY GREAT FALL? THAT'S SOMETHING I HEARD ROBERT MOSES SAYS. AND UP TO THAT POINT... |
| 00:53:47 |
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EXACTLY HOW I WAS GOING TO DO THE BOOK TO TRY TO SHOW WHY THESE PEOPLE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL |
| 00:53:56 |
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TO HIM AND WHY THERE WAS ANOTHER. [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] DIFFERENT BIOGRAPHERS WRITE AND RESEARCH IN... |
| 00:54:03 |
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DIFFERENT BIOGRAPHERS WRITE AND RESEARCH IN DIFFERENT WAYS. YOU KNOW, HE JUST SAID HE LIKES TO DO... |
| 00:54:53 |
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ANYONE ELSE? ACTUALLY I WOULD LIKE TO TELL A STORY MYSELF OR OFFERING DESCRIPTION OF BOB'S WORKING... |
| 00:55:36 |
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ANYONE ELSE? ACTUALLY I WOULD LIKE TO TELL A STORY MYSELF OR OFFERING DESCRIPTION OF BOB'S WORKING... |
| 00:56:10 |
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DEDICATION THAT IS[ |
| 00:56:34 |
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I HOPE THAT OUR NEXT PRESIDENT WHOEVER THAT MAY BE WILL BE AS FORTUNATE IN HAVING AS TALENTED AND... |
| 00:58:13 |
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JAMES ATLAS AS PRESIDENT AND |
NOTE: The transcript for this program was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.
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