Anytime at cspan. Org history. Healthy democracy does not just look like this. It looks like this. Americans can see democracy at work. Citizens are truly over public thrives. Get informed straight from the source on cspan, unfiltered, unbiased, word for word. From the nations capitol to wherever you are you get the opinion that matters the most is your own. This is what democracy looks like. Cspan powered byhe cable. Hello welcome to another episode of white house history live. Is im a Senior Vice President the White House Historical association. The director of the center for white house history. The White House Historical association is a nonprofit Nonpartisan Organization with a mission to educate americans about the rich and diverse history of the white house and the people who live and work there. Our guest this evening is michael cut mike is a retired rear admiral from the navies Civil Engineer corps. He served in a variety of assignments around thehe world d his 29 year military career including commander of camp david. After military retirement in 2010 mike has worked in private industry is now the chief executive officer of the building Information SystemsTechnology Company headquartered in its home town of historic pennsylvania. In october 2017 he published his first book inside camp david the private world of the president ial retreat. Mike traveled often speaking about the book and has been covered by the wall street journal, the today show the smithsonian, npr, cspan many other print radio and television outlets. After our conversation mike will be taking questions from our live audienceue please pay your questions for mike in the chat we will get to as many as possiblean at the end of our program. Welcome to white house history live, mike cooks thank you calling wonderful to be here. Asas most would say its a great honor and privilege to serve our navy and nation. And i appreciate that. Notes are from the beginning youre sort of camp david . Tell us how you were selected as commander of camp david but that process was light . We note as camp david it is that navy command that navies operated and maintained it. He started in 1942 by president roosevelt. Because its principally self maintained 40 are greats, Civil Engineer officers always the Commanding Officer in history. In 1998 i was put on a short list of possible officers to be considered, went to the white house. An executive director of the White House Military Office mrse staff aboutab a week later got e call. Amazing. We talked about your own personal history with camp david. I knew what it was. And interestingly i left to visit that day talking about the next assignment im a man left a really difficult place to work. It will bee weird to work there sunday, put it away and went on for the next fewew tours low and behold in 1998 i was shortlisted to beed interviewed, selected ad reported and in june of 1999. In the end of president clintons second term. A long way there . Just over two years the last year end have president clinton with george w. Bush. Very fortunate timing to two president s and support the family, the administration, that was a world event that occurred there but gain is insights of two different ways of leading our nation. Let us talk a little bit about the history of camp david. They history begins with franklin roosevelt. Tell us why did fdr select the site . What did he like to do when he visited, it was not called camp david at that point in time but all you talk about that. Very good, very good grade thank you. Lets go back to 1942 roosevelt love going out because of the three president ial yachts during his time the photo on the right is it oakland, california today he loves going out on the potomac to secure his hobbies, his interest or talk to World Leaders. But 41, 42 with the eastern coast of the United States. And said sir we cannot got on the yacht anymore. Well find a place you can go to get away from the white house. Of course this is before the Helicopter Squadron existed with got to find someplace to drivabled nearby. Interesting because of the new deal to bring us out of depression put money back into the country and build a lot of the roads and parks. It was a place in claremont, american called the demonstration area also known as camp number three. Roosevelt was given three sites nearby to visit. He went to all three. When he came to camp number three he looked at it and said this is it. And heres the first name this is my shangrila. The roosevelt named shangrila take off on novel lost horizon. At utopian mysterious place in the mountains. He had that whimsical nature apparently. So that was his name. As you have president eisenhower renamed afters grandson camp david. That is how we know it today. Xq describe camp david for a lot of our viewers and listeners whe im sure have never visited camp david in person. And probably will not visit camp david. Can you paint a picture of what the campus light . Sure i will try. And that tonight hilltop parkt is a National Park. It is maintained by the National Park service, great partners ours but 1800 elevation in the spring and summer months. A very lush canopy perfectly manicured yards. A narrow asphaltar road. And the cabins you see here. And all of the cabins have a rough cut oak like sided with the certain shade of green paint. They are cedar shake shingles. This very rustic very fresh. But at night i find it particularly surreal and ominous no life except pathway, no noise except for squirrel in the tree. No lights no noises from below just eerily quiet. That adds to the mystique. This is the cabinet my family and i lived in where the only family to live inside the camp. This is called cedar. How many cabins are in camp david . How big is the site . There are 12 for guest cabin saved after trees present eisenhower found that habit again. When renamed camp david named all of the trees thats the home of the treat in his eyes in her home state 12 for entertainment and about 20 total includes the Fire Department ash. Eucalyptus the popular, all the support facilities the barracks for single sailors and marines et cetera. Lets talk a little bit about camp david. You were the commander. Whats the site of the military staff at camp david . What kind of jobs do they perform . Over 200 sailors and marines. Sigh five civil officers have one chaplin, an officer one supply court to marine officers overseeing Security Company which comes out of washington d. C. All totally but the sailors together is just over 200 staff. We have the White House Communications desk of their its in charge of communications with joint command coming out of the main command in downtown. He tell us a little bit how camp david has changed over the years . It was very rustic when fdr first came to camp david. They have been some notable additions to the complex you mentioned is a n champlin so the is a chapel at camp david. Can you talk a little about the buildings and activities on how that complexes change over time . Are subject fdr to print why the navy has it. Took them with him to camp david. Went there during the non winter months. Treatment notin of a fan of camp david but a perimeter around the place. I had the trees pushed back from a. During eisenhowers time it was winterized. Very rustic and still maintain that. Over the years the use of Family Administration cabin have been added. Expanding putting in the hourglass shape. Was domain entertaining maintained since them its been modernized at times is a challenge the president to modernize the cabins whats going on in the past for five years now. Very sequential smart way. That rustic nature on the outside. It is not a marble and brass for start resort. Not that and its not meant to be. The rustic comfortable place to get away. A place to walk your privacy and recreate on your own or meet with other World Leaders assembly pictures depict. The most unique thing but through private money gifted to the president of the United States to camp david in michigan 1994 through eight chevy bush. Had two president s get to camp david . You talk but fdr within driving distance. President s do not historically drive to camp david a more davie correct . Its not ideally we prefer to bring a man by the marine Helicopter Squadron. Weather permitting they will fly in on hmx one or the white house calls it marine one if implement whether theyll come by motorcade from wherever their departure point is. Camp david as a president ial retreat. Yet we know president s often find themselves working at camp david. Tell us a little bit how it functions as a white house and the maryland mountains . Thank you. I think most people recognize no matter who the president you are always on. There can be a lot of critiques with about what you doing or off duty or how you do your job. But the fact is you are always on duty as president. And you need time off. We all need time off. In addition to a second home some president s have sub do not. Camp david provides the peaceful getaway for family, friends, and if needed for staff and for World Leaders. Find it a great balance of history that president s go there to get away. But most the time with the couples getaway to recreate. Every uses that a little different. To me, as an outsider she is as a personal respite when you find its a great place to bring World Leaders to talk privately. There is no press unless you invite the press in. There is no press there are no lights no protesters no planes flying overhead. Serenely quiet and peaceful is what you want. How people get around camp david . Are there golf carts, bikes, how do people get around . Its golf carts everyone is assigned a golf cart. Both part one. We have to have our nomenclature as well. We give out through the wood. Snowmobiling is the president president ford and his family. Principally golf carts reminder to everyone we are going to be taking questions at the end of our conversation. Your question about camp david, taster, what its like please put in the chat will get as many as possible. Lets talk about the history of camp david and Historic Events taking place with cap david. You talk about setting of these historic occurrences. I will mention four events and then ill focus on the fifth one in particular. We see photos of fdr running Winston Churchill to the mountains and go fishing in the nearby stream. Smoking cigars and probably having a bourbon or true. But the pointed at moments he bottom left of them talking how the u. S. For thats roosevelt and the top left inside aspen that stone hearth fireplace is still there. Theres a wagon wheel chandelier you cannot see that is still there. President truman only went 10 times in his tenure. President s come there, president carter made famous for most people 1978 with egypt of israel. During my time 2000 middle east peace summit and the Prime Minister of israel to try to replicate a similar thing break 2012 president obama hosted conference that camp david. Single time the most World Leaders have been campaigning. April 1961. President kennedy inaugurated in january, succeeding president t eisenhower. Bay of pigs is being planned behind the scenes the cia and u. S. Government and others passed off to thehe administration. See the photo on the top right became a pulitzer prizewinning photo called three steps. What is interesting about this i think from a human and political point is that president kennedy inherited the operation. It was launched, it did not go well. The political personal aisle Vice President eisenhower to come to camp david t. And help him understand how to get through this. How do i fix fix mask . What do i do . Its a poignant significant moment you have the new upstart democrat invited the old guard retired fivestar general. To talk aboutdo what to do. Its a great humble possibly desperate measure very humble way to recognize leadership and recognize what a president typically passes on between administrations and talk about what would be best for the country. Maybe you mentioned this already, it might come some president s and first families visit camp david more frequently than others. Can you talk about the differences how president s and first families use camp david and explain why think that is . A one, i think it depends on children but one of the ages of the president s children . I think that dictates are they going to lead the intramural leagues some have second homes some can do both. Three,e, as some like the quiet nature. Some like president clinton really went to camp david his first term. Some prefer to go somewhere else you see over 80s some years continue to share this one or two of your favorite memoriest from your time at camp david . Are still historic moments most people recognize but the middle east peace summit is work with the state department to welcome president clinton and having a photo shaking his hand. Watching from the sidelines as he spent almost two weeks trying to forge a middle east peace agreement. Watching president bush early in his presidency welcome on a weekend obvious to couples getting to know each other. Much like you do with your neighbors. Its a very poignant thing to watch from the sideline. Even we get to serve there and see things, you have to remember you are in their world for this brief time. You can know personal things about some of the families but you are not of their world. You have to understand to maintain that decorum, that humility. I will tilt two stories that are more personal in nature. I think it helps relate to families and parents the first one is the final cleansing weekend. Four days nonstop hundreds of guests coming through. Dinners, couple musicians performing in the chapel. A wonderful event. And as im walking to the helicopter at 10 00 p. M. That night the snow on thely ground thanking him for leading our country in walking down for my lastnt time to see the 20yeard student turns an enhancement to stuffed animals she says commander, ive had my these in my bedroom in eight years and aspen priest can them to your daughters and think your wife michelle for anything you have done. Just a touching unexpected moment of course. Great keepsakes now for the two girls. That is the first one. And then heres the scene the final time in 2001. The second lies a humorous story about a goldfish. Thats a position youre in as the commander of the camp for the factor responsible for security. Your the chemicals inside the gate. You run errands and official things are in the first week michelle and taken the girls down to the city fair. A common thing to do here at camp david ine the summer. Shes coming back to the gate with the two girls in the backseat that each one als goldfish or there is a goldfish in a plastic bag each were holding strict policy of a the p no animals at camp david, no pets. The marine corps guard who knows us we know all the names they know us, everyone is doing their job. He says you cannot bring pets into theou camp. She looks at him with an incredulous look the girls are hearing this and this tears start to come down ive. She is looking at them they are looking at her she is looking back at him, he is doing his job, mom is doing her job, michelle and into the window and says they are for dinner. And kind of winks. Yes, maam, please proceed. Those little funny at moments like that you realize there are still people l there. We all live with rules and regulations. Sometimes you see the human side. That is our favorite store because moms and dads and thats what sometimes feels like, thank you. The final chapter in your book is called the true meaning of camp david. Can you tell us what is the true meaning . Is it different for every president first family who spends time there . Simply different how you describe. The bushes had bumped toward efpresident bush but he loved going to camp david like his dad. They spent every christmas there. For some at the time for family to have discovered special holidays for during my time the clintons love camp david for thanksgiving. Again, every president does it differently but president Reagan Nancy Reagan loved going there. I did all of his radio addresses on saturday they all do it differently. The meeting comes from. But has a theme of a camp david it was about a place where they could come t together and trust within nature no press unless you wanted it there. The ability to sit down as people, break bread, share a story. Get to know each other. To me thats a true many of camp david the place for the president to get away and relax as best they can. I place to entertain family and guests of World Leaders. Probably one of the most unique places in the world. All within regional distance of the whitetee house. We have some really Great Questions from our live audience. Nancy from facebook asks, i know president reagan and nancy reagan rode horses while they were at camp david. Is there a stable there . What other activities were available besides swimming . The only time we had a stable there or a corral where the kennedy years of the pony the pi was cap there for the children of the kennedys. Otherwise horseback i had one incident where president clinton and chelsea want to go horseback ride that National Park service and d. C. Brought the horses out. We as the back gate to the wilderness with secret service the nearby woods. Horseback riding is possible. There is skeet shooting, trap shooting, mini golf course, a driving range, snowmobiling, crosscountry skiing. Presence went to golfing the goods the nearby golf course. If they would to fish there are nearby fishing poles on private farmland we arrange and taken too. There is a bowling alley, there is a Movie Theater, a game room, there is a library, theres a bar recreation et cetera. David asks have hikers ever found the mountains accidentally approached the perime