Michael is a radio show host and author and film critic. He is the former chief film critic for the New York Post and cohost of pbs Weekly Program sneak previews. He has a Daily Radio Program which airs on over 300 stations across the country and reaches 5 million listeners. Is written 13 books including hollywood versus america and the ten big lives about america. Please join me in welcoming michael. [applause] thank you everybody for coming up. For sampling some of the joys of the christmas season. We can say christmas season, we can say Holiday Season if you prefer. But president elect trump says we can say Merry Christmas again. So Merry Christmas to everybody, happy hanukkah, that, they actually fall about the same time this year. In fact exactly the same time this year which is unusual. Before i begin i want to introduce this book. My wonderful wife were coming up to her 32nd, she doesnt recognize it that shes 32. But of like to say thank you to my wife doctor diane medved. Dance new book is coming out in march from and it is called dont divorce its not addressed to anyone in particular but its addressed to everyone in general. Its a terrific book. I cant wait to be sitting in the audience for her presentations about that book. I also cant wait for your questions. I think thats particularly because were fortunate to have cspan with us tonight. That will be important and dramatic. I look forward to it. But i want to begin by anticipating three questions that are inevitable. Theyre going to come up anyway so lets deal with them now. Question number one, which i will get to at the end. Question number one is pardon the expression, the elephant in the room. Its the obvious question is something i wasnt expecting to have to deal with when i said ill try this book. The question is, you argue in the american miracle Divine Providence in the lives of the republic, you argue that there is special protection, special blessing for the United States of america. And yes, i do. I have radically agree with the iron chancellor, the guy who really welded together the modern german state. In 1898 chancellor bismarck said, god gives special protection to imbeciles, drunkards, lost dogs, the United States of america. He recognized it, generations of scholars have recognized it, but how can we recognize that special protection in a season when we have just experienced a president ial election with the two least popular candidates ever. Ever. I mean the disApproval Ratings for secretary clinton and for president elect trump were skyhigh. There is no doubt president elect trump has momentum and theres much greater momentum. But but he just won an election, right. His Approval Rating just skyrocketed all the way to 50 . Now its much better, it was in the 20s at one point. But still, if god protects america, if the will of history protects this country how did we end up with this particular election where virtually everyone i know, whichever side you ended up on was egg and i still about the decision of the process. Question number two is more straightforward. That is, how is is it that you ended up writing this particular book . What was it about the topic that got you to do this book . We will get to that. The third question is, lets say there is a skeptic out there and there are probably skeptics here tonight who say, okay this is just coincidence. The stuff you read about in the american miracle since a miraculous. Its just a bunch of random circumstance that fits together. In fact, the, the very first week we been very fortunate. We got into official bestseller territory at amazon today. The reviews on amazon have been basically all fivestar reviews, the first hostile review appeared today. The guy made precisely that point. He said i disagree with the author because what he is talking about is easily explained. You dont dont have to use any kind of supernatural its just fortunate and it happens. By the way, the more sympathetic party brought back in response and said people go back and forth like that on amazon said you obviously do not read the book, which he didnt because he anticipates that argument. But the truth is he acknowledged in the response that no, he only read the sample chapter that you can get on the website. So hes gonna try to take on the book without even buying it. Thats a terrible thing. In any event, we will get to that third question as well. The me take the middle question first. It really shouldve been the first one in order. I wanted to get the first one out there and then come around at the close the circle. The first question wasnt about this book about this topic and line of argument that was so compelling to me. It has to do with family history. I did this book in part and memory to my late father. My father was american miracle. My grandpa came to this country in 1910. He never went to school. I when i say say never went to school, he never went to school. Lincoln went to school a total of six months. And he ended up being the best prose stylist in english history. My father spoke year, he was from ukraine. He lived in a tiny town he was from melnyk. I know it all sounds like youre clearing your throat. Its one of the great things about ukrainian names. My grandfather comes to philadelphia in 1910. He has a plan. His plan is basically he is going to work long enough and earn enough money to send money home so his wife, my grandmother and her six children can make it across the ocean and join in philadelphia. That takes a lot of work and saving when youre working to be able to do that. And i grew up with this. And then have the opportunity to check it and it really is true, you can check the shipping records and all that. My grandmother was six children and her father started out and started riding the train through ukraine into the border with what was then germany and they arrived at the beginning of august and 1914. War had just broken out, world war i and they werent allowed to cross the border because they were enemy aliens. The bloodiest chunk of that war was between russia, germany and austria. So they ride the train back and during the course of the war the Russian Revolution three years later and then the russian civil war which lasted six more years, the russian civil war did not end until 1923. They are struggling for our way, separated from my grandfather and five of my fathers sisters, they were all girls, died. There is one survivor, my uncle. Finally in 1924 they got out. They came to america, my uncle was 20 my grandmother was in her late 40s. And my grandfather just turned 50. They came to philadelphia, they reunited and it was tearful and can you imagine separated for ten years, having lost five children and then the tragedy that my grandmother got sick when she came here. She was terribly worried because they had no money, they cannot pay for doctors and she could not keep down her food. She was convinced there was a tumor in her digestive track because she cannot eat and cannot keep food down and she felt this thing growing. She went to see a physician, a dr. , my uncle isaac. And he examined her she was tearful, my grandmother who i knew was a tearful person. She could as they say she could cry on a good piece of chicken. She like to cry. She had light blue eyes. So uncle isaac examines her. They sit down and shes crying and she says to me to tell you what it is and she cries and says yes its a tumor is that it and he says its not a tumor its a baby. And then she says its not possible, cant be a baby. Ive been away from my husband, im away from my husband im not in the way of women. The dr. , uncle isaac smiles and says look, your name is sarah is in it . And it was, and the baby was my father. The american miracle, his nickname in south philadelphia really, and i knew i knew people who still refer to my dad this way was tomorrow which will tumor. Because this would neighborhood lore everyone knew that she had a tuber and it turned into my dad. My dad growing up in south philly with people who had never been to school was kind of a star in school. He won the mayors scholarship in philadelphia and then he fought through the navy in the war i got out of the war went to the university of pennsylvania in undergraduate and two masters degree at a phd in physics and he had an amazing life. And the one thing that he never shied away from was a sense of wonder and blessing and destiny. About his parents coming to this country. The First American born child and he was conceived right after my grandmother came to the United States of america. This land of new life, this land of fresh starts, this amazing blast, spectacular land. My dad was 22 when i was born. And he is to take me around in philadelphia to Historic Sites to Independence Hall were both the constitution and i write a great deal about the Constitutional Convention of the miracle about the convention in the book. And he infused me the idea that this is amazing stuff. He took me out to valley forge. My dad used to do word pictures and say this is where George Washington was on his big horse and i was four years old. If he had that sense you love history it isnt just a bunch of accusations in his days series of miracles that is the impulse of lead me to write this book. I always try to pass on to our own three children that i try to communicate in the radio show the history with faulkner is great quotation is passed is not dead it is not even passed. That is exactly the point. We need to live with a sense of gratitude for the amazing existence of this country and survival of this country the other question about cutting guide who protects the United States allowed a choice between trump and clinton . We will get to that but then the yen their question is how do you argue one that this is not just coincidence . And what is fascinating to me the fellow who did the negative review them actually to me is the bizarre and strange story that many of you know that one day one remarkable 24 hour day coming it is the of 50th anniversary of the signing of the declaration of independence and people being biblically e literate at that time and were religious someone form time or another. The biblical jubilee. In the bible every six years you have the jubilee and you were to proclaim liberty throughout the weekend and that this ascribe of the of liberty bell. With this grand jubilee year that the population has grown god for muskrat a straggling group of colonies basically into economic and military powerhouse in very short order. Where celebrating because john adams was 90 years old and alive and well his son philip said the white house says president John Quincy Adams amazing. So Thomas Jefferson he recognized jefferson was the of best writer of those who did fix their name only three were still living typically the Life Expectancy was more than 20 years last and people thought we were incredibly fortunate. For but reportedly the last words word jefferson survives. But he didnt. He died in six hours earlier. The only president s to die on the same day. To say november 22nd, 1963 huxley dies and jfk dies. So what . By the way trump that. Then c. S. Lewis died. That this is like a joke but they have nothing in common. Jefferson and adams have everything in common november 22nd, 1963 was the other day until the death of john kennedy. That was a special day even before the two giants died on did. So the odds of this happening you have about the same mods of this happening on the 50th anniversary july 4th and the president s to die on the same day in the other two by the way the only another one president to die in july july 4th was james monroe a founding father five years later. It is about the same laws as drawing a royal flush 45 times in a row. It is not normal. And that story and one other story that has to convince you something is going on. Abraham lincoln is such a familiar figure we feel that we know him are what he looks like but we really lose the sense unless you go back just how weirton everything about him is. It is incredibly weird and illogical he ever became president and not just because steve grew up for in did not own shoes or a formal education un to school a total of six months he did not come with a distinguished background. He came from the most disadvantaged imaginable background and was not a successful politician he was not reality tv star or former senator he ran for senate three times and lost everytime. He only one major race in the selected a single term then he went to congress to oppose the mexican war destroyed his popularity and so goes his National Political career. The fact he was nominated is a miracle the fact teeone is the mayor called even more them at and the journey that he took from a religious skeptic is a predestined land of promise not the Promised Land but a land of promise that main lincoln simply amazing. But one of the three stories that i highlight in the book involves the emancipation proclamation. In the summer of 1862 no speechwriter or president ial assistant he reads into his cabin and and his principal advisor to was not the exxon will executive. [laughter] a u. S. Senator and former governor of new york fairly remarkable in his own right said mr. President buchanan issue this proclamation now we have lost battle after battle after battle of the second bull run the campaign in the battle of pole run they were beaten every turn by the confederates in the southerners few cannot issued a proclamation. And he agreed. How high he told him to put in his drawer to wait for a sign. From god or quoted from providence are. The sign came in the unlikely way robert e. Lee is invading the north marching at the head of the triumphant army of Northern Virginia the most formidable man fighting force ever there were motivated loral was high victory after victory now they are invading the north with of confederacy the union army all of a sudden he brings back general mcclellan some truly say he is a legend in his own mind. [laughter] and you can read the of letters and he rode at the time with the sauce and gramm tranten zone importance and referred to lincoln and letters to his wife is the original guerrilla highly educated and polished he was the back woods where he brought him back after firing him to leave the army to stop the invasion of the north britain is on the verge of recognizing the confederacy the first new member of the family of nations based upon the principle of chattels labor. Fortyfifth indiana volunteers are marching all might for the confederate invasion theorized in maryland they lie down in the grassy open field and a 42 yearold corporal named michel weights waits while his buddy is brewing coffee on the campfire berger one of the few pleasures than there is another. Just as he lies down to stretch out it touches three cigars better not smoked. Look pretty good he starts to ask for a light and his buddy says wait what were they wrapped in a grex covered with dense handwriting the summit top general order 181. This looks serious it was signed by general chilton chief of staff robert e. Lee. Did take it to the captain knew takes it to the major they go on and on because this could be important this was considered a tragedy. He has good sense to interrupt the council to say it must be a fraud theyre trying to set a trap because this cannot really be the information the layout of all the troops and all the plans that all of a sudden he says this was written by chilton. Somebody says i know him from the regular army. Theres a guy named sam who was on mcclellans staff who says he was stationed in detroit working at a bank in each right michigan he looks at the handwriting in says i am sure that is authentic. If i dont beat him and his time to go home. The invasion of the north is stopped that is the sign then tells the cabinet and to cabinet members writing down i ever received the signed i am waiting for and now issues the emancipation proclamation. There is not the possibility of speeding that this is random chance. This same week the United States of america which we did only because there was a clerk in the state department who would risk arrest he sign those papers anyway let at that very moment you can say it is the pattern of happy accidents it is still a pattern. That is what emerges with tremendous clarity in the american story. And that brings me to the final question. What do you say about clinton and trump . What i say is there anyone in america did that is that the campaign is over . Really . Really . [laughter] that was seriously depressing but have you noticed yes i do give some credit to mr. Trump, the mood is better. Is better now. During the campaign it was so dark and the divisions were so horrible. Guess things are happening that our strange. I think rex tiller seven estrange i am sure that will work out for the best i hope and meeting with connie west kanye west unfortunately dont have secretary of music position i am not sure what that was for laugh laugh but the mood is better in here is one of those things that i learned and righty the american miracle the profound truth that was revered even those that rejected it in the book of exodus 33, moses wants to seek gods face. He wants to seek gods glory per godeys said shelby your glory and he said no man may look upon it and live in. I will show you my back. But the traditional understanding of the jewish tradition of that very strange passage is that it is possible to see history after it happens and understand it. In norway that it is impossible to understand as it is happening. I cannot resist. And then to say it is the job of displacement to listen for gods footsteps then to grab onto the coattails and hang on. That is our job. There may be reasons why this Difficult Campaign and his election rally could contribute to good things in america. The market is not everything but another great day today and things are going better than people expected. And here is the one thing if anyone can identify other than he believes in himself himself, that this is not an ideologue and he really does seem in his own imperfect way he seems to be trying to be president of all the people so the of possibility even with this Difficult Campaign working out for americas benefit in one of the things that it seems to be on is that so much of it was petty and small talking about email servers and Trump University and this scandal or that scandal right now would is refreshing because now talking about changes in policies and issues and i am hoping the new year and the inauguration of a new administration can bring the best things to the United States of america. That is a losing bet for all of of patriotic songs look at the second or third or fourth verses theyll mention this is a godly and we are so fortunate. With that pattern of happy accidents you are left with only one other idea uh that america got to be the dominant power from us during of random settlements that we got to be the dominant power in the world because we were exploited and reword dominant we were so horrible. And far more bloody they did not succeed. We did. With protection and the understanding but may we continue to cherish sanders. Thank you very much. [applause] now for some questions. So the election was Divine Providence . It is hard to say. So a must be defined providence . Not necessarily. Why did he allow the Great Depression your september 11 or john kennedy assassination . When he was most needed by the way that is the last big question is called the messenger and his message. So i will say this setup believe everything that happens in america is providential but many of the big things are the same way we can ask the question of the second inaugural why would he favor this nation allow the mighty surge of four . And what he puts forward is that as punishment for slavery and the price that needed to be paid. Whether he turns out to be a punishment or a deliverance for the country in a challenging time one thing that i resist is i think it is folly for people to say they are dark days for america. This is not a terrible time also people say barack obama is the worst president he was not a successful president i did not vote for him it is not my idea of what president should be or should do but the country is okay. With get the way that we live in indication providences there so i hope i hope we can look back to say theres something providential but i might be inclined because it was so expected did you think he would win . No . Me either. [laughter] in i still cannot believe he is president. Who knows what god has in mind there have been more unlikely things that this could be an amazingly beneficial time we went through eight years in which people left and i get everything that they wanted in terms of financial reform with dodd frank with the lilly lead better act now we can see some things with the Republican Senate plan migrated meyer and supporter of speaker ryan. We may not see but radical reform but things moving in a more conservative direction and that is the balance that has always helped america. And the local mosque before the country . A cleaning out quick. Anybody hesitating about getting your colonoscopy colonoscopy, you should do it for. [laughter] but i do like that analogy because they are necessary. Other questions . Those who have listened to your program know the and have a brother as a journalist. Is he still practicing greg xx is still practicing judy is some judy is down but he is primarily a business man he makes an honest living. But my brother i am very proud of him he is my kid brother probably the leading venture capitalist in israel a very big part of the hightech boom which has been a miracle. There is us saying that is attributed to the modern founding Prime Minister of israel who said we dont believe in miracles we have relied on them. [laughter] and there are aspects to that if you look at what is not believable, there is a wonderful poem by longfellow called the Jewish Cemetery from Newport Rhode island continuous jewish congregation in the United States. Longfellow says how strange it seems to these hebers in this town silent beside the wave seven and never silent but the point of the poem theyre interesting to bad they will never have another nation and again he was sympathetic to the dream that inspired American Christian science in the 1840s it is an amazing story but now he is the grandfather sixers seven grandchildren. And is doing very well with the beautiful wife and israel. But in terms of gods will in history the fulfillment of biblical prophecy in israel is very much a part of the story. But that is what i was going to save you just said the fact that our country is recognized for immigration but look where it came from. Is typically based you could argue it is gods payback and raising the issue of of your brother have you had conversations with him about the mr. Trump situation . I will get israel as the other outpost that is so much like us in the league lead in the region. What do they think about what is going on quite. First of all, i will the emphatically agreed similarities between United States and israel are profound really to countries not based on blood. But good ideas and i say that because this jewish people from all over the world. But judiasm people dont realize obviously had a long history of conversion it is not just yes you are automatically jewish but in the United States won not attend American Jews are by choice not necessarily born that way. Israel was based on a series of good ideas in america was also. America added not just devolve randomly was based on intelligent design. My brother is a businessman. He will be working with the trump administration. I would say i think it is safe to say my brother shares my a skepticism of mr. Trump during the campaign but has been encouraged by what he has said and done since he has been elected. In terms of the relationship between the United States and israel, that things should be even closer. By the way my new book that i am supposed to be writing right now is set of talking to you is called this favored land and it is more american miracles and the story of providential protection from 1860s five through the present day and by the way i mentioned that that a part of what many people agree number of scholars have made the point that america has benefited from something that is promised in genesis 12. Not to be to biblical but abraham is told those who bless you will be blessed those to occur she will be cursed no country in the hearst history in the world has blessed the jewish people the way the United States of america as. Anybody knows jewish history has to be conscious of. The connection between the blessing and the blessings we receive as americans a lot of christian believers in jewish believers really hold that that connection is real. Which concepts and ideas from your message of the american role would you look most like to share with the Highschool Students quick. That is a great question. That the proper response is not guilty but gratitude american exceptional with some as not been perfectionism. The idea we have spent specially protected doesnt mean we always deserve that. There are times we have not. But one of the problems of oil you get with Education Today particularly with history is a long litany of complaints about america the native americans that lived here in perfect harmony with nature that is not true and it was peace in the white man came everything was spoiled and exploited and miserable. Kit is wrong but also on the other side to say the very moment that the people first came to jamestown their righteous and good and was in harmony. Is history but the important point that i would share with the Highschool Students is history is more exciting and meaningful and true when you focus on the heroic and the things that truly are amazing in terms of giving us a good life that we should appreciate. And the adm of the study of history should lead people not to special burden of guilt by the special sense of responsibility. And the special sense of the capacity for americans to leave amazing lives. America has always been the land of new life that is why they left to move that is why the pilgrims came. By the way this in itself is important for thanksgiving. I really do care very much that people get this right the pilgrims did not come here to flee religious persecution that is nonsense where did they come here from . Ireland the most religiously tolerant country in the world there was no religious persecution from holland they came here seeking righteousness and a perfectible society not freedom from persecution. The idea that there has done a general or plea will celebrate jiri 15 here to save the ark of the universe the moral arc of history to teach that to the kids of what we really need to do reasons to feel grateful not to feel guilty is the primary message. I have a twopart question. One of the clear signs of god touching america is the history of George Washington as a am Lieutenant Colonel with the writing to campaign what do think is the most attack killer side of washington he may not have an answer for the second part but is a similar in the life of general mattis . Laugh laugh. The second part first, i dont know general mattis personal history per or no he is from washington for copious from as one of our on. And by the way you notice i am wearing my purple tie with the help coming confrontation with alabama the crimson tide sounds like what washes up on shore. [laughter] i would not presume to speak about him but when you read stories about this guy and i spoke to people who have served with him, a remarkable man and a remarkable choice for People Better deeply skeptical about mr. Trump that is very reassuring the Defense Department is arguably the most part when negative important appointment he will make that is one that is universally praised i think is very encouraging. George washington. And not know if you read this section of my book yet to. I had the entire story called the indian prophecy this story is unbelievable because it is very complicated the source is a lifelong friend of washington and who was an eyewitness to the story that apparently washington went out before the revolution about eight years after the battle one of the worst days in the history of the british army where basically they marched into a trap along the road they were trying to build pulling heavy equipment and the woods were filled with french sharpshooters in the native American Allies who were native canadians. And they shot at the british there were 70 officers on horseback and militia officers 69 were killed thursday areas they wanted. Only one of them was not harmed his name was washington as a Lieutenant Colonel. And he was a big juicy target. At the time the typical meriden he stood out to mounds shot out from under him and to survive after your horses shot and falls and you fall and the chance to break a leg he survives he showed his close after the battle there were full four bullet holes in his clothing and that was shot off of his head and it is so striking at the time that a famous pastor at the end of 1755 long before the revolution berger washington is 23 the future president of Princeton University delivered a sermon and said that surely providence has protected that like deficit youth colonel washington to sustain him forcing Dealers Service to his people. This is pretty striking. And the chapter brought George Washington is entitled indestructible and indispensable. He was and you can see the entire history of the of the world being changed but washington before this battle was coming back after having delivered an ultimatum and he has all of these adventures that i described from his companions and at 1. They were thrown into the i. C. E. And he survives and it is their river in western pennsylvania and is cold and they survive. And at one point and indian came out of the woods and offered to help them and guide them and saw that washingtons companion was carrying a heavy musket and he said i would be glad to carrier musket tend to get and then immediately took aim at washington and fired at them from route 10 feet away. He was close. And at this moment there somebody was making a movie about this you would see the bullet in slowmotion as the entire history of the world depends upon this bullet missing the target and it did. During the revolution it was wellknown that washington could not be shot. He rose above the din his troops they were shooting at him Patrick Ferguson the most famous marksman of the british army had a chance to get him from a nest the sweepers but for inexplicable reasons said it fell distasteful to him and did not want to do it. So the indian prophecy. Sharing an account with the closest thing to the descendant of washington had his name was costas and washington never had children. Is an estranged father of our country . Their reason why people believe and i believe i am just as much a defendant of George Washington as anybody because he never had children of his own he had stepped children and grandchildren because of martha but one of his step grandchildren wrote a play with the indian prophecy that washington was with his friend dr. Craig for exhibition in the woods in indian comes out and says he came here he wanted to meet the great chief. The tall one and tells the story from the indian point of view that is in the book as transcribed. About the indians concluding they are useless against this one of the great day of the battle they were powerless against George Washington it struck us at the time he died at the very end this time of year a few adjust to weeks before the end of the century. 1799 in december. Thanks for your lifetime of scholarship and patriotism you have given some layers of enlightenment with rolled and persia and rolm . Something as big as rolm and the empire, you could say theres something bigger involved and i was very influenced the citizen nerd stuff but i was 69 discovered my Favorite Book of all time was and still is there is no better novel land war and peace. Talk about the will of history which is you can say this is a random accident that napoleon will go up one day to invade russia okay. In some russian peasant wakes up it does not matter what you are talking about is millions of people to make these individual decisions around something very big we talk about big stuff and if you believe god did not just make the watch then set the watch or is directly involved that says something for the will of god or history but clearly that time table has been high and. The roman empire was so cool in so many ways cruel and you could say that corruption became worse after the Roman Republic but the other aspect is they were pagans so they did not believe in one controlling force in the universe which seems to me one of the big differences between our point of view in the United States and the point of view of ancient civilization with the syrians and the romans and the greeks that there was one script, one plan and one guiding hand. It was not foreign to our leaders and that is striking that i think you will see from this book that even the Founding Fathers the Great American leaders who we dont associate to be conventionally christian or religious at all believe in god was guiding the United States. Jefferson knew that. People one of the chapters is called providential purpose. How was it napoleon by apart one of the biggest appetites for gobbling up plant in Human History all the session gives away a huge tract of land that is the size of 15 states for the price of a song we did not even ask for it. He says to one new orleans . The whole kit and caboodle bill Louisiana Purchase about 1 penny in baker. Horatio gates said there is an error of contentment to which and Alexander Hamilton he was not religious and civil unquestionably this is providence the same that guided us so firmly during the revolution that made this possible and that seems to me to be the big difference that you dont see that with one but the great vision or the odyssey or the iliad not the idea of one god to with is the god of all. I think it is also providential that america had the founding geniuses like hamilton and others to four related almost the perfect constitution but it works better than any other. So i have an acquaintance who is a middle School Teacher who made a comment after the election that they kicked out of the elites the people who stayed awake in civics class and i resented that a little bit. So there was a dinner conversation debate to tell him about this and said i think the rest felt the machinists and the truck driver have a better in 0. 8 of how Government Works with civics them perhaps the middle School Teacher. So of course, one just said no they were just onthejob but i will still stick by my side because with people like you teaching civics i think part of the reason trump plan one providential or not the people have a sense the government had gotten out of control, the president was using to govern not using the legislature and the irs is out of control so i think the common man did have an understanding someone european of that argument. You are probably glad knowing that privilege zero little bit before we lost him and in jubilee a great man made a wonderful comment he said that would much rather be governed by the first 2000 names in the boston Telephone Directory chosen memorandum and the 2000 members of the or for faculty. [laughter] he conceded that because he is from yale. [laughter] but there is some truth than that and that is basically by the way not the fundamental truth recognizable to madison art adams washington because it was limited at that time. At the time of the constitution there were six states that had religious test for voting catholics were not allowed to vote little loaded to worthy ebs delete a protestant christians this was before they federalized the First Amendment with the 14th amendment so there was a different point of view for a great thing, what you said is profound. I think you are right berger everybody talked about the appetite for change. I think people voted before trump because they were frustrated and bored and they retired of hearing the same complaints in the same direction. Basically not down all the chess pieces and start over. And i think with his selections to the cabinet so far by and large is trying to give people what they want but the sense of inevitability and predictability is hard but the fact is one reason i believe the mood is better is paying attention they are interested. But to usher in a maneuver h. A think america was great before but it is possible we will be greater and there is a sense industry thinning tenace strengthening we aeronaut following the inevitable decline. I do think that is dissipating for you can feel that yes their people on the center or the left or their right that are worried but basically they think the country is better than that and they do tend to disagree this is not a country that will rise or fall on the strength of one leader and what we are seeing a reinvigoration of american politics some of those demonstrators at trump tower they did not vote for [laughter] or wisconsin or michigan with margins. Is speaking about the founders if you think about it we live in the very big country