LAURA INGRAHAM (HOST): Craig, John F. Kennedy talked about the gallant failure of Robert E. Lee. And how he moved forward toward reconstruction with the bravery of his troops. FDR, one of the finest Christian gentlemen, one of the finest soldiers America had ever seen. FDR and John F. Kennedy.
CRAIG SHIRLEY: Johnny Cash wrote a song, “Thank You Robert E. Lee” because Lee laid down his arms at Appomattox. And why Lee is, indeed, great is because of what he did after the Civil War.
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INGRAHAM: And you think Jane, of the American story. We hope it’s an unending story, just goes on and on and on like in all of our lives, we have failures, we have triumphs, we have successes. We have virtues and sins. And, yet, we want to look at each monument or relic through the eyes of the politically correct idea of the time. And obviously everyone knows that slavery is evil. But the idea that because someone happened to be born in the South, and how many people, maybe, the two of you historians know, how many southerners didn’t side with the South? Not many, right, not many, at least during the war.
SHIRLEY: Most of them were not slave owners.
INGRAHAM: Most of them were not slave owners. Isn't it important now that we have a historical understanding that we can all, we can gravitate toward it we don't have to agree on everything. But there are certain things like the anthem and our founding that we can say God, these were truly great men. They had great sacrificial concern for the country.
JANE HAMPTON COOK: Well it’s looking at individuals with optimism and hope and seeing the good.
