Brett Baier on his new book 'To Rescue the American Spirit'

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining us now. So glad to have him back. Brettbear
from Fox News. He's got a new book. It's called
to Rescue the American Spirit, Teddy Roosevelt and the Birth
of a Superpower Bred. Welcome back. Thanks for being.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Here, Jag, Good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
I do want to talk about your book, absolutely, and
I'm gonna get your thoughts on a couple of things
happening in DC right now that you're certainly well aware
of and talk about every night. I do like your
book here. I like Teddy Roosevelt. I love where you
write from all the time, and I love your historical
perspective on everything and bringing out great things about former leaders.
And Teddy Roosevelt certainly was very courageous and it was,

(00:35):
you know, all about is humanity. And you know, one
of our better presidents. Tell us about the book and
what got you started on this one.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
You know, this is the sixth presidential biography that I've
written and focused on, and each one has like a
soda straw look at one of these presidents and some
elements that is overlooked in history a little bit, you know.
I started with Eisenhower and then Reagan FDR went back
to Ulysses s. Grant. Last one was about George Washington

(01:04):
and the Constitutional Convention. This one's about Teddy Roosevelt and
his legacy of essentially getting the US to be a
leader in the world, a global leader, and how he
gets to that point and determines that that's really important.
And you know, Teddy Roosevelt is an amazing character. The

(01:25):
anecdotes about him are just so rich that it's kind
of a page turner. He's larger than life, he's energetic, passionate,
but his legacy really is that he turns the US
to kind of be a leader abroad and focuses on
his negotiations between Russia and Japan and getting a peace treaty.

(01:48):
And it really fits with today as you look at
this administration, this president kind of looking forward around the
world to solve problems.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
Well, I got to tell you your books are so interesting.
I've you know, read I did read the one on
Reagan because I lived in DC at the time, had
an opportunity to meet Ronald Reagan back in the eighties,
and I was just fascinated with his his charisma and
the way he could relate to both sides of the
isle and bring people together.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Now.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Granted, obviously Hollywood actor and a well loved, you know,
person in that arena, but while what a powerful president
as well? Your thoughts on Ronald Reagan real quick? And
you know the impact he had on this country and
you know maybe some of the similarities we're seeing with
the current president.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
Yeah, you know, it's funny. Each one of these presidents
I wrote about, going back to Eisenhower, had this element
of reaching across the aisle, of trying to find common ground.
And that's really the common ground that I that's in
all six of these books. Reagan had the ability to
be a communicator and really good at it. You know,

(02:54):
his relationship with Tip O'Neil, the House Speaker was obviously legendary.
Demoocrat was also really important, and we don't see a
lot of that now. It is here in Washington. I
have this thing on my show common Ground, where I
bring Democrats and Republicans together to talk about what they're
working on. But we could use a lot a lot

(03:16):
more of that. And now we're in the government shutdown
that could be the longest that we've ever seen.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah, I did want to get your thoughts. You had
a book also called three Days at the Brink FDRs
Darren Gamble to win World War two, and what Donald
Trump has done with these conflicts around the globe. You've
got to be doing some of your research and taking
notes on your book that I'm sure will come soon
on this president. But your thoughts relative to what Donald
Trump's doing globally when it comes to conflict now.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
Well, listen, he is inserting America and it really does
fit with the tr mold that I'm writing about in
this book. In this historic day just this week of
the hostages being released in Gaza and those those videos
of the reuniting families was just really really powerful. Now,

(04:05):
there's many other challenges that had for Phase two and
what it looks like and how the Arab countries are
going to put forces on the ground and they're working
on that. Just that day and covering that historic day
was quite something, and it kind of fits in this
mold of trying to say the world is better if

(04:26):
America is in.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
It one hundred percent. All right, quickly, I know you've
got to run and we're up against the clock. I
want to get your thoughts on the government shutdown right now,
you talk about bringing people together and what you do
on your show as well, and what Ronald Reagan was
very good at. It seems it's almost impossible these days,
as so far wide and different we are from Democrats
and Republicans. If you were brought into the room between

(04:48):
Schumer and Johnson and from your perspective on seeing what
other presidents have done and how they get that done,
what would you offer to these two guys right now
trying to figure something out.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yeah, I listen, there is a way to fix it.
They have to give, and right now there's no give.
Both sides think politically they are in a good spot.
I would argue that neither party is in a good spot.
As the government shutdown continues, Democrats say this is the
hill that they need to fight on as far as

(05:19):
Obamacare subsidies. Republicans say, hey, listen, let's just fund the
government at the current funding level and then fight about
it before the end of the year when it expires.
Bottom line, there is a solution. You have to have leadership.
I think it's probably going to come down to President
Trump getting everybody in a room and maybe some moderate
Democrats saying it's time to stop the government.

Speaker 1 (05:42):
The great negotiator We'll fix it again, right all right, Brett,
always a pleasure, always a pleasure checking up with you,
and I appreciate you being with me this morning. Once again,
the book is called to rescue the American spirit. Brett
bears new one, Teddy Roosevelt and the birth of a superpower.
Thank you, Brett.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
Thanks d