TED 2008 -- Doris Kearns Goodwin
The richest and fullest lives balance work, play and love. All three must be pursued with equal dedication.
She is talking about Abe Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson.
Lincoln: Fierce ambition is a good thing, not just power celebrity and fame, but to make the world a better place. He became depressed, people thought he was suicidal. He was, but wouldn't do it because he wanted to change the world for the better.
When he was elected president, he selected three of his rivals for the cabinet. Learned from his errors, acknowledged his mistakes, didn't harbor grudges.
What made Lincoln so great: integrity of character and moral fiber of being. Driven through tough times by his ambition.
Lyndon Johnson: Goodwin was selected as a White House fellow when she was 24. When she danced with Johnson at a party, he told her he wanted her to work directly in the White House. She eventually helped him with his memoirs in his later years. He was a good story teller, but a lot of them were tall tales. He was known as a minor league womanizer, she was worried until he told her "you remind me of your mother."
He had servants, family who loved him, lots of money, but in later years could find no solace in hobbies or family. Goodwin says it was because he did not pursue love or play with as much determination as he did with work. Needed a love of humor to keep from letting seriousness of life drag you down.
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LBJ had a barn full of skeletons.
If you would like to get a balanced portrait of LBJ, you should read Robert Caro's biography.
He has evidence how LBJ stole an election for Senator from former Texas governor, Coke Stevenson. Evidence of LBJ operatives paying border Mexicans to vote for LBJ.
LBJ was a major womanizer; he could be seen early morning driving to the senate with his mistress.
Goodwin contribution to history is a significant as Robert Kinkade's contribution to art.
^^^ I'm not sure where the hate for LBJ comes from. who cares if he had a mistress and engaged in political maneuvering?
BUT....It would be remiss of Boingboing to link to her talk without at least mentioning her....indiscretion in ~2000. She lifted passaged for her book on Lincoln almost completely (and w/o attribution) from another historian's book on the same subject.
Just FYI.
How much of LBJ's inability to enjoy his post-presidential life have to do with his guilt/remorse over Vietnam? I have this image of this famous B&W photo - just found it:
http://drx.typepad.com/psychotherapyblog/images/2007/07/26/lbj_2.jpg
Was LBJ grieving over after the latest US casualty reports in this photo?
LBJ had a whole lot more guilt on his mind than just Vietnam. Like say 11/22/63 for instance. Ever see this photo?
http://www.rense.com/general41/wew.htm
I love Doris Kearns Goodwin-- whenever I've seen her on PBS or interviewed somewhere else, she just seems so upbeat and honestly interested in her study; it always cheers me up.
People who live the richest lives are people who are retired and get to sit around with two or three good friends and drink and bullshit. Oh, and there might be one other person you don't really like all that much because he's annoying, but you'd miss him if he weren't there.
That's my theory.
Who'd she steal her speech from?
Goodwin and LBJ may or may not have been lovers.
Bill Clinton didn't invent the pattern.
Caro's books are a must read for anybody interested in Johnson or interested in political theory.
I'm eagerly awaiting volume 4, about 5 years from now.
She's an admitted plagiarist. I can't get excited anymore about her...