You chose to be with us. I would like to acknowledge some very important people who are with us this evening. Matts parents, tim and debbie costello, and his wife. Sophia and theodore are at home. Wonderful kids. I would like to also welcome are members of the board of directors who are with us. Ann stock. [applause] and bob mcgee. [applause] and two are en route, Anita Mcbride and gail west. Both will be with us tonight. Steve strong is the national cochair of our white house, National Council on white house history. He and his wife andrea are here with us tonight. This is one of our most important groups here at the White House Historical association. Their support, their encouragement, their inspiration and their wisdom really puts the wind in the sales of so much of what we do. We are grateful to have you with us here tonight, steve. The program tonight, dr. Matt costello, is going to share with us about his brandnew book hot off the presses. This is the first time we are making it
The association. I would like to welcome our friends who are joining us by cspan and those who are here with us tonight who are the really smart people in washington because you have chosen to be here above the National Baseball game and above the televised president ial debate tonight so we think that weve got the best thing going and we are glad that you chose to be with us tonight. I would like to acknowledge some very important people. Who are with us this evening. Mats appearance, tim and Debbie Costello who are here with us tonight. And his wife christian, who is here. Tonight and of course in my book the two most important costellos or sofia and theodore and they are at home, i guess. They can come next time they are mad and christians wonderful little kids. Id also like to welcome the members of our board of directors who are with us tonight. We have and stop, lets give and a hand. applause and bob mcgee. applause and we have two that are in route Anita Mcbride and gayle west.
First president being sworn in at federal hall in new york city. That would have been in 1789, in april. How well where the duties and office that he was about to step into, how well where they defined at this moment when he was sworn in . They werent defined at all. There was a brandnew institution, certainly in america and really in the world, its a new experiment of an elected magistrate that would have at one point been the head of state, like a king, but also be the chief executioner of the laws, the chief executive in this case, the chief policy maker. And it wasnt exactly clear where the powers of the of the legislature and where thedefine. Powers of the president would be defined. And so washington really created that office. Reallmany of the precedents, mf the things that we come to think of as president ial really come downwn from his example in the office. He took the oath, what were his views at the time about expanding or restricting the power of the office that he was ste
Of the president would be defined. And so washington really created that office. Many of the precedents, many of the t down from his example in the office. April of 1789, age 57 when he took the oath, what were h cour representatives, people represent their districts. In the senate they represent the states. And so as president , he is the only elected officer that represents all the people. And s been purchased for some 10 million. I want to show viewers a bit of what it looks like and what president George Washington did to learn about the powers of the presidency. George washington is very, very exacting with his books. We see that he takes great care of them. He has them in beautiful glass fronted shelves in his personal library at mt. Vernon. Often putting a wonderful flourish of his grand signature in the upper righthand corner of the title page which he does with this volume. He also, especially on very important papers, puts a book plate. This is a book plate washington ordered
Of the president would be defined. And so washington really created that office. Many of the precedents, many of the t down from his example in the office. April of 1789, age 57 when he took the oath, what were h cour representatives, people represent their districts. In the senate they represent the states. And so as president , he is the only elected officer that represents all the people. And s been purchased for some 10 million. I want to show viewers a bit of what it looks like and what president George Washington did to learn about the powers of the presidency. George washington is very, very exacting with his books. We see that he takes great care of them. He has them in beautiful glass fronted shelves in his personal library at mt. Vernon. Often putting a wonderful flourish of his grand signature in the upper righthand corner of the title page which he does with this volume. He also, especially on very important papers, puts a book plate. This is a book plate washington ordered