Filmmaker Ken Burns: Historians 'Kind of Shocked' Over Trump

People who have a knowledge of American history are "kind of shocked" by Donald Trump's presidential campaign, and the growing controversy over the GOP nominee's response to the Gold Star family has exposed the worst about him, historian and filmmaker Ken Burns said Monday.

"We have a con man here, and it may be the Kahn family that exposed it," Burns told MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program of Gold Star parents, Khizr and Ghazala Khan. "It is susceptible to people that play on fear. People saw we don't buy the used car salesmen, and we don't buy the con men."

Burns said his response is different in this year's election than in the past, because this election is far different than others.

"I throw fastballs down the center of the plate with regard to American history and celebrate it," said Burns, the author of a new children's book, "Grover Cleveland, Again! A Treasury of American Presidents." 

"This book on the history of the presidency for children can tell you that for years we have had bitterly fought contests between qualified people and that's not the case this time. Those of us who have a little bit of knowledge of American history are kind of shocked."

This year is different, he continued, because in Trump, "we have someone so unqualified for this office."

Burns said there is a Facebook page, "Historians on Donald Trump," in which various historians are recording their thoughts on the GOP nominee. There are many opinions among his colleagues about why the New Yorker has gathered so much support, Burns said, and he has his own thoughts.

"I think we are susceptible because of these changing times, to his message of fear and easy solutions," said Burns. "There are no easy solutions, and and he denigrates the much-maligned but very subtle art of governance, which is what you need. It turns out out that the politicians have to do their job, and sometimes it's messy. You need somebody who knows how to get it done and doesn't lie two or three hundred times a day."

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