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The former secretary of Defense shares the stories behind the memorabilia in his Washington, D.C. workspace
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This -- treat these cheers.
How -- That was it candidates -- from the Gerald.
George W pollution and -- -- your jobs on the.
-- -- The little brass plate here and it kind of makes -- -- from -- job.
Many of you get a lot of this does look like it's been sad and very much -- parents -- you -- -- And then write it down here but all the pictures and you -- -- a piece of the Oval Office.
If I -- not lifted.
Was sent -- president and he apparently read more.
This is.
Hear your friend Henry Christian leader -- And Beijing back in 1974.
And -- George Herbert Walker Bush and Kissinger.
Show me some of those -- I was chairman of Tuskegee institute hundredth anniversary and they gave me this Booker T.
Washington picture.
This is still -- -- the world's greatest men going.
It's part of -- broad Adolf Hitler's racketeer who.
Came to the United States afterwards and work with us in the space program when I was on the science and -- 1960s and and you have a -- Patiently here.
Yes indeed that's a a piece of the plane that hit the Pentagon that I picked up there that morning.
And brought -- me.
Into the office and once they heard ahead in the office it turned out it was the property here of American Airlines we have their permission.
Did crash in building you feeling shape of -- equally nasty notes anchor.
And we didn't seem to planes flew into the -- treats them so.
When it hit the Pentagon it was clear that we attacked.
The only question what was it for.
To -- what -- it Willis and pick yourself you can.
We have people I was hoping there.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- Here it is just such enormous building that it's -- -- Kremlin for seventeen miles I think there.
Together they they greeted thanks for me copies for each other and.
And president for certain.
A look at instead -- Richard -- -- site.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- And think thing here was.
Herbert walker bush.
This would never nice competition I think generally the Pulitzer Prize winning photographer from the.
This is the area.
Here's our place in New Mexico.
That's where we live and that's our goal key moment we don't use fancy names that are for him.
There's Iraqi bill signed by allowing.
-- in balance.
Karzai.
Is missile.
And intercepted a photograph.
-- -- -- -- -- It it can be done.
Out your book -- and undoubtedly.
Coming years to take it right yeah.
Four years four years to write this we had to digitize a larger time.
And I do I want it to support the books that we have over 4000.
Documents that.
If I quote something book here where you can do it this.
Riverside Rumsfeld dot com.
And and get the entire -- and see the context and in you know until they could do that with recent -- how much.
You kind of a three interviews and that -- it is because.
Every single time that I -- every single time went to.
Activists actually.
Military carries it did you know every all the proceeds -- receive them from that moment all went to record here.
And and and I -- it was comfortable promoting the book I went around the military bases and.
Presidential libraries and did talk radio shows and hit a good time enjoyed.
But yet that the -- to -- to use your homework and you -- -- -- and this office here's.
Picture of a.
Cabinet refused to sign when the civil rights bills back in the 1960s.
And this is that -- refused to -- of defense appropriation bill in 1976.
But didn't -- but you that would tell me about it.
This situation tells.
Us where you met him -- there were delighted me Q and and to this at the studio.
We now have hit 62.
We bring them over for a period of weeks.
Group of -- twice a year.
And -- come up with people like you -- -- Scalia or.
Gary Becker a Nobel laureate under the Washington Post -- and series people to meet and get an understanding of the United States.
And I get them off on the record hats he did they all locked out of -- to return to their countries and -- into it has but I thought that I don't get it.
And this -- your office it is there's my they're my -- since -- entered into this simple as well.
-- what adjusters on the left and Wrigley name for Wrigley Field is on the right because hope springs eternal we're still hoping that maybe.
The cubs might win that game or two sometime don't hold your breath and then this is your desk you don't you don't senate -- -- -- I think and a there and work there I have since 1960s.
And I'm -- discovering that people are writing things about that that's supposed to be good for you.
To stand -- Friends sitting.
And and medical people are writing articles about it.
The Pentagon yes and yes this is this is the very what you are you button and I hit a new book coming out next Rumsfeld wrote I actually haven't -- -- do it justice.
Well I started collecting things that I thought were interesting I always keep a year.
A three by five card.
And when someone says something that I find -- thankful I right now.
And I started doing it my mother was a school teachers so that is what happens to -- and and I start collecting them -- -- back in the 1960s or fifties and and it is kept adding to them adding to them now I decided to write a book about.
And talk about clusters up.
So that people we'll we'll have a chance to read they're not all.
Smart people think.
But some of them are on life.
And -- at all and that is what it says dogs don't bark at parked cars and it's attributed to that -- eighty.
Vice president -- it's apparently -- Wyoming saying and here's the benefit of being true.
If you look around a parked -- and there's no dogs -- new cars moving you're doing something somebody's not -- like.
And that's okay that's okay I get when it comes to come I'm not directed at bottom right I'd love it -- great okay thank you just decades -- dilemma -- philippoussis.
Accusations.
And salute.
For.
-- words -- -- -- Grand Rapids match.
And Betty Ford -- needless to say -- was -- 21 gun salute -- only one.
In fact it's an interesting keepsake I did one of the eulogies.
And when you got off the plane and drove into Grand Rapids Boy Scouts learn.
-- And the reason this -- he was the only present.
You know everybody.
-- do.
It's easily won just wonderfully decent -- human.
I he's the only president I worked for who was a personal friend we served in congress to him I'd help him get elected minority.
And and it and we just don't find people would that -- basic human decency.
Because.
He he helped refilled the trust the reservoir of trust in the country and and be sure.
And when and when he.
Pardon Richard Nixon.
Had revenues a lot of controversy Beaumont -- this but he that would sort of end the nightmare but he knew it costs presidency.
Ventured here.
Yeah you've been down -- -- like that.
But but what a wonderful human being but he did it to stop it and thinks that the country could move on.
And now people agree that was the right thing to do he even got something from the Kennedy.
Center as a profile in courage for having done it having been criticized by the Kennedys when he did.
Years later they acknowledge that it was great thing.
-- sector does nice to see you sir thank under concealed.
