Hello welcome to another episode of history live. Im doctor colleen im a Senior Vice President at the White House Historical association and the director of the david Science Center for white house history. The White House Historical association is a nonprofit, Nonpartisan Organization with a mission to educate americans about that rich and diverse history of the white house and the people who live and work there. Our guest this evening is michael he is a retired rear admiral from the navy Civil Engineer corps. He served in a variety of assignments around the world and is 29 year military career. Including as commander of camp david. After retirement thousand ten, Michael Jordan private industry is a chief executive officer of the Building Information Technology company headquartered in his hometown of pittsburgh, pennsylvania. In october 2017, he published his first book inside camp david the private world of the president ial retreat. Mike travels often speaking about the book has been covered by the wall street journal, the today show cspan and many other print Radio Television outlets. After our conversation, mike will be taking questions from our live audience. Please be your questions for mike and the chat we will get to as many as possible welcome to white house history live mike. Wonderful to be here. Its an honor to serve the nation. [inaudible] only start from the beginning, your story with camp david. Tell us about how you were selected as commander of camp david, what that process was likely. Camp david is actually a navy command Naval Support facility and a town nearby. The navy has operated and maintained it since it was started in 1942 by president roosevelt. Civil engineer Corps Officer with history. 1998 is put on a short list for possible officers to be considered, how the interview with president clinton, went through a visit to the camp about a week later i got the call. Visited once as an assignment officer left the visit that day the next assignments. That cut a really difficult place to work it will be weird to work there someday. Put it away, went on for the next few tours and lo and behold i was shortlisted was selected reported in june of 1999 and the end of president clintons second term bird. Lets talk a little bit about the history of camp david. The history begins later talk about that. Lets go back to 1942 roosevelt loved with a three president ials in his times in the potomac. New book on the right is Oakland California today. Secure as hobbies its a place to go get away from the white house Helicopter Squadron existed, that got to find somewhere drivable nearby. Interestingly because of the new deal, bring us out of depression and part of the work projects are the Progress Administration on the conservation corps put money back into the country i rebuilt a lot of the roads and parks. You place in maryland, also known as camp number three. Rose 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 and this is my shangrila. Joe roosevelt amended chandra law applying a utopian mysterious place of the mountain. He had that whimsical nature about naming things bridget thats what its name. As mail president eisenhower renamed after his grandson, camp david. That is how we know it today. You describe kempton for a lot of our viewers and listeners who im sure have never visited camp david in person. Im probably will not visit camp david. When you paint a picture of what the camp is like . I will try. Great partners of ours 1800 feet elevation, on the spring and summer months. A leafy canopy perfectly manicured yards, the road meanders to the camp. In these cabins we president ial walkthrough all the cabins have this oak plank siding with the certain shade of green paint. All the roofs are cedar shake shingles. These very rustic, very leafy, very fresh. But at night i find it particularly surreal definitely quiet, no white except pathway light. No noise except for a squirrel in the tree no lights, no noises from below eerily quiet peaceful. Inside the campus is called cedar just from the corner from aspen and the president s logic. How many cabins are in camp david, how big is the site . There are about four guest cabins president eisenhower started that called the president ial watch eisenhower when he renamed it camp david named all of the trees, all named after trees coat 12 for entertainment 20 total that include the fire department, the ash, clinic, eucalyptus, popular, the cycle of drought the staff at camp david pretty were the commander. Was assize the military staff at camp david . What kind of job do they perform . Over 200 sailors and marines, officers maintain their maintenance. Officer supply corn to marine officers in washington d. C. Also put all of the sailors and rings together just over 200 staff. Theres also white house communication detachment there in charge of communications that is a joint command coming out of the main command. Q tells a little bit about how camp david is changed over the years . It was very rustic is been some notable additions to the complex. Mention there is a chaplin so there is a chapel at camp david. That also about the activities and how that complex is changed over time. To fdr again apparently its why the navy has it. He took the sealers of the uss potomac of not had a job and took them with him to camp david brought them for security. They went there during the non winter months. Truman, not a favorite of camp david prefer to go to key west. Had the trees pushed back on during eisenhowers time it was winterized and installed the other cabins. They still maintain that, over the years use of a family cabins have been added president nixon during his time but a lot of expansion into the camp, putting in the hourglass shape pool adding laurel which is the main entertaining cabinet you see sometimes on news report and coverage of World Leaders and visiting number of other features throughout. To modernize the time they challenge the president to modernize the cabin and expanded thats been going on last for five years but a very sequential smart way to keep current but maintain the rustic nature outside. And the amenities on the inside part is not a marble, brass a four star resort is not meant to be. It is a rustic, comfortable place to get away, to think, to walk in privacy and silence. And recreate on your own or meet with other World Leaders. The most unique thing the bottom right of this photo of the Evergreen Chapel donated to private money, with camp david commissioned in 1994 during president george h. W. Bush. How do president s get to camp david customer could talk about fdr within driving distance. But present to circle do not drive to camp david in a morbid. We prefer to bring them end by the Helicopter Squadron eisenhower was the first to come in like that. And weather permitting they will fly in the talk marine one. Theyll come up by motorcade from where ever their departure platform is. Camp david is a president ial retreat. Yet you know president s often find themselves working in camp david. Tell us a little bit how it functions as the white house . Thank you. I think most people recognize no matter who is the president , there can be a lot of critiques about what you do when youre off duty for how you do your job. But the fact is you are always on duty. And you need time off, we all need time off. In addition to a second home some of us have been some do not, camp david provides that peaceful getaway for family, friends, and if needed for staff and for World Leaders. Its a great the president s going to get away most of the time as a couple to get away, to recreate but also im sure to think about things every is a little different. To me the outsider think the best val is a personal respite for your family and friends. Then you find its a great place to bring World Leaders to to talk privately. There is no press unless you invite the press and pray there is no press, there are no protesters, there is no traffic, no plane flying overhead serenely, private and peaceful. How do people get around . Its golf carts everyone is assigned a golf cart program golf cart one. So golf cart one, golf carts for all of the gas, bicycles are available for pedestrians. We have crosscountry trails through the woods in the winter months if you want to do that. Snowmobiling saw the president president ford and his family. Principally golf carts to get around or walk. Just a reminder to everyone we are going to be taking questions at the end of our conversation. If you do have questions for mike about camp david comments history, what its like please put them in the chat will get to as many as possible. Stock a little bit about the history of camp david the Historic Events that have taken place for camp david. Can you talk about some of these episodes for them and why president s might choose camp david for the setting of these historic occurrences . I will mention four events and then i will focus on the fifth one in particular. We have seen photos from the nearby stream. But the point of the bottom left of them talking about how, roosevelt on the top left inside aspen the stone hearth fireplace is still there for there is a wagon wheel the roosevelt table is still there. President truman, i only went ten times in his tenure he preferred key west. The president s come that thats the first time with fdr and churchill. President carter made it famous for most people 1978 with the peace accords with sadat and israel. During my time 2000 president clinton brought arafat and the Prime Minister of israel to camp to try to represent a similar thing for president 12 president obama hosted the conference at camp david. The single time the most World Leaders have been in camp at any one time. The incident want to go back to his 1961. April 1961. President kennedy inaugurated in january succeeding president eisenhower. Bad things are being planned by the scenes with the cia, u. S. Government and others passed off to the administration you see the photo of the top right of Pulitzer Prize winning photo called serious steps. Whats interesting about this i think from a human and political point is that president kennedy inherited the operation. It was launched, and did not go well hence the name. Riches across the political and personal ill and invites president eisenhower to come to camp david and help them understand how to get to this how do i fix this mess, what do i do . Its a very poignant and significant moment i think part of the new upstart democrat inviting the old guard fivestar general to talk about what to do. I think its a very humble may be possibly desperate measure. Very humble way to recognize leadership and what passes between administrations and talk about what to do best for the country. You mentioned this already, mike, who talk about this in your book. Some president s and first ladies visit camp david or frequently than others. If you talk a little bit about the differences in how the president s and first families use camp david and explain why think that is . One, i think it depends on children. What are the ages of the president s children. I think that dictates are they going to leave their intramural leagues, back in d. C. , are they hosting their friends, of the running out of the house, too, some have second homes and go there for they could do both. Three, some like the quiet nature. President clinton really went to camp david his first term but did a lot more second term. Over two terms is on the value. Some prefer just to go somewhere else. Prefer to entertain elsewhere. You have seen a mix over 80 some years of how they use it. Host can you share this one or two of your most favorite memories from your time camp david . Are certainly the historic moments most people recognize the middle east peace summit, work with the state department to welcome president clinton meeting Yasser Arafat and having a photo shaking his hand, watching from the sidelines as president clinton spent two weeks trying to forge the peace agreement. Watching president bush welcoming the blairs to couples getting to know each other much like as you would moved with their neighbors as you move into a neighborhood. There very poignant things to watch on the sideline for even you get to serve there, see things, you have to remember you are in the role you get to know some personal things about the families but you are not of their world you have to maintain that corm. I will tilt two stories that are a more personal nature. I think it helps to relate to the families. The first one is the final clinton weekend four days nonstop, hundreds of guests coming through, dinners, musicians performing in the chapel, just a wonderful event we said goodbye with the hanger that night with the family some walking to the helicopter at 10 00 oclock on that sunday at the snow on the ground, thanking them for leading our country and walking them down to marina one, might for last time to see you then. When gerald student stanford turns to me and hands me too stuffed animals. When jesus commanded ive had these in my bed and for eight years in aspen for please give them to your daughter breonna and ryan and think your wife michelle for everything youve done. Just a touching unexpected moment of course a very human approach. Great keepsakes now for the two girls. That was the first whimpered as the final time as to the clintons of 2001, the second was a humorous story from the book about goldfish. And the commander of the camp, the factor responsible for security, we have to run errands to do official things for us during the middle east peace some of the first week, michelle and taken to the city fair, common thing to do here at camp david in the summer. Shes coming back to the gate with the two girls the backseat they each had one a goldfish. There goldfish in a plastic bag are each holding. We have a strict policy at the time no animals at camp david, no pets. The marine corps guard, who knows us we know all the marines, they know us. Everyone is doing their job reeses maam you cannot bring pets into the camp. She looks at him with a bit of an incredulous look. The girls are hearing this and steers tears start to come down there i paired she was looking at them hes looking at her, shes looking back at him hes doing his job mom is doing her job, michelle is into the window and says they are for dinner. Im kind of winks. Yes man please proceed. Most little funny moments like that there are still people there. We have these times, we all live with rules and regulations but sometimes you see the human side and work through it. Thats her favorite store because moms and dads get it. 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 . And is it different for every president and first hamlet spends time there . Is definitely different as we described different families use a brief president george w. Bush love going to camp david like his dad. Basement every christmas there. For some at the time for family to come together for special holidays. During my time, the clintons loved camp david for thanksgiving. Again every president is done it differently. President Reagan Nancy Reagan love their almost by themselves. He did always radio addresses from the cabin and elsewhere. They all used it differently. The meaning comes from has a theme of a camp david kind of place for the spirit of camp david one by one the soviet premieres at the time was about a place you come together with trust, within nature, no press unless you want them there, the ability to sit down as people, break bread, share a story, get to know each other. To me that the true meaning of camp david a place of the president s to get away and relax the best they can. A place to entertain family and World Leaders probably one of the most unique places in the world to do that. Growth and reasonable distance of the white house. Michael had some really Great Questions from our live audience. Nancy from facebook asked i know president reagan and nancy reagan rode horses while they were at camp david. Is there a stable there . What other activities are available besides swimming . The only time we had a stable there, a corrals during the kennedy years the pony macaroni was kept there for the children, the kennedys. Otherwise horseback, had one incident where president clinton and chelsea wanted to go horseback riding. So the National Park service from d. C. Brought the horses up we use the back gate into the wilderness with secret service on horseback to to go to the nearby woods. Horseback riding is possible but there is no corral for their skeet shooting, trap shooting, mini golf course, a driving range, snowmobiling, crosscountry skiing, president s want to go golfing to go back to the nearby golf course. If they want to fish this nearby fishing hold on private farmland so we arranged to take them. There is a Bowling Alley game room, rex david asks, never approach the perimeter of camp david . It happens and there are some warning times. You could drive by the roads in camp, three do have protocols if you do happen to approach the fence and get closer things to deal with. Again its a nofly zone im sure that happens and continues to happen. Didnt fdr, didnt he make a wrong turn when he was driving once to try to get to shangrila and didnt come across a neighbor who is not too happy to see him . Yes it has happened. When we did not drive around as much as we do today and we were not always surrounded by agents theres been those humorous events you knock on the door and the yelled who are you. Whats the long essay president has stayed there, wasnt carded there for a week or more during the middle east peace talks . Yes. There is a time almost two weeks for the peace talks president carter also went there during the 1979, he came back and gave that talk about the condition of the country, what was going on we had the hostages taken, all of thi