Character And Country: The Responsibilities Of American Leadership

Margaret Hoover moderated a conversation with General Jim Mattis, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, and Ryan Holiday, bestselling author and modern interpreter of Stoic philosophy, on the character that sustains a republic. Drawing on experience in military command, classical philosophy, and the enduring example of America’s founding generation, including their shared admiration for George Washington, the discussion explored the virtues that have defined American leadership at its best: discipline, moral courage, humility in the exercise of power, and a profound sense of duty.

This live episode of Firing Line considered how those principles continue to define the American idea, and what they require of leaders and citizens alike in the decades ahead.