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Smerconish

Happy Birthday America; Celebrating 250 Years Of American Independence; Transforming A Birthday Celebration Into A Movement. America Turns 250. Aired 9-10a ET

Aired July 04, 2026 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[09:00:36]

SMERCONISH: Hey, the semi quincentennial is finally here. I'm Michael Smerconish in Philadelphia wishing you a Happy Fourth of July. And not just any fourth. Today, of course, America turns 250 years old.

Think about it. A quarter of a millennium since we told a king we'd be governing ourselves from now on. Thank you very much. A birthday is an opportunity to take stock. So let's ask the uncomfortable question on our way to the fireworks.

At 250 years, how does the rest of the world actually see us? A new Pew Research Center survey of more than 42,000 people from across 36 countries finds that 76 percent have no confidence in our president to do the right thing in world affairs. And that is impacting the way that we're all perceived.

A 57 percent majority now view the U.S. itself unfavorably. That number is 80 percent in Sweden. It's 70 percent in France. 66 percent Of Canadians now view America unfavorably.

Largely, they no longer see us as a reliable partner. And the steepest falls are among our oldest friends. In Canada, 83 percent called the U.S. a reliable partner in 2022. Today, that number is just 35 percent.

Across all 36 countries, only about a third still believe that the U.S. contributes to peace and stability in the world. That's down sharply since 2023. So that's the birthday card from abroad. Not exactly warm.

But if they only knew us. Because something else is happening right now, at the exact same time. America is of course co-hosting the World Cup, the biggest sporting event on the planet. Oxford Economics estimates that more than a million international visitors are traveling here to watch their teams play.

And they're sending word back home about what they're actually finding. Guess what? The word is good. This isn't just one media outlet's take.

ABC News, Fox, Yahoo Sports, local stations from Boston to Houston. They've all been chasing the same story. Foreign fans raving about America. And it's not the postcard stuff. It's the ordinary stuff.

As a university of Florida tourism researcher told ABC News what we consider ordinary is often extraordinary to visitors. Free ice, free refills, 24-hour everything. The sheer scale of a Walmart. One Englishman posted from inside a Walmart amazed that he could by car parts, a flat screen TV, and a rifle all under one roof.

Bucky's is being toured like a theme park. A Swede in a 10-gallon hat bought at Bucky's declared his love for beef jerky and the cowboy- style. Ranch dressing, such a sensation that the TSA actually had to post a reminder that ranch is technically a liquid. So pack it in your check bag.

Scottish fans so thoroughly adopted Boston that locals jokingly called it New Scotland. They woke up a neighborhood with bagpipes at 6:30 in the morning. Guess what? The neighbors loved it.

In Lawrence, Kansas, residents carved the Algerian flag into a lawn to welcome visiting fans. Some Alabama firefighters gave foreign tourists a station tour and sent them home with free gear. The part that stops you cold isn't the food or the stores. It's what they say about us.

One British fan's video put it bluntly. We owe America a huge apology. Because he said America is nothing like the media told him it would be. Similarly, a Scottish woman with the tartan army near tears in her post from Boston said they'd come expecting the tense, angry country that they see in the news. Instead, she said, they found the America we were promised growing up.

Think about that. They arrived braced for the worst. They only knew what their screens showed them. And then they met us.

What they discovered is what we already know, that the country, for all of our imperfections, is still a pretty friendly, welcoming, generous place full of wonders, natural and manmade, open to anybody who shows up. So, here's the birthday message on our 250th. The polls, they measure Washington.

The visitors are measuring us. And the gap between those two things might be the most American story there is.

[09:05:03]

So tonight, when the fireworks go up, remember that millions of strangers, they came here this summer not sure what they would find. And we mingled with them, and they left, telling the world that we're not who they thought we were. We're better.

250 Years on, in the gospel of soccer, football, if you will, it has spread across America, and America is sending a message that the other way. We're still a pretty cool place. Happy birthday, America.

What better way to celebrate 250 years of the United States than with the two United States senators from the Keystone State, the birthplace of American democracy. Pennsylvania Senators, Democratic Senator John Fetterman, Republican Senator Dave McCormick. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SMERCONISH: Thank you both for being here. So incredible. 250 Years ago, right here, 56 men, they were all men willing to risk being hanged to sign on that important document. What would they think today?

SEN. DAVE MCCORMICK, (R-PA): Well, I think they look at the last 250 years and say, what a marvel. Unbelievable that idea, over 250 years, has created the most exceptional country in the world. A country where we can have liberty and freedom. I think they'd say it's beyond their wildest expectations.

I think if they looked close, they'd also see that there's challenges, it's fragile, and it depends on what we do to make sure the next 250 years are as magnificent as the last 250.

SMERCONISH: That, by the way, the bell from Independence Hall. Come on. How cool is that.

MCCORMICK: It gets no better.

SMERCONISH: Your thoughts?

SEN JOHN FETTERMAN, (D-PA): America is a miracle. And it was the experiment on democracy, and it prevails and -- and still flourished today. And today things I'm concerned now, being patriotic and proud about this nation is becoming more and more partisan. Now, for me as a Democrat, I'm insanely proud to be American.

And you know, America has always been the good guy and on the world stage, you know, as now. So regardless of who is in the White House, that doesn't change my view and my love and devotion to this nation. So I would remind people watching now, you know, let's not forget we don't have to agree on everyone that's, you know, currently, but, you know, let's not forget what's happened here behind us 250 years ago that people were willing to actually get hung or to die for that proposition.

SMERCONISH: As you go about your work, do you think about yourselves as a political heir to what happened here?

MCCORMICK: I do. You know, when you're walking --

SMERCONISH: How so?

MCCORMICK: When you're walking through this to the halls of the Senate.

SMERCONISH: Right.

MCCORMICK: And you turn on television, you hear the polarization, you're also walking past the statues of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan. You see these people that have made America what it is today. So it's a real responsibility for those of us that have the privilege of being in office to try to do everything we can to preserve the essence of that.

America is an imperfect nation on an imperfect journey. But we're in a constant state of self-improvement, and it's our job to make sure we -- we continue on that path of -- of self-improvement. Particularly in Pennsylvania. No con -- no state has been more consequential to America's history than right here.

It was originated here. And many of the most important moments of American history happened right here in Pennsylvania.

SMERCONISH: Do you feel like they're walking on your shoulder?

FETTERMAN: They designed this to for debate. They designed that. That never forgot that there are two sides or other sides to the two. Not one side has all the answers. And that's -- that's always remained true.

And now we have really committed to find a better way forward. And we will always work and fight for Pennsylvania together in our nation rather. And if we do disagree on things, we're going to do it with respect, and we're going to understand, and we're never going to question, you know, how much he loves our country or that he's trying to destroy our Constitution for that thing. That's become increasingly what's normalized. And now I refuse to do those kind of a thing and question other people, you know, how much they love our country.

SMERCONISH: I was just in Washington and wanted to go see the -- the Great American State Fair. Bit of a blank show as it relates to Pennsylvania until the two of you stepped in. I thought that's a really great example of what we're here to celebrate. So explain.

MCCORMICK: Well, you know, I saw the media reports on Friday that there -- there wasn't going to be a Pennsylvania stand. I had been unaware of that, honestly. And Senator Fetterman and I talked the next morning, and you know, we started to make phone calls to the business groups and we said, we're going to -- we're going to fix this. It's unthinkable that Pennsylvania of all places wouldn't be represented on the mall, given its role in America's history.

The hallow grounds of Gettysburg, the arsenal of democracy, it all happened here. So, we've gotten together to make sure no taxpayer dollars, outside dollars, private sector dollars, are going to be donated to creating a great representation. It's -- it's going to be done tonight. A great representation of Pennsylvania's history. And this is nonpartisan.

[09:10:14]

This is, you know, this is, as John says, patriotism doesn't have a political affiliation.

FETTERMAN: Yes, well, I mean, he was very generous in, in his words, but -- but he really, he's had some incredible connects and really has been very, very effective to really accelerate and put things, you know, more together, you know. So, you know, as -- as my friend and as a -- as a Democrat, we both agree, like, why wouldn't we want to like make sure Pennsylvania is represented there? I mean, 250 years is a big deal, and we should be a part of that conversation because we were look around, how important, you know, this state was for the birth of our nation. And I'm never going to let that become politics or have this, you know, weird kinds of backstabbing and turning it into like a soap opera.

SMERCONISH: Can we talk a little bit about the relationship? I -- the story that I've heard, that I've read is one of when John wasn't well, Dave texts and says, hey, I'm going to come to your defense. Is that okay? Is that the way it went down?

MCCORMICK: Well, what happened was there was John and I got to know each other right after the election. So we didn't know one another before. That we had met for the first time at a tree of life commemoration, the five year anniversary --

SMERCONISH: In Pittsburg.

MCCORMICK: During the campaign and Senator Fetterman was campaigning against me, and we said, well, you know, if I'm fortunate enough to win, we'll talk after the race. And he really embraced me and we said, we're going to work together.

And then there was a whole round of negative news stories about Senator Fetterman saying that he -- he wasn't, you know, had fully recovered from his stroke and all that. And it was very unfair and one-sided, and it was like every, it was orchestrated in my opinion. I sent him a note and said, hey, I don't know if it'll hurt you or help you, but I'd like to come out and say something if. And he said he welcomed me, don't you?

FETTERMAN: He, you know, when, when one of that -- that ridiculous smear dropped, he was the first guy, you know, the texted that said, you know, well, colorful, but regardless. Yes, but yes, but yes, and absolutely. And that's -- that's the thing.

Now both political parties covet, you know, this idea of flipping seats while you're sitting next to each other is the only people that have actually done that and flipped seats in our respective -- in our respective cycles. Now, remember, Pennsylvania picked both of us for our voices. So now I will always respect his voice because Pennsylvania picked him. And with me, same, you know, like -- likewise, too.

Now, a lot of this conversation now is being driven by the very far extremes. Now, like, people forget that we really have to get along now. We're all Americans, and we need each other. And now things has infected now, even viewing and celebrating our 250th birthday, now, that's -- that's insane.

SMERCONISH: Right. But too many people who do what the two of you do for a living or what I do for a living, the entire model is predicated on keeping everybody at odds, you know. And what makes the two of you stand out is the fact that you're approaching it differently.

And I think in Pennsylvania and across the nation, you should be and will be rewarded for it. There's a reason why 45 percent of the country say that they're independent, 27 percent say D, 27 percent say R.

MCCORMICK: Well, the one thing that's, you know, we have, I think, is an advantage. I mean, half the people who voted in the 24 election did not vote for me. And he -- I think he did a little better than I did. But you, you know, we have -- we're in a state where you're responsible for serving.

SMERCONISH: Right.

MCCORMICK: A lot of people who aren't -- who weren't for you. And I think that brings an accountability. It brings a -- a recognition that in order to do our jobs well, we have to be able to understand all the needs of Pennsylvanians. And in our case, I mean, I feel so fortunate to have him as a partner because he literally calls me and I call him, and we always start the conversation with what's the best thing we can do together for Pennsylvania.

And I think it's a real asset.

FETTERMAN: The way Americans politics are set up. We will have hundreds of millions of dollars to just to -- to describe each of us. You're a piece of garbage. You know, it's crazy. You know, and it's like, no, the truth is he's like an awesome guy, and he's a great guy. And now none of that is ever. It's really not true.

And now, like, at this point, unlimited money and weaponize that. Think of what my race was. $330 Million. How much was yours?

MCCORMICK: 500.

FETTERMAN: 500? Yes. Half a billion dollars.

[09:15:01]

Imagine if we invested $800 million to this city or in Pennsylvania, compared to just convince half of them that, you know, he's the worst or I'm the worst kind of a thing. And that's part of the lunacy of American politics. And -- and that's why we should have conversations like this to remind that, that maybe the other side aren't terrible people or they're not trying to destroy, you know, your version of America.

SMERCONISH: All right, let's test your staff preparation work, because surely someone told you I'm going to use the word mingling. We are each products of small town Pennsylvania. I think typical of small- town America. And in my opinion, be happy to hear yours.

The greatest problem that we face on our 250th birthday is societal disconnect, self-sorting, everybody going their own way. And I am a huge believer in common experience, or what Robert Putnam would have described as social capital.

And so I am forever looking for means to put us back together as a society. Speak to me about your reaction. MCCORMICK: I absolutely feel the thing you're putting your finger on is a real problem. I think social media has magnified or amplified the problem. And it goes back to de Tocqueville, who talked about these communities and these organizations that bring people together. And that was the uniqueness of America, was the tightness of these communities.

So it's still there. I mean, I was in Pottsville for the parade a couple of days ago. It's still there, but it's being fragmented and pulled apart by the fact that people aren't actually engaging. And it goes back to my military experience.

I mean, it was one of the greatest things about it was in my platoon. There was a kid from rural Alabama. There was an African American kid from Newark. There was a college dropout from Boston. There was a platoon sergeant from Puerto Rico who was 10 years older who seemed ancient.

In all my time in Iraq and everywhere else, I never remember talking about religion. I never remember talking about political affiliation. We were just Americans trying to serve together and keep each other safe. That kind of institutionalization of those relationships is being pulled apart by technology. So, everything that can run against that trend, I think is a good thing.

SMERCONISH: Especially among young people. And the more -- the more time that they're spending on screens is the less time. It's not rocket science. Then the less time they're spending kneecap to kneecap, the way that we are.

Did you get from AmeriCorps and Big Brothers and those aspects of your life what he got from military service?

FETTERMAN: Yes, without a doubt. We are just two Pennsylvania stories. You know, I grew up -- I grew up in York, and you grew up in Bloomsburg. You know, there.

SMERCONISH: You're kind of cutting me out. Doylestown. Okay.

FETTERMAN: Yes, exactly. Now, and I'm the first guy to -- to say this objectively. He's been more successful in and accomplished a lot of really remarkable things.

You know, I've had a nice career, and I count myself the luckiest guy, you know, but we've both had different paths. But we both ended up here in the same job right now. And now we know Pennsylvania, and we know that it's important to fight for Pennsylvania. And if it requires me to keep my job to hate him or call him names or describe him and, you know, well, then it would never be worth it. I would refuse to do that.

We -- we really find a better way. And now social media, as he pointed out, don't say something on social media that you wouldn't say that to your face about these people. And if you sit down or have a beer or something with someone, it -- it's immediately harder to describe someone. You're terrible. You're trash. You're worse. You know, you might can say, well, maybe. Maybe things are better and

different right now. So that's -- that's important now is, I can't change the game, but I can just be, you know, we can be the kind of people that play by -- by these kind of rules.

SMERCONISH: A final thought. So I began today's July 4th program with an opening commentary talking about data from Pew Research. They surveyed 30 countries. 26,000 people. There's a very negative sense toward the United States today.

I think it's a 76 percent disapproval. And I note the juxtaposition of the negativity when the polling numbers come in versus all the anecdotal data of the World Cup.

MCCORMICK: Right.

SMERCONISH: Guess what? They love Bucky's. They want to go to Costco. They want to have all these experiences. And --

FETTERMAN: Who doesn't love Costco? I mean, yes.

SMERCONISH: Yes. But it's not just our flat screens. Like, they dig us. Like they're enjoying Americans. And I thought there was a real takeaway in all of that.

FETTERMAN: Yes.

MCCORMICK: Well, listen, I've had the good fortune of traveling around the world a number of times, and there's never a country I've been in where they don't view America and you as unique. This -- this bright, shiny city on the hill. They view it as the aspiration, and imperfect as we are.

[09:20:00]

And they'll ever flow -- ever flow. Ebb and flow based on the issue of the time. But America is a real place that people aspire to in the world. And the World Cup experience I think reinforces that.

In order to stay that way, we need to do the things here at home that make us an example around the world and address some of the real challenges we have on crime and the wealth, concentration, and making sure the American dream's still available for every single person. So that's, that's our challenge, and that's the -- those are the kinds of things we want to work on together.

FETTERMAN: We're in conflict with a nation that just a couple of months ago publicly executed in the streets 30,000 more of their young people. They hang teenagers. They just want the kinds of ideal that people developed 250 years ago here.

Now, let's not ever forget who is on the good side. We are on the right side for these conflicts. Now, the problem is that we're maybe that we're imperfect, you know, like the, you know, the problem is now people are normalizing some of these other nations like Iran or groups like Hamas or Hezbollah too. As a Democrat, I'm always going to lean in and stand on the side of Israel through these conflicts.

That doesn't mean we're perfect or Israel. Anyone's perfect. But you know, I'm always going to stand on America's side and on democracy, you know, that started here 250 years ago. And I'm always going to remain insanely proud of our nation and being American.

SMERCONISH: I appreciate both of you being here. Mingling. Can we embrace mingling? We're mingling here together, right? People participating, having civil dialogue, having a couple of laughs.

It's a good thing. Break bread with your neighbors. Maybe have a cocktail and celebrate the 4th. Can we agree?

MCCORMICK: We agree.

FETTERMAN: We can Costco get a $50 hot dog. You know?

MCCORMICK: We agree. Thank you.

SMERCONISH: Senator, thank you. Senator, nice to meet with both of you. Appreciate -- appreciate the civility. I really do. Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMERCONISH: I want to know what you think. Go to my website at Smerconish.com. Answer today's July 4th poll question. Are you proud to be an American? Hell yes.

Up ahead, America turns 250 today. But can a birthday celebration leave a lasting legacy?

The chair of Ameria250, Rosie Rios is here. What a remarkable story. Born to a single mother who immigrated from Mexico, became the 43rd Treasurer of the United States. A woman who's living the American dream and leading the national planning for this important milestone in our history.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:26:40]

SMERCONISH: Today we're celebrating America's 250th birthday. And across the country, parades, fireworks, concerts, community events will mark the occasion. But the organization created by Congress to plan this historic milestone hopes the celebration will be more than just looking back. Its goal is to inspire Americans to give back, volunteer, become more engaged in their communities long after July 4th is over.

Essentially, they're transforming a birthday celebration into a movement. The woman helping to lead that effort is Rosie Rios. She's the Chair of Ameria250, the Bipartisan Commission created by Congress to commemorate our nation's 250th anniversary. She also served as the 43rd treasurer of the United States.

Her signature appeared on 1.2 trillion in U.S. currency. And she remains a towering figure in finance, public service and historical advocacy.

Rosie, nice to see you again. What exactly is Ameria250?

ROSIE RIOS, CHAIR OF AMERICA250: Ameria250 is a national organization charged by Congress to lead the planning of the nation's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We are, by law, bipartisan, but I say all partisan, nonpartisan.

SMERCONISH: So if my math is right, 50 years ago, the American bicentennial, Rosie Rios, 10 years old, put me in that moment.

RIOS: Yes. I was just about to turn 11 years old, just finishing up fifth grade. I remember the bicentennial like it was yesterday. For me, it was a very, very grand time. I still remember every patriotic song I learned in the fifth grade.

We took a field trip to go see the Freedom Train at the Oakland train station. And I still have my bicentennial quarter with me, by the way. You know, that was my life savings at 11 years old.

But I still, I carry it with me everywhere I go. But more than anything, I just remember it was a cloudy night in Hayward, California. But those fireworks were never brighter. My mom raised all nine of us as a single parent and sent all nine of us off to college. So I just felt at that moment an enormous amount of pride, an enormous amount of appreciation and gratitude for my mom.

SMERCONISH: Okay, well, let's just think about that for a moment. Your mother, who came from Mexico, raised nine. You were the 43rd treasurer of the United States. You were the first Latina woman to get the portrait treatment at Harvard.

And now you're the chair of America250. You're the embodiment of the American dream.

RIOS: Absolutely. I completely embrace that. And if it wasn't for my mom, you know, there, by the grace of God. So I went to Harvard. My son went to Harvard. Here's the other irony.

I was actually Harvard's student representative for their 350th anniversary in 1986. Was it my destiny? I don't know, but it's been an absolute privilege to serve.

SMERCONISH: Okay, so let's talk about the work of Ameria250. What is values-based programming?

RIOS: So, you know, as a commission, we made a decision very, very early on to have these three words that really guided our programming, which is educate, engage, and unite. And so, as we thought about the programming, the focus really was how to engage 350 million Americans. 350 for 250.

So we knew we had to have a program that, you know, we couldn't be all things to all Americans, but we need to have something for every American. When I say values, it's pretty much -- it resonates across the board, whether it's, you know, service. You know, our country was founded in service, giving back, you know, experiencing our country in a way that's never been seen before.

[09:30:05]

So all of our programming is also has a very kind of physical, interactive, connective experience, and it's also focused on the next generation of leadership.

SMERCONISH: Rosie Rios, thank you for your time and congratulations on your work.

RIOS: Thank you. Great to be here.

SMERCONISH: I want to remind you, go to my website at smerconish.com. It had to be this. Today's poll question, "Are you proud to be an American?"

Still to come, it's easy to celebrate America. The harder question is how to serve it. Jennifer Sarangello leads Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteerism and civic engagement.

We continue our conversation about the Legacy of America250, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:35:11]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I say it without boast or bravado. I fought for my country, I've served, I've built, and I'll go from the hills to the hollows, from the cities to the suburbs to the loneliest town on the quietest street to take our message of hope and growth for every American to every American.

I will keep America moving forward, always forward, for a better America, for an endless, enduring dream and a thousand points of light. This is my mission, and I will complete it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMERCONISH: That was George H.W. Bush accepting the Republican nomination in 1988, introducing a phrase that would become more than a campaign theme. It became a movement.

Today, Points of Light, the organization he founded, is the world's largest organization dedicated to increasing volunteer service, with more than 3 million volunteers across 32 countries. I should also disclose that I now serve on the organization's board of directors.

My next guest is Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of Points of Light and a leader of the America250 foundation's effort to inspire a new generation of civic engagement. I asked her whether America's 250th birthday celebration can do more than celebrate our history and help create a new generation of volunteers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SMERCONISH: Jennifer, I believe that societal disconnect is the biggest problem the nation faces. What's that got to do with Points of Light?

JENNIFER SIRANGELO, PRESIDENT AND CEO, POINTS OF LIGHT: Michael, we agree with you that we have an epidemic of loneliness and isolation. You talk about that a lot. And we know also that the needs of everyday people in local communities are getting greater and more challenging.

And we also know that collectively we are more divided. We have a harder time trusting each other. And all three of those things are ways that volunteering can impact people, our communities and our country.

SMERCONISH: Robert Putnam speaks a great deal about this in "Bowling Alone" that, you know, we need to establish social capital. And one of the greatest ways in which we establish social capital is to be volunteers in our own communities.

Speaking of which, you've got an awfully ambitious goal for the next decade at Points of Light. What is it?

SIRANGELO: Our ambitious goal, ball goal is to double volunteering in the next decade here in the U.S. And we're doing that in a couple of really important ways.

First, we know to do that volunteering isn't free, and it doesn't just magically happen that meaningful, purposeful volunteering. And so we are strengthening our volunteer ecosystem with a bold national volunteer strategy that will be a broad coalition of partners to help us grow volunteering.

And then we also know we've got to change our culture, Michael. You know that the stories that we tell, the things that we champion, that helps us change hearts and minds. And so we are focusing on that, on telling the amazing stories of volunteers, like our daily points of light, and the stories of our volunteer managers and of the heroic volunteer action centers that are making these connections in local communities every day.

SMERCONISH: In round numbers on Papa Bush's watch, his presidential watch, about a thousand people he recognized as points of light. I'm sure people who were around then certainly remember him doing so. And then about 8,000 more, one a day, Monday through Friday, you single out -- Points of Light, singles out someone for civic involvement and achievement.

SIRANGELO: Every day. We really tell the stories of those local heroes and how their everyday actions make a difference. It may seem small, it may seem like, oh, how can I make a difference? But we know that everyone can. And that's what we celebrate with our daily point of light.

And we also know that making a really -- opportunities for volunteer experiences and even just informally helping our neighbors, that is going to change our hearts and minds. And we know -- the data proves it makes a difference. So we're excited about doubling volunteering.

It will take though, Michael, this is not just Points of Light. You can imagine. This is -- we are part of America250 and America Gives. So, we are a part of a much broader coalition.

We're providing the leadership. But it is going to be a joint effort of companies and nonprofits and media and other partners to make this happen.

[09:40:00]

SMERCONISH: OK. Let's ask for the order with our final minute together. Somebody watching this, it's the fourth of July. Jennifer Sirangelo has inspired them. They want to volunteer. Where do they go? What do they do?

SIRANGELO: Well, volunteering is easy. First of all, you can always help your neighbor and so please be doing that.

But if you want to find a volunteer experience, we would love for you to go to pointsoflight.org -- org. You can find your local volunteer center, or you can just find a volunteer opportunity in your neighborhood.

SMERCONISH: Jennifer, what I really like about the Web site is it's so sophisticated because by geographical area, you know, in your community, well, what sort of thing would you like to do? And there's a -- there's a whole menu of opportunity there for people to choose from.

SIRANGELO: Yes, it can match any interest. So, you know, think about what you're passionate about and there will be a volunteer opportunity for you.

SMERCONISH: How great that, you know, the speech gets delivered in '88. He uses those words, talks about it in his inauguration. President Bush, I speak of and -- my God, what a legacy. Congratulations and thank you for being here.

SIRANGELO: Thank you.

SMERCONISH: Hey, please make sure you're voting on today's poll question at Smerconish.com. Sign up for my newsletter while you're there. Are you proud to be an American? Go to Smerconish.com and answer that question.

Still to come, who makes history? The people whose names end up in the textbooks, or the ones who change the country without ever becoming famous? We'll address that next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:45:43]

SMERCONISH: As we celebrate America's 250th birthday, most of us can name some of the founding fathers, right, Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, fill in the blank. What about the other Americans who never appeared in a history textbook, yet still helped shape the country?

My next guest believes some of our most important stories have been hiding in plain sight. Sharon McMahon, they call her America's teacher of history. Her first book, "The Small and the Mighty," became a number one "New York Times" bestseller. And now she brings that same idea to younger readers in a new picture book called "We Are Mighty." My conversation with Sharon McMahon.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SMERCONISH: I hadn't heard of the vast majority of the people that you write about, and I guess that's the point.

SHARON MCMAHON, AUTHOR, "WE ARE MIGHTY: 12 ORDINARY AMERICANS WHO DID THE NEXT NEEDED THING": I mean, history is full of, you know, the big names. It's full of the George Washingtons and the James Madisons and the Abraham Lincolns. And those are wonderful people to learn about. And we should know about them.

But history is also made up of thousands of people whose names have never made it into the textbooks. Or if they are in the textbook, it's a sidebar. We don't have posters of Gouverneur Morris in our classrooms. He's not on the money.

But nevertheless, he did something incredibly consequential that we all know. He is the architect of the preamble to the constitution. We the people, in order to form a more perfect union.

And what would we be without America's north star? The preamble, the introduction to the constitution.

SMERCONISH: In the book, you begin in the founding era and you end in the civil rights era and Gouverneur Morris. And I'm glad you did the pronunciation of Gouverneur, because I wasn't sure. This is a great example because we've heard of James Madison. I hope we know the role that Madison played, but people probably haven't heard that the words, we the people, actually, came from somebody else.

MCMAHON: That's right. I mean, the idea that -- you know, it used to be when we were writing the constitution, we were -- the phrase was, we, the United States. You know, we the people of the United States has a very different vibe to it.

And the idea that we set out these guideposts that we can point ourselves towards, even 250 years later, America's 250th anniversary, we can still judge our leaders by whether they are upholding America's values. We can still judge pieces of legislation by whether they're upholding America's values. And those values are set out in the preamble.

This introduction is meant to be printed in newspapers in the 1780s. It is meant for the average person to be able to internalize. And it is meant to tell people we are writing this document because we know that America, at her best, will do the following things, establish justice, secure for ourselves the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity. SMERCONISH: Morris was also close to Alexander Hamilton. You correct me if I'm wrong. He didn't make the cut for the play.

MCMAHON: That's right. He sure didn't. Although he was -- he was Alexander Hamilton's best friend. He was this very large, imposing, larger than life figure who had a way with the ladies. It's kind of interesting that he didn't make the show, because there are a number of people in the Broadway show who have a way with the ladies.

SMERCONISH: But that's your -- but that's your whole point, right, is that he was perceived as B-list and in history. But for your giving him a spotlight, people still wouldn't know.

MCMAHON: I appreciate that. I mean, I'm sure that -- you know, I know many scholars know who he is, but he intentionally left public life after the constitution is written. And that's one of the reasons we don't know about him.

He speaks at Alexander Hamilton's funeral. He's there on the day he dies. He watches Alexander Hamilton's autopsy. He stands in as a surrogate father for the Hamilton children.

But because he is not on the posters and he's not on the money, and he decides to sort of retire in a quiet life at his estate in what is now the Bronx, he retires to a quiet life. And we -- most of us don't even know how to say his name.

SMERCONISH: When a reader closes "The Small and Mighty" on our 250th birthday, what is it you most want them to know?

MCMAHON: I want them to know that they have the power to do something that all of history's greats have done.

[09:50:05]

All of us have access to doing the next needed thing. And anyone that you admire from history, whether it's George Washington or Abraham Lincoln or Septima Clark has pressed forward against obstacles in their path by doing the next needed thing one day at a time. And we cannot fall into a sense of cynicism that tells us that nothing we do matters. Because what we do does matter. And so, we have to act like it does.

SMERCONISH: Sharon, that was excellent. Thank you very much.

MCMAHON: My pleasure. Thanks for having me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SMERCONISH: You still have time to vote on today's poll question at Smerconish.com. Please sign up for the newsletter while you're there. I just want to know, are you proud to be an American? I hope your answer is, hell yes.

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[09:55:00]

SMERCONISH: So behind me, Independence Hall as I stand here at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History. Two hundred and fifty years ago, right there in that building behind me, 56 men, they picked up a pen, they signed their names to a document that could have gotten every one of them hanged, and they knew it. The signature was the crime.

And at the bottom, they pledged three things to one another. They pledged their lives. They pledged their fortunes. They pledged their sacred honor.

And look at that last part. They didn't pledge those things to a king or to a flag, or even to an idea. They pledged them to one another.

Men from different colonies, different faiths, different stations, most of them strangers, they decided to belong to one another. And that was the radical act, not the philosophy. It was the pledge.

I spent a lot of time this year talking about what we've lost, how we don't join the way that our parents did, the clubs they're graying now, the pews are emptier. The volunteer fire companies, they can't fill the ranks in some cases.

We've sorted ourselves into red and blue, online and alone, certain that the people on the other side aren't just wrong. No, now they're the enemy.

Well, the 56 behind me, 250 years ago, they wouldn't recognize that. They risked the noose to stand next to people they disagreed with. And here's what I keep coming back to. The fix isn't grand. It's small and it's local. And it's available to every one of us right now.

Show up, join something, coach that little league team, sit on the board, learn the name of the neighbor whose politics you can't stand. That's how a country gets rebuilt. Not from the building behind me, but from your block.

The men who signed pledge themselves to one another when it was dangerous to do so. And 250 years later, all they're asking of us is that we try. Happy birthday, America.

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