Hello and welcome to the Bullard podcast. I'm your host Tim Miller happy Independence Day. I love the 4th of July. I've always loved the 4th of July. I don't want to leave y'all hanging on the 4th of July if you needed a podcast after your barbecues before the fireworks. I'm going to put in the show notes. I got a special 4th of July playlist for everybody. And so for this

episode I want to re-air an interview I did with Clinton Smith on the next level Sunday show back when I was doing that so the real ones will know about this and maybe I've heard it I got a little bit before we get to that in the Clinton interview

focused a bit on his book called how the word is passed which just talks about a

reckoning with the history of slavery in America but also a reckoning with America's

promise and how we can move forward. I think it was maybe the most moving conversation

that I had in those interviews.

And so for those who aren't familiar,

I wanted to give you a chance to rehear it today.

But before that, I want you to join me

in a little tradition I had back when I was on campaigns.

On the 4th of July you got to work on campaigns, unfortunately, their parades and

whatnot and so I would always annoy my staff and read them from I think maybe my favorite letter and it was ever written

was by Thomas Jefferson to the mayor of Washington DC Roger Waitman declining

the invitation to attend the 50th anniversary of American independence,

the Jubilee celebration, because of his failing health.

And so I think we're in a time now when we're dealing with the consequences of failing

health, we're seeing what the importance of American democracy and reinvigorating it. And I thought some of you might enjoy hearing

from this letter as well.

We'll put the text of it in the show notes

if you don't want to hear to my dulcet tones.

Thomas Jefferson writes this,

respected sir, the kind invitation I received from you on the part of the citizens of the city of Washington to be present with them at their celebration of the 50th anniversary of American independence as one of the surviving signers of an instrument pregnant with our own and the fate of the world is most

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