[Music Glory and evening ░░░░░░░░ America I m Hugh ░░░░░░░░ inside the beltway but ░░░░░░░░ m going way out ░░░░░░░░ North Dakota to talk ░░░░░░░░ Ed O Keefe Ed ░░░░░░░░ the CEO of the ░░░░░░░░ Roosevelt President Presidential Library ░░░░░░░░ which will soon open ░░░░░░░░ doors to the public ░░░░░░░░ there in North Dakota ░░░░░░░░ Ed How are you ░░░░░░░░ hello Hugh Good to ░░░░░░░░ with you I got ░░░░░░░░ tell you every time ░░░░░░░░ see Doug Bergam both ░░░░░░░░ he was governor of ░░░░░░░░ Dakota and when he ░░░░░░░░ Secretary of the Interior ░░░░░░░░ I see Senator Kramer ░░░░░░░░ with a North Dakota ░░░░░░░░ they tell me about ░░░░░░░░ library Tell me about ░░░░░░░░ library Ed We re ░░░░░░░░ singing from the same ░░░░░░░░ sheet Hugh I mean ░░░░░░░░ that s the North ░░░░░░░░ pride we ve got ░░░░░░░░ Well the Theodore Roosevelt ░░░░░░░░ Library is under construction ░░░░░░░░ Madora North Dakota was ░░░░░░░░ TR came and lived ░░░░░░░░ a rancher and a ░░░░░░░░ Lived what he d ░░░░░░░░ called the strenuous life ░░░░░░░░ the better part of ░░░░░░░░ years He uh he ░░░░░░░░ that ranch for almost ░░░░░░░░ years and said I ░░░░░░░░ would have been president ░░░░░░░░ for my experiences in ░░░░░░░░ Dakota He came a ░░░░░░░░ man to a broken ░░░░░░░░ He recovered and healed ░░░░░░░░ nature and he went ░░░░░░░░ to become the great ░░░░░░░░ president we all know ░░░░░░░░ love And on July ░░░░░░░░ 2026 the 250th anniversary ░░░░░░░░ America this incredibly unique ░░░░░░░░ on 93 acres of ░░░░░░░░ land in the Badlands ░░░░░░░░ North Dakota will open ░░░░░░░░ the American public and ░░░░░░░░ world Now Ed we ░░░░░░░░ something in common I ░░░░░░░░ twice been the CEO ░░░░░░░░ the Nixon Foundation and ░░░░░░░░ oversaw the construction of ░░░░░░░░ Nixon Library in 1989 ░░░░░░░░ 1990 It s not ░░░░░░░░ getting people to pay ░░░░░░░░ to a construction site ░░░░░░░░ you ve been pretty ░░░░░░░░ at that Why is ░░░░░░░░ Why the continuing fascination ░░░░░░░░ Teddy Roosevelt Well I ░░░░░░░░ Theodore Roosevelt is is ░░░░░░░░ a rorchack test I ░░░░░░░░ what you see in ░░░░░░░░ says more about you ░░░░░░░░ it does about him ░░░░░░░░ mean Elizabeth Warren s ░░░░░░░░ president is TR Josh ░░░░░░░░ s favorite president is ░░░░░░░░ Obama and Romney s ░░░░░░░░ president TR I mean ░░░░░░░░ s a remarkable kind ░░░░░░░░ uh person that brings ░░░░░░░░ Democrats independents Republicans everybody ░░░░░░░░ to find something they ░░░░░░░░ about this enduring figure ░░░░░░░░ he s a quintessentially ░░░░░░░░ president He he kicks ░░░░░░░░ the door to the ░░░░░░░░ century He s the ░░░░░░░░ president in an airplane ░░░░░░░░ first in a submarine ░░░░░░░░ first to go in ░░░░░░░░ motorcade the first American ░░░░░░░░ win the Nobel Peace ░░░░░░░░ He saves the game ░░░░░░░░ football and oh by ░░░░░░░░ way basically reinvents the ░░░░░░░░ of the national park ░░░░░░░░ 234 million acres of ░░░░░░░░ land uh doubling the ░░░░░░░░ of the national parks ░░░░░░░░ mean he just something ░░░░░░░░ everyone in the Roosevelt ░░░░░░░░ presidency But I do ░░░░░░░░ I feel a kinship ░░░░░░░░ you Hugh It s ░░░░░░░░ s not an easy ░░░░░░░░ uh to get folks ░░░░░░░░ pay attention to a ░░░░░░░░ who s been gone ░░░░░░░░ the earth for a ░░░░░░░░ years Uh we had ░░░░░░░░ you had the benefit ░░░░░░░░ of Nixon being with ░░░░░░░░ during some of your ░░░░░░░░ Um obviously PR is ░░░░░░░░ with us during this ░░░░░░░░ but it s you ░░░░░░░░ he s uh he ░░░░░░░░ with us in spirit ░░░░░░░░ how did you end ░░░░░░░░ doing this Because it ░░░░░░░░ unusual I always ask ░░░░░░░░ presidential library director foundation ░░░░░░░░ I don t know ░░░░░░░░ yours is going to ░░░░░░░░ archive when you re ░░░░░░░░ but mine didn t ░░░░░░░░ stayed private for many ░░░░░░░░ years and then it ░░░░░░░░ to the archive and ░░░░░░░░ I went back and ░░░░░░░░ the foundation again I ░░░░░░░░ just cur how did ░░░░░░░░ end up at the ░░░░░░░░ Foundation You Hugh I ░░░░░░░░ some time in MIA ░░░░░░░░ after I was uh ░░░░░░░░ in media I was ░░░░░░░░ about what to do ░░░░░░░░ I uh wrote a ░░░░░░░░ about Theodore Roosevelt I ░░░░░░░░ from North Dakota and ░░░░░░░░ met Doug Bergam Um ░░░░░░░░ Doug is a a ░░░░░░░░ of a salesman Um ░░░░░░░░ s a very good ░░░░░░░░ If you don t ░░░░░░░░ to do something do ░░░░░░░░ uh have Doug Bergam ░░░░░░░░ the person recruiting you ░░░░░░░░ do it Uh so ░░░░░░░░ you know it was ░░░░░░░░ s a remarkable opportunity ░░░░░░░░ mean it s something ░░░░░░░░ unique and so special ░░░░░░░░ my home state of ░░░░░░░░ Dakota uh and for ░░░░░░░░ nation It s a ░░░░░░░░ for America and for ░░░░░░░░ world but it s ░░░░░░░░ s not something I ░░░░░░░░ expected uh in my ░░░░░░░░ and I m I ░░░░░░░░ just blessed that the ░░░░░░░░ came to me Now ░░░░░░░░ the interesting part is ░░░░░░░░ have a lot of ░░░░░░░░ Nixon Library was on ░░░░░░░░ acres Reagan Library had ░░░░░░░░ lot of land Other ░░░░░░░░ are on less land ░░░░░░░░ are you going to ░░░░░░░░ with all that land ░░░░░░░░ acres is a lot ░░░░░░░░ land How big is ░░░░░░░░ actual museum footprint Yeah ░░░░░░░░ s a great question ░░░░░░░░ So um the actual ░░░░░░░░ is 100 000 square ░░░░░░░░ It s in a ░░░░░░░░ wing which contains the ░░░░░░░░ experience and an east ░░░░░░░░ where we have a ░░░░░░░░ seat auditorium as well ░░░░░░░░ classroom space But the ░░░░░░░░ acres is really what ░░░░░░░░ it special It s ░░░░░░░░ by Snowetta an American ░░░░░░░░ that s done some ░░░░░░░░ work in our country ░░░░░░░░ did the 911 museum ░░░░░░░░ in New York Uh ░░░░░░░░ did the San Francisco ░░░░░░░░ of Modern Art out ░░░░░░░░ California Um they they ░░░░░░░░ really they re landscape ░░░░░░░░ and we like to ░░░░░░░░ that the library is ░░░░░░░░ landscape So as opposed ░░░░░░░░ Reagan or Nixon or ░░░░░░░░ of the other libraries ░░░░░░░░ the system you have ░░░░░░░░ to not just get ░░░░░░░░ but get out uh ░░░░░░░░ go on a hike ░░░░░░░░ go on a mountain ░░░░░░░░ ride to ride a ░░░░░░░░ up to the library ░░░░░░░░ mean it wouldn t ░░░░░░░░ the TR presidential library ░░░░░░░░ you couldn t ride ░░░░░░░░ horse uh to it ░░░░░░░░ and indeed you can ░░░░░░░░ that So we want ░░░░░░░░ we want families to ░░░░░░░░ We want the theore ░░░░░░░░ Presidential Library to be ░░░░░░░░ presidential library where kids ░░░░░░░░ their parents and families ░░░░░░░░ really get to know ░░░░░░░░ American hero and to ░░░░░░░░ how they can be ░░░░░░░░ part of uh America ░░░░░░░░ how they can contribute ░░░░░░░░ give back uh in ░░░░░░░░ civic and and citizenship ░░░░░░░░ there So um some ░░░░░░░░ won t know this ░░░░░░░░ landscape and building architect ░░░░░░░░ often different from the ░░░░░░░░ designer And museum design ░░░░░░░░ a specialty There are ░░░░░░░░ lot of fabulous museum ░░░░░░░░ companies out there Who ░░░░░░░░ who are you working ░░░░░░░░ and what they bring ░░░░░░░░ the project Why d ░░░░░░░░ pick them I love ░░░░░░░░ Hugh I I never ░░░░░░░░ these questions So I ░░░░░░░░ clearly talking to someone ░░░░░░░░ knows his way around ░░░░░░░░ libraries So we re ░░░░░░░░ with um a great ░░░░░░░░ called Local Projects and ░░░░░░░░ re trying to design ░░░░░░░░ that s not really ░░░░░░░░ father s presidential library ░░░░░░░░ we re going to ░░░░░░░░ a narrative gallery that ░░░░░░░░ traditional objects under glass ░░░░░░░░ the exactly what you ░░░░░░░░ expect the chronological experience ░░░░░░░░ Theodore Roosevelt s life ░░░░░░░░ between those you have ░░░░░░░░ galleries where you can ░░░░░░░░ yourself in the experience ░░░░░░░░ TR s life We ░░░░░░░░ people to do things ░░░░░░░░ feel things In the ░░░░░░░░ recreation of his Roosevelt ░░░░░░░░ of Natural History we ░░░░░░░░ you to feel curious ░░░░░░░░ reach inside a tree ░░░░░░░░ and explore what s ░░░░░░░░ to open a book ░░░░░░░░ a extinct species of ░░░░░░░░ might join a wall ░░░░░░░░ wonder Uh we we ░░░░░░░░ feel like Theodore Roosevelt ░░░░░░░░ life is is an ░░░░░░░░ Um it s not ░░░░░░░░ re learning not just ░░░░░░░░ Roosevelt you re learning ░░░░░░░░ him So you can ░░░░░░░░ the change you want ░░░░░░░░ be in the world ░░░░░░░░ get in the arena ░░░░░░░░ like TR So we ░░░░░░░░ working with local projects ░░░░░░░░ re working with Dimensional ░░░░░░░░ out of Kansas City ░░░░░░░░ re working with some ░░░░░░░░ um set designers and ░░░░░░░░ designers Split Rock Studios ░░░░░░░░ Blue Rhino out of ░░░░░░░░ We ve got so ░░░░░░░░ subcontractors I can hardly ░░░░░░░░ track of them at ░░░░░░░░ moment because it s ░░░░░░░░ to be a really ░░░░░░░░ immersive almost theatrical experience ░░░░░░░░ it sounds wonderful Ed ░░░░░░░░ the most important question ░░░░░░░░ location location location It ░░░░░░░░ going to open on ░░░░░░░░ 4th next year on ░░░░░░░░ 250th birthday Which interstate ░░░░░░░░ it close to Because ░░░░░░░░ I want people to ░░░░░░░░ see in their mind ░░░░░░░░ map North Dakota isn ░░░░░░░░ exactly on everyone s ░░░░░░░░ but everyone will go ░░░░░░░░ they know they can ░░░░░░░░ to the TR library ░░░░░░░░ do you get there ░░░░░░░░ journey is the destination ░░░░░░░░ re on Interstate 94 ░░░░░░░░ re only about four ░░░░░░░░ north of Mount Rushmore ░░░░░░░░ re 20 miles from ░░░░░░░░ Montana border about five ░░░░░░░░ from Yellowstone and National ░░░░░░░░ and about six hours ░░░░░░░░ Glacier So we hope ░░░░░░░░ are going to travel ░░░░░░░░ TR Triangle They re ░░░░░░░░ to be families on ░░░░░░░░ Great American Road They ░░░░░░░░ going to see Mount ░░░░░░░░ They re going to ░░░░░░░░ to the Theodore Presidential ░░░░░░░░ maybe head out west ░░░░░░░░ go do Yellowstone or ░░░░░░░░ And we are right ░░░░░░░░ to Theodore Roosevelt National ░░░░░░░░ the only park named ░░░░░░░░ a person let alone ░░░░░░░░ president So there s ░░░░░░░░ 800 000 visitors a ░░░░░░░░ that come to Theodore ░░░░░░░░ National Park It s ░░░░░░░░ s a great beautiful ░░░░░░░░ 000 acre park Again ░░░░░░░░ place where you can ░░░░░░░░ out and picnic or ░░░░░░░░ ride Uh we ve ░░░░░░░░ 144 mile mountain biking ░░░░░░░░ that goes right by ░░░░░░░░ library and next to ░░░░░░░░ of the most beautiful ░░░░░░░░ parts of the park ░░░░░░░░ so it s it ░░░░░░░░ it s going to ░░░░░░░░ a destination for people ░░░░░░░░ spend some time not ░░░░░░░░ in the museum but ░░░░░░░░ in nature being in ░░░░░░░░ place where Theodore Roosevelt ░░░░░░░░ lived actually ranched actually ░░░░░░░░ a cowboy and you ░░░░░░░░ can go discover the ░░░░░░░░ uh that he explored ░░░░░░░░ his time Very last ░░░░░░░░ practical question Where do ░░░░░░░░ want to have their ░░░░░░░░ there stay Have you ░░░░░░░░ out with a hotel ░░░░░░░░ yet or or a ░░░░░░░░ chain partner yet We ░░░░░░░░ a minute Ed You ░░░░░░░░ to stay at the ░░░░░░░░ Rider Hotel We got ░░░░░░░░ 600 hotel uh rooms ░░░░░░░░ town and the Rough ░░░░░░░░ is awesome The Badlands ░░░░░░░░ is right there with ░░░░░░░░ National Park there and ░░░░░░░░ our our partners over ░░░░░░░░ the The Roosevelt Madora ░░░░░░░░ They put on a ░░░░░░░░ musical from Memorial Day ░░░░░░░░ Labor Day You can ░░░░░░░░ a great American musical ░░░░░░░░ an outdoor amphitheater seats ░░░░░░░░ 000 people Plenty of ░░░░░░░░ to stay plenty of ░░░░░░░░ to eat This is ░░░░░░░░ next uh great American ░░░░░░░░ trip for you and ░░░░░░░░ family So come on ░░░░░░░░ to Madora North Dakota ░░░░░░░░ July 4th 2026 You ░░░░░░░░ see the TR library ░░░░░░░░ it s an inaugural ░░░░░░░░ And Ed what s ░░░░░░░░ website TR library com ░░░░░░░░ in the arena Join ░░░░░░░░ at trly com Ed ░░░░░░░░ Keefe Great to talk ░░░░░░░░ you Trly library com ░░░░░░░░ make a plan July ░░░░░░░░ 2026 A new must ░░░░░░░░ to destination I am ░░░░░░░░ to give a lift ░░░░░░░░ a fellow presidential foundation ░░░░░░░░ Stay tuned. America [Music]