Ken Burn's - The Roosevelts

I've been watching this over the past few days on PBS. (refreshingly Commercial free).

It is a fascinating look at Teddy, Franklin and Eleanor and their massive impact on America and the world.

while watching it I was struck by the partisan politics of the day, both democrat against republican (teddy) and vice versa (FDR).

I found it ironic and extremely co-incidental that Republicans of that time used the IDENTICAL language and epithets to describe FDR and his policies they use today to describe Obama.
There was even a ludicrous accusation that FDR sent a destroyer to pick up his dog in the Aleutian Islands because he had accidently left him there at the cost of millions to the taxpayer. FDR used humor to ridicule such stupidity when he kicked off his 4 term campaign. That reminded me of the $250 million Obama trip to India nonsense of today.

Regardless, of the partisanship, Teddy was a real character and Franklin was a man of vision and competence. I was more or less familiar with their major exploits and accomplishments, but I was very surprised to learn more about Eleanor and all the great work she did.

Anyway I highly recommend it. entertaining, educational and thought provoking.

 

I watched parts here and there(all ten hours was just too much) and it was very interesting especially, like you mention, the partisan bickering which hasn't changed since before Washington...

too bad Eleanor was "only " a woman, she would've made a great President (and one who didn't cheat on their spouse!!!!)

( NOW I can once again watch Antiques Roadshow and my British mysteries after a week of Burns !!!)

 

If they were still alive, I'd have hung, drawn, and quartered them myself. I'd even have done it for free.

 

Are you saying you would murder another human being for their political ideology?

 

I would murder some for putting it into practice.

 

but you didn't get the chance........

What horrible crimes did they commit (according to you ) ?

 

Sorry I missed it, but will look for it on Netflix when it comes out. Agreed the partisan bickering hasn't changed much over the decades. What has changed, at least in our times, is the intensity, but that, too, is cyclical. As least we don't have Senators beating each other to death with canes or dueling any more....although I wouldn't be against dueling.

 

Ummmmmmmmmmmm. Except for her little thing with Hick.

Keep in mind Ken Burns is a flaming liberal Dem. The series isn't exactly "fair and balanced".

 

Will watch it tomorrow... Thanks.

 

Who was Hick?

And any rightie is free to do their version.......

 

She had many close female friends. Of course that hasn't stopped the speculation of a small handful of historians of today.

Well, I think it was "fair and balanced". It showed both Teddy and FDR in rather intimate detail INCLUDING their personal faults and political mistakes. As to the partisan bickering, that is simply FACT that can be garnered from any historical review of the time periods.

It was also a FACT, that the conservative right in the late 30's was not only vehemently opposed to the new deal and Social Security and unemployment insurance they opposed any involvement in the war in Europe. FDR had to invent the lend/lease program (under executive order) to assist Britain as they stood against Hitler, because the republicans wanted to have nothing to do with them.

I am not aware of any incorrect historical fact presented, since burn's used "their own words" (dem and rep), newspaper clippings, existing film, and interviews with the few still living witnesses. But feel free to point out where it was not "fair and balanced" instead of a typical "attack the source" fallacy.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorena_Hickok

by all accounts a helluva woman.

 

agreed....would've made a helluva President....

 

Tiny sampling of thousands of letters:

March 7, 1933
ER to Hick...

Hick darling,

All day I've thought of you & another birthday I will be with you, & yet tonite you sounded so far away & formal. Oh! I want to put my arms around you. I ache to hold you close. Your ring is a great comfort to me. I look at it and think she does love me, or I wouldn't be wearing it.



Top of page


[Date not provided]
ER to Hick

I wish I could lie down beside you tonight & take you in my arms.

- - - Updated - - -

lol. You didn't even know who she was. And after reading Wiki, you would have voted for her?

Oh, My! I think I see how we got into the mess we're currently in.

 

WTF are you talking about? I knew who Eleanor Roosevelt is....where did I indicate I didn't.

I DID ask who "HIcks" was....can't you read????

 

lolol.

Right on schedule and as expected.

You quoted the wiki article and a post that clearly made reference to Hick and nobody else.

You jumped in and agreed.

If you were reference someone else, you should have said so.

Wiki: Lorena Hickok

Too funny and thanks for making my day.

 

And the democratic language today is no different than it was when Andrew Jackson started class warfare politics to gain votes. I worked for a PAC whose creation was closely associated with Eleanor's work and spoke with a few creaky old high dollar donors who had known her to some degree in their early years. They always commented on her persistence.

The only thing that amazes me is why Doris Kearns Goodwin is considered such a regarded liberal scholar when says things along the line of "Roosevelt died toward the end of his life". Really? Do you know someone who didn't die at the end of their life, Doris?

 

I thought the poster was referring to Roosevelt........somebody needed to make your day...nothing you could do ever would

 

.

I was commenting on the fact that the language used by republicans during FDR's tenure and especially during his four election campaigns is IDENTICAL to that language being used by republicans and conservatives today.

I would certainly appreciate it if you could provide some substantiation of your claim that ol' Andy Jacksons language so long ago is IDENTICAL to that being used by democrats today.

if not, dare I say my point initially sailed over your head?



Goodwin is highly regarded as a scholar for the published works she has produced.
I suppose if you wish to use malapropisms as the sole judging criteria of scholarship you'd have to wonder why any scholar is held in high regard.

 

"It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their own selfish purposes."

There are a lot of parallels between Obama and Jackson. Hope v. Hero; Taking Back Washington v. Corruption; ACORN v. Old Hickory Clubs (http://www.prsa.org/SearchResults/v...le_Andrew_Jackson_founding_fathe#.VCAZ-RYQM6o )

I agree that she is a well-known plagiarist, if that is what you meant to say.

She is a populist writer who uses strings of anecdotal stories about her subject matter. Not particularly scholarship in any traditional sense of the the matter.

 

Most of those parallels are fallacious.

ACORN wasn't corrupt despite FIX foxating on con artist O'keefe's heavily edited reports and the knee jerk reaction from congress.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACORN_2009_undercover_videos_controversy

Seems that failing to put quotation marks around quoted passages yet adding footnotes to attribute those passages is legally plagiarism, but it also certainly indicates lack of intent.

Yes, many effective scholars produce material for populist consumption. Anecdotal stories are a common method of uncovering the personality, motivations, drives, decision making processes etc., of the biographical or historic subject.


Except she was a noted scholar who taught at Harvard for 10 years, co-wrote President Johnson's memoirs and also won a Pulitzer prize, a Lincoln prize, an American History Book Prize and a Andrew Carnegie Medal for her work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Kearns_Goodwin

 

Well, Teddy busted the Trusts.

It's really a shame that we have so many direct descendants of the Rockefellers and Carnagies on this board, who are the only ones who would even be able to afford a computer and some time off from their 16 hour a day job if they had their way.

 

All well known Commie sympathizers, especially that Carnagie fella, I hear he even wanted to loan books out for free!!

 

I am amazed at just how well the right wing noise machine has taught people like you to hate our history and to insult the leaders who created the modern state and living conditions we enjoy today. Were it not for these two giants, our nation would likely not have survived long enough for you to spew this nonsense. Next time you go to the Grand Canyon, remember Teddy preserved it for all of us. Next time you visit Europe, remember that FDR helped save it.

 

What a little joy you are.

Where on earth did I say I hate the Roosevelts? I didn't? That's what I thought.

And hint: I couldn't care less about Europe. They are the ones who need to be thanking OUR MILITARY, not me thanking the Roosevelts.

You poor little hater, you. I think you have a vivid imagination and nothing else. Don't quote me if you don't know what you're talking about.