The past always seems somehow more golden, more serious, than the present. We tend to forget the partisanship of yesteryear, preferring to re-imagine our history as a sure and steady march toward greatness. – Jon Meacham
World War II ended the Great Depression with one of the great public-private industrial collaborations in the history of man. – Jon Meacham
Attacks on a politicians identity – questioning Romneys religion, say, or Obamas birthplace – tend to come when an opponent is desperate and cant sell himself. – Jon Meacham
From Jefferson to Jackson to Lincoln to FDR to Reagan, every great president inspires enormous affection and enormous hostility. Well all be much saner, I think, if we remember that history is full of surprises and things that seemed absolutely certain one day are often unimaginable the next. – Jon Meacham