Doris Kearns Goodwin, historian and author, spoke Thursday with students of George Mason University, Pace University, and the University of Denver about her perspective on politics as a presidential historian.

The interview was part of the distance learning series, which uses a video feed from C-SPAN's studios to connect classrooms and allows students to interact with guests. Hosted by Steve Scully, the interview was broadcasted on C-SPAN3 as well as streamed online.

Kearns Goodwin offered a historical perspective to today's presidential race and discussed the lessons we have learned from previous presidents. She described McCain, Obama, and Clinton as "classy people," and was enthusiastic about the possibility for a first in the 2008 election -- depending on the Democratic nomination -- either the first African American president or the first woman president could potentially be elected.

Kearns Goodwin agreed with recent comparisons of Hilary Clinton to Eleanor Roosevelt, since they faced similar turning points in their marriages. In both cases, the decision to remain with their unfaithful spouses helped them to take on greater political roles in the future.

However, she disagreed with recent comparisons of Barack Obama to Abraham Lincoln. Obama and Lincoln have similarly "thin resumes," she said, but Obama's oratorical ability and his ability to inspire the youth of the nation make John F. Kennedy a more accurate comparison.