Grandson Wishes Bess Truman Had Not Burned Her Letters

"My grandmother was a very private person," he explained. "Actually a shy person and she pretty much figured that her business was her own business and no body else's."

Daniel told moderator John Dickerson that "my grandfather came home earlier in 1955 around Christmastime. He came home and found my grandmother in front of the fire throwing in stacks of her letters to him and he stopped her and said, 'Bess, what are you doing? Think of history,' and she said 'Oh, I have.'"

The eight letters released by the presidential descendent, who now works at the Truman College in Chicago, were found in old desk drawers. They had apparently been missed by Bess Truman.

Which letter, Dickerson asked, is Clifton Truman Daniel's favorite?

"Probably the first one I read," he said. "She writes him on the first morning that he is gone 'there was a big black bug in my bed last night and I had to kill it myself. Wasn't the first time I wished for you.'"

"I wish I had the rest," Daniel said.

Watch the full interview above. It includes an interview with former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and an installment of "Unplugged Under 40" with a young State Department star.