Give us a wonderful, wonderful presentation about george h. W. Bush. Well have question and answer after weekends awards and becaus filming tonight, please, use the microphones that we will place, i think one right there and one over to the side there, and thats so your question doesnt get lost on cspan. I want to welcome all of you, and let you know how much we appreciate you all being here tonight. Especially knowing that the democratic partys done a little bit of counterprogramming. [ laughter ] of course, weve got another, another 15 monthsplus to get our fill or probably more than our fill of 2020 president ial campaigning. Here were going to take a few moments to remember a man who won it in 1988. A president who it seemed the longer he lived, the more loved and appreciated he became. I was struck like many others, i think, by the national outpouring of respect and affection in the days leading up to and through the funeral of George Herbert walker bush last november. The funeral
Saying that both leaders of britain and germany have jointly called. They called the french president to offer their support after this deadly gun attack. On the in paris. Were listening to David Cameron saying that the level of alert in the u. K. Right now is severe, which is just one level below one step below critical. And television agencies watching event in paris very carefully. Theyre vigilant but the message theyre seeking to convey is that events in paris this gun attack is an attack on the values that we all hold dear, he said values by which we stand values of freedom of the press freedom in general. And so thats really the sentiment weve heard from leaders from around the world. U. S. President barack obama said he stands in solidarity with the french people condemning what he described as horrific shooting. U. N. Chief ban kimoon saying the same thing. This is what weve heard from leaders around the world and political leaders in france as well. Perhaps a sense of everyone
150th anniversary of the battle of fort stevens. The battle took place july 11th and 12th in 1864 when Confederate Forces probed washington, d. C. s defenses before turning back. Speakers discuss the battles significance and contributions by africanamerican troops. This is just over an hour. Good morning, and welcome to fort stevens. My name is kim elder and im the Program Manager for the National Park service for the civil war defenses of washington. Id like to welcome and thank each of you all for joining us this morning for the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the battle of fort stevens. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the presentation of colors and the singing of the National Anthem by anita frasier. O say, can you see by the dawns early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming . Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming . And the rockets red glare the bombs bursting
You can read faster than i can talk so i wont read the slides. I want you to see beautiful places i love. They are history and parks and recreation and National Resources and frankly the lungs of the city are largely these forts and the parks. So there we start. As frank said the city was unprotected down below. This is Fort Washington. If you havent been there, you should go. Its quite different from the forts that were built during the civil war. After bull run, lincoln knew the city was vulnerable. Thats when he ordered director Major General john g. Barnard to design forts around the city to protect it. Here they are. These are the ones available there. It was quite an amazing feat to build all those. It was just tremendous. Here they are there. Ive circled them here on this old map, the ones that are under government ownership today. The park service owns all the ones in washington, d. C. And one in maryland and one in virginia. The ones in virginia are owned by local governments.
Im 75 years of age folks. I remember things differently than when i was fighting or Something Like that at 20, 18, or what have you so the veterans may have been mistaken but they wanted to mark that spot and they got the stone out of the water reed area Cameron Creek and put that bar relief and thats their monument to the remembrance of lincoln on enemy fire. We dont know that the Justice Supreme Court really uttered one of those immortal words, get that damn fool down. The records suggest there are six or five other people, veterans who also shouted get that fool down of the get that man down including horatio down because he told him i cant protect you. Finally lincoln condesendedly getting down. Still washington forts are yet another of washingtons many monuments that have transitioned you purpose. They want recognition from all of us, appreciation. For commemoration for with a they did there an probably both sides lost thousands of people on both sides. So just what they have beco