Jefferson, Bush, and U.S. Wars in the Middle East

October 3, 2006 - Christopher Hitchens, one of the most highly-regarded political commentators in the U.S. today, spoke at an event co-sponsored by the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies, the Gerald R. Ford Foundation, and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum.
His talk focused on Thomas Jefferson, primarily, but also George W. Bush and U.S. wars in the Middle East.
For more information on this event visit www.allpresidents.org.

[@heidigone]

He said he would like to see Rudy Giuliani run for President in 2008. If only he knew how Rudy would turn out to be a decade later.

[@AnkurBorwankar]

Glad to find not all his posthumous viewers are right-wing nutjobs. Far too many people also think he would have backed Trump in 2016.

[@duaneb21]

Nobody really saw that one coming lol

[@bobobandy9382]

And John Edwards too. Imagine thinking of that man having a good character.

[@fktygglbtchbtch1384]

nothing new, same as his switch on Chomsky

[@joecurran2811]

One of the few things Hitch said that did not age well.

[@rabidbigdog]

The line about conquering Canada is always hilarious.

[@hazeshi6779]

Reminds me if Fallout 1

[@intercommerce]

What time-mark is that at?

[@rabidbigdog]

@@intercommerce 4:09

[@TheScrubDown]

Microphones: The only enemy Hitch could not slay

[@carlyleredstone9620]

Difficult when words are one's keenest weapons.

[@prestonphelps1649]

Exactly. He mumbles as well

[@stevo2992]

As a recording engineer in a past life it is a continuous source of frustration for me, it happens so many times that, for awhile I thought there must be some sort of conspiracy against Hitch by some evangelical sound technicians guild. There was one debate with Turek, where his lapel mic seemed to self destruct. I wish I could hop in a time machine and personally oversee each occasion as well as teach him proper mic technique. As it is though, I'm now grateful for any snippet I can find on Hitch.

[@davidhopeman9622]

@@stevo2992 The ghost of Abraham Lincoln could not stand this pompous atheists' attitude.. So It was Honest Abes' ghost that kept messing with the 🎤 microphones

[@tubbytuba21]

@@stevo2992 yes, as a former audio operator, and A/V tech, I am constantly frustrated by things of this nature, such as the people who wave the hand Mike around, expecting, it to pick up their voice. In a perfect world, anyone faced with using a microphone for public address should be required to watch a professional singer, or a standup comic using microphone.

[@AFMMarcelD]

Hitch looks like Count Yorga here, dapper and regal. Damn! how I miss this gorgeous bastard, may his mellifluous thought provoking voice resonate to infinity wherever free-thinkers congregate and until the end of human extinction. Tis shot of Johnnie Walker Black 🥃 with a tad of Perrier is on Christopher’s behalf…Salud!

[@Bruhntosaur]

This man needs to be alive today. Impossible? Yes. Needed? Yes.

[@planes3333]

Christopher hitchens had sex with his students though, so I hope you all know that he is pervert and his was a bugger. I am against people having sex with their students

[@johnevans1108]

4:56

[@TheGregcawthorne]

One day

[@charles.patrickbasson4040]

He is alive everyday We need Thomas, telling all your friends about this incredible honest man love you Thomas Paine, my hero at 73 in south Africa

[@halwiseman2625]

Thanks to KZbin his voice is still widely heard. His eloquent condemnation of abrahamic religions is his legacy for which he has my gratitude.

[@tommcfadden5232]

Rudi Giuliani in 2008. Well Hitch gets a pass on this one. I doubt if anyone could have foreseen how unhinged Rudi would become.

[@RikerLovesWorf]

I’m at the gym lifting 235lbs and listening to an hour long history lesson about Jefferson by the greatest free thinker of our time. Strong body, strong mind, great life.

[@Gigan47]

Me too

[@1dissyfit]

just saying ''im at the gym..'' was not enough? cringe.

[@RikerLovesWorf]

@@1dissyfit lol Saying "cringe" in 2022, to people being genuine, is fucking insanely cringe and you should feel guilty for touching the reply button lmao

[@tommym321]

I lift as well, I can confirm that saying you are “lifting 235” in this context is pretty dorky. Sorry boss.

[@RikerLovesWorf]

@@tommym321 I care a lot lmao. I guess 2 plates on the chest press machine isn't macho enough for famed internet user TommyM321.

[@lordthicknipples6633]

i like my pound of broccoli with cheese, and I like my youtube with Hitch.

[@camerondeans9056]

I wonder if Hitch would have second thoughts about his choice of Rudy Giuliani to run for president now

[@Viky.A.V.]

We need Christopher Hitchens back. Not even now, a decade ago =( He was so right about so many things. What a brilliant mind.

[@doctorwoohoo1152]

Hitch's honesty & his intellectual sophistication, which simultaneously includes all that is relevant & excludes (with disdain) all that isn't relevant, is severely missed. These days we can't seem to be able to discuss anything this way, let alone complex & convoluted issues. The 'intelligentia' these days seem confused about what a woman is or whether primitive & uncivilized blasphemy laws have any place in a civilized society, FFS. His answer to the question at about 36:30 illustrates this perfectly. In stark contrast to the blazing clarity contained within that answer, I'm reminded of the woman who, having escaped torment as a captive & sex-slave under ISIS & having found refuge in Canada, came face to face with her former tormentor & rapist, who too had found 'refuge' in Canada. The level of sheer, brain-dead stupidity that allowed such a thing to happen ought not to be possible, among sane, rational people. The people whose ideology & policies made it possible are just despicably cretinous garbage & deserve the most venomous contempt sane people can muster.

[@JP-hq1vp]

Ooo I'm 9o9 ok oo oi I in oi 9o9oouoooœ of it o9o of I of on ok o9ooooœ9oooo9 of it 9ooooiooœooo9oooo9o9o oh oo I'll oo9ooo of ooo I'm oooooo99o of oI up o9 of Ioooooo of oo OO ooo I'm oooo I'm o ok ok I'll oooo I'm o9o of ooooooo9ooooooo9o of oI I'm is i in on ooooooi9ooi oi oiu I'm o ok oooo ok I'll oo9ooo of oo OO ok oi oiiooooooooo of it o ok I ok oooo ok ok oiiooooooooo Ioooooo of oi OO ok iiiiiooo of o ok oooo ok I ok oo OO ok I ok I ok I ok iioio ok 9oiioo of it I ok I ok iii III III oiioo oh iii III III III III oi oi oi OO III III oiioo oh oouioii is it oii I'm out of io III III I out iii III III III III III III iiiiiooo of oi OO III III III III III III III I is oo i is iiuoiiiii oh ii III iiii oh ii IIIiiii on oiiiii of iioio ok iiiioiiioii is iiiiiio on oiiiii III iiiioiiiooiiiiioi is IIIiiii on io oi i is ii oi Iii III III i IIIiiii on III IIIi oh Iiiiiiiiii is íiiii III 8iiiiiii I'll I IIIiiii ii III III III pi is 8iiiiii is I it IIIi ok I I I III III IIIIIIi ok I I if i is III III iiiiiii is Oi ok ii III I is III iiiiiooo of ii it Iii III I is oo I is I III ii III I is iiiiiiiii8 is IIIiiii on ii III III III III I is i IIIiiii iiii III IIIiiiii is it Ii is ii III III III III iiiiiii is III III iiiiiiiiiiii is IIIi ok oiiiii III III III III III IIIiii in IIIiii in iiiiii i IIIiiii iiii III I is íiiii III iiii III III iii is iiii8iiiiiiiii in ii I'm i IIIiiii I III i is iii III iiiii III IIIiiiii is ii I'm oooo I'm iiiiiiiiii is IIIii III Iiii III iiiii III ii III I out III ii I'm III iiiiiii is íiiii III iiii III IIIiiiii is it IIIi ok iiíii is ii III ii III III III i

[@JP-hq1vp]

Iiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiihiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

[@MrMoeqt]

well put

[@jake8855]

Policies hitchens supported created ISIS in the first place.

[@kevinkammueller7553]

I guess he might have changed his endorsement of Giuliani if he had lived.

[@alexanderwilliams3955]

It's hard to think of another modern politician who has so comprehensively fallen from grace

[@bobobandy9382]

And Edwards too.

[@davidhopeman9622]

@@alexanderwilliams3955 *Joseph ROBBING-IT* *$🇨🇳BuyDumb🇨🇳$* *$🇨🇳$* 🎈 *is 500 times worse than Rudy* You blind *A-hole*

[@joecurran2811]

​@@alexanderwilliams3955Well Edwards below!

[@1080lights]

Lmao Giuliani and Edwards. In retrospect, those are some very weird choices.

[@joecurran2811]

The thing about Hitchens that has aged the worse?

[@nujac321]

@californiarednek I did not hear that part. Thanks for clarifying.

[@akadacat]

Wow, love to see Hitch's view on Gulliani now.

[@davidhopeman9622]

Gee ! 👀 I'm wondering what he'd be saying about *TRAITOR JOE'S* BRIBERY ? YOU KNOW ? THE *BIG-GUY* *Joseph ROBBING-IT* *$$🇨🇳BuyDumb🇨🇳$$* *$🇨🇳$* 🎈

[@andorei318]

thats from Collision, and it's the final scene

[@PeterStanton]

If Canada (or parts of it) really had been annexed by the U.S. at any time during the 19th century, American political history likely would have turned out much much differently.

[@ttacking_you]

I suspect a lot More hegemonic

[@davidhopeman9622]

Canadian bacon 🥓 would be called bigger *AMERICAN BACON* if the annexation had occurred...... Tragedy averted...Wheew !

[@Limosethe]

I find it interesting to see Christopher Hitchens talking here about what people like Thomas Jefferson would have thought if they could see the world in the future and how no one can truly know the answer. Yet, its me who all the time wonders what Christopher Hitchens would say now days, but constantly having to remind myself that there is no way to know, so it is a non-starter question.

[@flystix]

You're telling me you know something I don't know? Where is your proof of this afterlife? Telling me I'll find out something you yourself have yet to actually experience would make you an extremely silly person. So please, enlighten me to this knowledge you have that I do not.

[@charlesheck6812]

haha. you wouldn’t believe even if you experienced it.

[@davidhopeman9622]

@@charlesheck6812 He'll believe whether he wants to or not.... 🔥 *HE'LL* 🔥 👹 🔥 *BELIEVE* 🔥

[@originalhazelgreene]

Someday we'll have technology that will digitally remove all the coughing and improve the audibility of the speaker. Oh, wait...

[@milekrizman]

In 20:50 he says about Indian languages. USA doesn't have official languages. Every state should have official Indian language, especially Oklahoma, who has the great number of tribes.

[@tommcfadden5232]

45:38….”This fight will take place on our own soil.” And be waged on the campuses of our colleges and universities.

[@thedoctor.a.s1401]

At 30:40 - 31:25 when hitch goes on to talk about how new slaves being unloaded to new Orleans nearly broke Thomas Paine's heart. Just hearing that actually broke mine ...

[@juanvasquez6535]

imagine how it must have broken the hearts of the slaves.

[@Boredonthejob]

this audio is horrible.

[@nujac321]

Too much of anything is usually not okay.

[@jakeyw11]

1:03:00 Ouch, Hitch was fooled by Edwards too...

[@leftyshawenuph4026]

I liked Edwards. Infidelity ruined him. But, like C.H., I also believed, and still believe, that he had more character than most politicians. You can't be a Democrat and cheat on your wife. Republicans (who, ironically, used to claim to be the party of "family values") can, because they have established, and so it it universally understood, that they have zero respect for women. Their nomination and unwavering support of Trump proved that beyond a doubt.

[@davidhopeman9622]

A fool ? Not hitch ! 🎶 Everybody plays the fool, sometime 🎶 No exception to the rule,, LISTEN TOO me ! 🎶 It's a fool that says in his heart; *"THERE IS NO GOD"*

[@JWY]

Not such an accurate take on Edwards. Otherwise more clear, honest, accurate and very compelling Hitchen's opinions.

[@MattSingh1]

His analysis of post-9/11 Said was exact and precise. Same goes for Vidal, Chomsky, Tariq Ali and Norman Finkelstein.

[@SandyRiverBlue]

Not just in paleontology but in anatomy as well. A very good source for this time period of pre-Darwinian sciences is John C. Green's "The Death of Adam".

[@leftyshawenuph4026]

I see microphones. Are you going to record all of this? "Yes. Well...sort of. How exceptional is your hearing?".

[@wishuonlyknew595]

I would say the Second Coming is Yeats' best. I love the first stanza. But who am I to doubt the Hitch.

[@albachman]

I wonder what he would say about Hamas waving Mein Kampf around.

[@redryan20000]

how about a poison, how about arsonic? is a little bit of that ok?

[@vickybennett2163]

You did a crappy job on the microphone volume that's too bad cuz I wanted to hear this it's too quiet sorry

[@jakobfunk3970]

21:59

[@joecurran2811]

Good spot. So many people don't know about this!

[@SvalbardSleeperDistrict]

In a demonstration of the principle of fallibility of even the most impressive individuals, one of the few unfortunate sights with Hitchens is seeing him celebrate Manifest Destiny.

[@MattSingh1]

*What are you babbling about? At no point did Hitchens even endorse Manifest Destiny, either in this specific lecture or at any other, let alone celebrate it.*

[@jakobfunk3970]

1:09:15

[@greenhornet299]

Have any remote Viewers....chased down Christopher on the other side?

[@davidhopeman9622]

I heard Cool & tha' gang were trying to connect with *HITCH* on the other side. *ALL THAT THEY COULD SAY ?* WAS ; 🎶 IT'S TOO HOT, TOO HOT LADY, GOTTA RUN FOR SHELTER, GOTTA RUN FOR SHADE 🎶 And sumthin about being *MISS-LED*

[@sulIy]

4:07

[@mns8732]

He bought the land cheap, AA paid dearly. At least we have rock and roll.

[@redryan20000]

i dont understand your view. are you saying religion is ok but just not too much of it?

[@zackersquackers]

Huh?

[@lujkarijeka2760]

Nemoj vježbt previše,nisam u formi😂

[@Ostatebuckeye11]

Great speech but unfortunately it's unlistenable

[@DavidPatersonPortraits]

If there is to be Afican-Americans then there must be English-Americans , Italian-Americans etc. There are ofcourse just Americans and they're all red.

[@billyb6001]

The french revolution died with napoleon

[@davidhopeman9622]

In 2023 we have the American moron transgendering revolution trying to be born with the ole trusty *Ding-a-ling Guillotine* treatments for the gender affirmation that the *"elites"* declare necessary....

[@redryan20000]

how was it forced on you, though? by reality? by facts and truth?

[@rouzbehazshab]

people cough a lot.

[@georgeh5075]

The pro Giuliani comments were the only things that didn't age well haha

[@davidhopeman9622]

*Joseph ROBBING-IT* *$🇨🇳BuyDumbs'🇨🇳$* *$🇨🇳$* 🎈 Assortment of corrupt BRIBERY dates back to before Hitchens's death.... 💵 *It does age well* 💵 The *corrupt F.B.I.* AGES WELL TOO ! *You F☆CKING* *M🤤RON* !!!!!!!!! Dates back to before his death *Senator & v.p. Biden* had stolen thousands of classified top secret *U.S.* intelligence documents to use as his personal instruments of information for his treasonous money grubbing.

[@SleepyPenguin-8og]

Hey brandon i might go, u have any steroids?

[@jestermoon]

Take A Moment Relax and Enjoy a genius at play Missed yet never forgotten, godly. Hitch would have a very quick response, on Ev Re Thing. Peace and love etc No god's required or seen in my foxhole for 40 years. RAF veteran of 28yrs. Halloween in Calgary Alberta Untruedaux Land. Christopher? 9:42 42, life the universe and everything. Zeus, thanks 😊 🙏 😂 Anti-god jewish. He goes on to say 11:52 Stay Safe Stay Free 12:24

[@arriuscalpurniuspiso]

Hitch was way wrong on his idolatry of Thomas Jefferson. A sick, evil man to choose as a hero

[@vernedavis5856]

awful audio, awful video, great content

[@joecurran2811]

1:03:47 Donald Trump

[@rouzbehazshab]

a lot of coughing in this video.some one give them some medicine!!!

[@AncientRylanor69]

hyg

[@saintmichael9736]

God gave us dominion over this Earth it's not God's fault it's our fault and those that blaspheme God and those that spurn God is your choice and you're choosing your own destiny and the destiny that you're choosing is forever you're fate is forever

[@laza6141]

God didn't give us dominion over bacteria , viruses and many other lifeforms that control and kill us all the time.

[@khomatech6428]

whose fault is it that nobody taught you to use punctuation?

[@leolyon2373]

Bless his drunken eyes.

[@nujac321]

Hitchens has interesting viewpoints but I find that he is a little narrow. If he had his way, religion swept off the land but I believe it is an integral part of society for good or bad just like everything else in society. It is zealotry in religion and zealotry in all forms that is the true enemy of society.

[@gerritkruger4014]

Dogma is a better word. But that said, religion the the mother of all dogmatic beliefs. Zealotry only applies if the views portrayed by the instigator are more radical than the teachings he follows, however, both the bible and quran have more radical views than most of its followers.

[@chokin78]

Hitchens never said religion must be swept off... He recognizes it as an "indelible stamp of our lowly origins" and, as such, cannot be removed from our DNA. He only says he's pushing back the theistic encroachment.

[@MrMoeqt]

he on multiple occasions stated that he wouldn't banish religion even if he could, because it puts forth the core and necessary argument about life's deepest questions. And furthermore, is inextricably interleaved with many aspects of culture that are worth preserving. What he argued for was a world where the tyrannny of religion, and the tyranny of man over man that it entails, could be put to an end. That freedom of and from religion would thrive. Quite different to total banishment.

[@mns8732]

Sometimes Hit hens can be a drunken bor. This is one of those times.

[@gerritkruger4014]

I quite enjoyed this one way more than his religious speeches

[@Phil_Mitchell]

At least he wasn't illiterate like you.

[@bazbarrett8103]

Idiot coment, I suggest you spend some time in a spelling class instead.

[@cjankowski75]

I have no idea what you are talking about here. I've read him and listened to him countless times. He is not drunk here nor under the influence of anything except his excellent intellect.

[@sublime8728]

Jefferson's surprised at the feistiness of womenhood,..... women weren't a subject that aroused curiosity for Jefferson and males. How sexist and misogynistic of Hitchens to frame it that way, but telling of how males truly feel. Women/females were always judged by males and males set the standard of womenhood. Telling.

[@artartful854]

The only way he could frame it. Remember the times of Jefferson, women were non-persons. They had no legal rights, no vote and were second class citizens but really, if...citizens at all. So sexist and misogynistic was the times. In 1770s and beyond, that's how ALL of society treated women and being judged by males and by their standards was telling...of the times, not Hitchens. In fact, Hitchens has repeatedly called for the political liberation and legal emancipation of women is the most important duty of men, to...save the world.

[@rogerthornhill1491]

@@artartful854 Well pretty much achieved now.

[@artartful854]

@@rogerthornhill1491 It's better but obviously, still a ways to go.

[@rogerthornhill1491]

@@artartful854 Really Art? What’s left now? Certainly legally in (most) western democracies women have more rights than men now? Way more protection under the law than men.

[@timthetiny7538]

Not really​@@artartful854

[@jingojingo1]

He is in hell now

[@dianahill5116]

Everyone is born atheist. Religion has to be taught. Atheism doesn't have to be taught.

[@andorei318]

thats from Collision, and it's the final scene