Really enjoying this series, even if it is a bit unnerving to see the actor that played the wonderful Croz on Masters of the Air convincingly portraying the mindset of John Wilkes Booth. In any event, 3 episodes so far, and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, played by the Brit Gavin Menzies, has a great line I will paraphrase. At a reception following the swearing in of the execrable Andrew Johnson as President, Stanton confronts the announced consensus about "moving on" and pursuing prosperity, even while Booth and most of the conspirators ran free. Mind you, there was likely war exhaustion, and the concern about fully pursuing what appeared at the time, and possibly since, to be a Confederate plot to effectively decapitate the US Government with simultaneous assassinations of the War cabinet. But Stanton replies with words to the effect that you have to draw the line at murdering a President or there is no line, ostensibly referring to be a true Constitutional republic. Seems to be applicable to the current argument about moving on from January 6
I just learned last night that at least one Alabaman commissioned a monument to John Wilkes Booth and celebrated the assassination yearly Former John Wilkes Booth Monument - Troy, Alabama
Yep - portrayed as such. Although he's played by Matt Walsh, who I know from Veep, and it's hard to break that association
Apple TV product continues to improve, albeit slowly. Eager to check out the Ben Franklin one as well.
With Michael Douglass as lead, it seems we will finally get the historically accurate horny/pervy Franklin
When I was in elementary school they had some guy come in dressed up and pretending to be Benjamin Franklin, and he gave a presentation and did a Q&A. I remember this kid stood up for the Q&A and asked him “is it true you were a womanizer?”… Ben got mad at that question…
Ha. We went to this event - An Evening in Celebration of Frederick Douglass where Nathan Richardson played Frederick Douglass, a role he has occupied for a decade - https://www.scpublishing.com/about Nathan is now in the 10th year of The Frederick Douglass Speaking Tour - a living history performance in which he captures completely the physical and spiritual essence of the former slave, writer, orator and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. This living history series is a part of the Chautauqua Institute and has produced film credits with the National Park Service, Alabama Public Television. Nathan's rendition of "Frederick Douglass Honors the Unknown Loyal Dead" was nominated for "Best Short Film" at the 2022 I WILL TELL INTERNATION FILM FESTIVAL He got a similar question and handled it so deftly and intelligently that it seemed unfair.
Based on this series, which I have to read about more to determine its granular accuracy, Edwin Stanton belongs in the pantheon of the Founding Fathers of the New Birth of Freedom, along with (at least), Abe, John Bingham, Charles Sumner, Frederick Douglass and Thaddeus Stevens (personal favorite, though now Stanton may compete). These are equally founding fathers of the Republic, properly understood.
