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The Reagan Era: A History of the 1980s
by Doug RossinowDoug Rossinow, professor of history at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota, is the author of numerous works, including Visions of Progress: The Left-Liberal Tradition in America. He has been a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Oslo and is past president of the Peace History Society.
Reagan Faces Korea: Alliance Politics and Quiet Diplomacy (The Evolving American Presidency)
by Chae-Jin LeeThis is a unique and definitive study to reassess the complex dynamics of US-Korea diplomatic relations during the Reagan presidency. It examines the goals, methods, and legacy of Reagan’s policy toward Korea with emphasis on the realities of alliance politics and the tactics of quiet diplomacy. It questions a widely held view that Reagan showed simplistic, inattentive, and rigid approaches toward foreign affairs, arguing that his actual policy, as demonstrated in the Korea case, was more sophisticated, nuanced, and pragmatic than commonly assumed. Based on a vast amount of confidential diplomatic documents, especially in Korean, and interviews the author has conducted with US and Korean leaders, Lee sheds new light on Reagan's role in promoting democratization in South Korea as well as his engagement with North Korea.
The Reagan-Gorbachev Arms Control Breakthrough: The Treaty Eliminating Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force (INF) Missiles
by David T. JonesAn analysis of the negotiations, both international and domestic, behind this landmark treaty through the words of those directly involved.This book analyzes the elimination of intermediate-range nuclear force missiles through vivid, fresh impressions by those who conducted the INF negotiations. The Reagan-Gorbachev Arms Control Breakthrough brings this period to life through the writing of key participants in the seminal negotiations leading to the completion of the INF Treaty and the ensuing epic struggle to secure its ratification by the U.S. Senate. The book provides an astute balance between the assessments of senior negotiators; “nuts and bolts” observations on specific elements of the Treaty by in-the-trenches negotiators; the tangles that challenged the keenest of legal minds; and the political maneuvers required to bring it through the pits and deadfalls of the Senate. Additionally, The Reagan-Gorbachev Arms Control Breakthrough provides an often-forgotten perspective of the moment, offering the opportunity for retrospective judgment. Is there a test that time demands? Are there “lessons learned,” conceived at the time, that still pass that test?
The Reagan I Knew
by William F. Buckley Jr.In "The Reagan I Knew", the late William F. Buckley Jr. offers a reminiscence of thirty years of friendship with the man who brought the American conservative movement out of the political wilderness and into the White House. Ronald Reagan and Buckley were political allies and close friends throughout Reagan's political career. They went on vacations together and shared inside jokes. When Reagan was elected president, Buckley wrote him to say that Reagan should not offer him any position in the new administration; Reagan wrote back saying he had hoped to appoint Buckley U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan (then under Soviet occupation). For the rest of his term, Reagan called Buckley "Mr. Ambassador." On the day the Soviets withdrew, he wrote Buckley to congratulate him for singlehandedly driving out the Red Army "without ever leaving Kabul." Yet for all the words that have been written about him, Ronald Reagan remains an enigma. His former speechwriter Peggy Noonan called him "paradox all the way down," and even his son Ron Reagan despaired of ever truly knowing him. But Reagan was not an enigma to William F. Buckley Jr. They understood and taught each other for decades, and together they changed history. This book presents an American political giant as seen by another giant, who knew him perhaps better than anyone else. It is the most revealing portrait of Ronald Reagan the world is likely to have.
The Reagan I Knew
by William BuckleyNo two people were more important to American conservatism in the postwar era than William F. Buckley Jr. and Ronald Reagan. Buckley’s writings provided the intellectual underpinnings, while Reagan brought the conservative movement into the White House.<P><P>For over thirty years, the two men shared jokes and vacations, advised each other on politics, and counseled each other’s children. The Reagan I Knew traces the evolution of an extraordinary friendship between two American political giants.
The Reagan Manifesto
by Jeffry H. Morrison Eric D. PattersonThis book examines how Ronald Reagan's electrifying 1964 televised speech, "A Time For Choosing," ignited the conservative movement within the GOP. Ronald Reagan's televised speech, or what many conservatives today simply call "The Speech," was a call for action, telling Americans that now was "A Time for Choosing. " "The Speech" catapulted Reagan into national politics, the California governorship, and ultimately the presidency. The themes of the speech, including anti-Communism, strong national defense, and the need to protect the average American from taxes and bureaucracy, ignited the conservative movement in the GOP, resulting over time in the sidelining of the more liberal, establishment wing of the Republican Party. The contributors in this edited volume show how Ronald Reagan's "coming out" speech on the national stage helped set the political agenda for the next three decades.
The Reagan Moment: America and the World in the 1980s
by Jonathan R. Hunt and Simon MilesIn The Reagan Moment, the ideas, events, strategies, trends, and movements that shaped the 1980s are revealed to have had lasting effects on international relations: The United States went from a creditor to a debtor nation; democracy crested in East Asia and returned to Latin America; the People's Republic of China moved to privatize, decentralize, and open its economy; Osama bin Laden founded Al Qaeda; and relations between Washington and Moscow thawed en route to the Soviet Union's dissolution. The Reagan Moment places US foreign relations into global context by examining the economic, international, and ideational relationships that bound Washington to the wider world. Editors Jonathan R. Hunt and Simon Miles bring together a cohort of scholars with fresh insights from untapped and declassified global sources to recast Reagan's pivotal years in power. Contributors: Seth Anziska, James Cameron, Elizabeth Charles, Susan Colbourn, Michael De Groot, Stephanie Freeman, Christopher Fuller, Flavia Gasbarri, Mathias Haeussler, William Inboden, Mark Atwood Lawrence, Elisabeth Mariko Leake, Melvyn P. Leffler, Evan D. McCormick, Jennifer Miller, David Painter, Robert Rakove, William Michael Schmidli, Sarah Snyder, Lauren Frances Turek, James Wilson
The Reagan Paradox: The Conservative Icon and Today's GOP
by Joe Scarborough Lou Cannon Time ContributorsLong known as "The Great Communicator," Ronald Reagan has been credited with leading an ideological renaissance of the Republican Party and has become an icon to many Republicans and party leaders. Now, ten years following his death, and twenty-five years following the end of his two terms in office, the man who was credited with so much, including "Reaganomics," ending the Cold War, and "The War on Drugs," has become the ideological standard-bearer for a party that bears little resemblance to the one that he helped to define. So much so, that in hindsight, many of his views and policies appear to be centrist in comparison. This provides the perfect opportunity for The Editors of TIME magazine, in conjunction with many highly-regarded and well-respected writers and journalists familiar with Reagan, including Lou Cannon, Jon Meacham, Nick Clooney, Bob Spitz, and more with an introduction by Joe Scarborough, to examine the man, the politician, and the President, and the paradox of an ideological hero who no longer represents the party that he helped to define, or in fact, does he?
The Reagan Persuasion
by James C. HumesPersuade, mentor, and motivate like the Great Communicator More than just an influential speaker, Ronald Reagan was a master of all types of communication and employed his personal warmth and charm to rally Americans around his vision. Now, former Reagan speechwriter James C. Humes shows how you can replicate Reagan's ability to influence others and utilize his communication tools when interacting with colleagues and partners. Don't just rely on words, instead: • Communicate with gestures, postures, and even clothing • Learn the power of podium presence • Fine-tune your humor and voice for each unique audience
Reagan Remembered
by Gilbert RobinsonFor the first time in presidential history, the major appointees of a president have come together to share stories and memories of their president, Ronald Reagan. These are never-before-told personal anecdotes from 81 of President Reagan's appointees.Former President George H.W. Bush, Colin Powell, Elizabeth Dole, Steve Forbes, James Baker, and Edwin Meese discuss their relationship with the 40th President of the United States. Democrats and Republicans can agree that Ronald Reagan possessed remarkable humor, courtesy, and consideration for others, natural charm, and a great sense of humor while displaying the toughness that brought an end to the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
The Reagan Rhetoric: History and Memory in 1980s America
by Toby Glenn BatesThe Reagan Rhetoric examines the extraordinary connections between President Ronald ReaganÆs conversations with the American people and the profound changes that swept the nation under those conversationsÆ influence. Through the lens of history, rhetoric, and memory, BatesÆs work draws connections between the style, manner, and consistency of ReaganÆs oratory and the social and cultural settings in which it played so vital a role. Specifically focusing on the 1980 Neshoba County Mississippi Campaign visit, the popular culture memory of the Vietnam War, and the controversy of Iran-Contra, this book illustrates ReaganÆs sweeping ability to change how Americans thought about themselves, their past, and their politics. By concluding with an examination of media coverage of ReaganÆs 2004 death, Bates reveals that certain interpretations Reagan rhetorically offered during his presidency had become an accepted collective memory for millions of Americans. In death, as in life, Reagan had the last word.Through extensive archival research, the careful examination of well-known and obscure 1980s print media and popular culture, as well as new interviews, Bates challenges the prevailing Reagan historiography and provides a thoughtful reality check on some of the traditional views of his eight years in the Oval Office. The Reagan Rhetoric offers new and important contributions to Reagan studies that will appeal to scholars of the 40th president. This look at the 1980s will be of great interest to the growing number of historians studying that decade.
Reagan Rising: The Decisive Years, 1976–1980
by Craig ShirleyNew York Times-Bestselling Author: This account of Ronald Reagan’s political comeback—and rescue of the GOP—is “an engrossing, richly detailed saga” (Booklist).Includes a foreword by Pulitzer Prize winner Jon MeachamCharting Ronald Reagan’s astonishing rise from the ashes of his 1976 presidential bid to overwhelming victory in 1980, Reagan Rising shows how American conservatism—and the nation itself—would never be the same.In 1976, when Reagan lost his second bid for the GOP presidential nomination (the first was in 1968), most observers believed his political career was over. Yet one year later, at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, Reagan sounded like a new man. He introduced conservatives to a “New Republican Party”—one that looked beyond the traditional country club and corporate boardroom base to embrace “the man and woman in the factories . . . the farmer . . . the cop on the beat. Our party,” Reagan said, “must be the party of the individual. It must not sell out the individual to cater to the group.”Reagan’s movement quickly spread, championed by emerging conservative leaders and influential think tanks. Meanwhile, for the first time in modern history, Reagan also began drawing young people to American conservatism.But it was not only the former governor’s political philosophy that was changing. A new man was emerging as well: The angry anticommunist was evolving into a more reflective, hopeful, and spiritual leader. Championing the individual at home, rejecting containment and détente abroad, and advocating for the defeat of Soviet communism, his appeal crossed party lines.At a time when conservatives are seeking to redefine their identity in light of the Donald Trump phenomenon, Reagan Rising offers insight into the development of Reagan’s optimistic and unifying philosophy, and offers lessons for both established Republican leaders and emerging hopefuls.“Chronicles the Republicans’ emergence from the wilderness . . . [The author] is a sure-footed and entertaining observer of the hurly-burly of national politics.” —The New York Times“An insightful, thoughtful history that reminds us of the renewal that occurred the last time the Republican Party was near collapse. It is the story of the lifeguard Reagan rescuing a drowning party. If only . . . ” —Landon Parvin, former White House speechwriter for Ronald Reagan
Reagan Versus The Sandinistas: The Undeclared War On Nicaragua
by Thomas W Walker Harvey Williams Peter Kornbluh Eva GoldThe product of research and investigation by a team of sixteen authors, Reagan versus the Sandinistas is the most comprehensive and current study to date of the Reagan administration's mounting campaign to reverse the Sandinista revolution. The authors thoroughly examine all major aspects of Reagan's "low-intensity war," from the U.S. government's attempts at economic destabilization to direct CIA sabotage and the sponsorship of the contras or freedom fighters. They also explore less-public tactics such as electronic penetration, behind-the-scenes manipulation of religious and ethnic tensions, and harassment of U.S. Nicaraguan specialists and "fellow travelers." The book concludes with a consideration of the impact of these activities and their implications for international law, U.S. interests, U.S. polity, and Nicaragua itself. Reagan versus the Sandinistas is designed not only for courses on Latin America, U.S. foreign policy, and international relations, but also for students, scholars, and others interested in understanding one of the most massive, complex efforts—short of direct intervention—organized by the United States to overthrow the government of another country.
The Reagan Wars: A Constitutional Perspective On War Powers And The Presidency
by David Locke HallRonald Reagan's term in office was punctuated by four significant employments of military force: the deployment of Marines to Lebanon; the intervention in Grenada; the air strikes against Libya; and the deployment of naval forces to the Persian Gulf. In the aftermath of each of these military operations, critics questioned the constitutional basis for such unilateral presidential war-making, arguing that Congress alone is empowered to declare war. Debates over whether the President failed to comply with the statutory requirements of the War Powers Resolution further complicated these constitutional disagreements. In The Reagan Wars, David Hall seeks to overcome a key source of confusion in these heated debates—the failure to distinguish between the wisdom of Reagan's actions and their legality. He demonstrates that the circumstances under which the Constitution permits unilateral presidential war-making were present when President Reagan waged war between 1980 and 1988. Hall first considers the thinking of the Constitution's Framers on the question of war powers and the subsequent two hundred years of judicial interpretation regarding the proper balance between congressional and presidential authority to make war. In light of this historical background, he then closely examines the facts and the legal circumstances of each of the four "Reagan wars." Hall's thought-provoking conclusions deserve the attention of anyone interested in the role of the Constitution in U.S. foreign policy-making.
The Reagan Wit
by Bill AdlerLegendary for his clever gibes, bits of wisdom, and ability to laugh at himself, Ronald Reagan endeared himself to the public from the moment he entered the political arena. Few presidents have been so frequently quoted for their one-liners or quick comebacks. Now, for the first time, The Reagan Wit offers the Reagan humor in hundreds of quotations, both famous and unfamiliar, from every phase of his life, all in his own words. Following Reagan through his youth, college years, military service, acting career, two terms as governor of California, presidency, and post-presidency, The Reagan Wit takes a look at endless priceless moments. Included here are well-known gems like Honey, I forgot to duck (after the assassination attempt on him) as well as lesser-known but equally entertaining statements such as, Im not worried about the deficit: its big enough to take care of itself, capturing the charm that has made Reagan a revered figure. Whether hes playing a mischievous college prank, cajoling his staff members, or jousting with the press, The Reagan Wit gives an all-encompassing and hilarious portrait of Reagans remarkable comic timing.
Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980
by Rick PerlsteinA NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2020 From the bestselling author of Nixonland and The Invisible Bridge comes the dramatic conclusion of how conservatism took control of American political power.Over two decades, Rick Perlstein has published three definitive works about the emerging dominance of conservatism in modern American politics. With the saga&’s final installment, he has delivered yet another stunning literary and historical achievement. In late 1976, Ronald Reagan was dismissed as a man without a political future: defeated in his nomination bid against a sitting president of his own party, blamed for President Gerald Ford&’s defeat, too old to make another run. His comeback was fueled by an extraordinary confluence: fundamentalist preachers and former segregationists reinventing themselves as militant crusaders against gay rights and feminism; business executives uniting against regulation in an era of economic decline; a cadre of secretive &“New Right&” organizers deploying state-of-the-art technology, bending political norms to the breaking point—and Reagan&’s own unbending optimism, his ability to convey unshakable confidence in America as the world&’s &“shining city on a hill.&” Meanwhile, a civil war broke out in the Democratic party. When President Jimmy Carter called Americans to a new ethic of austerity, Senator Ted Kennedy reacted with horror, challenging him for reelection. Carter&’s Oval Office tenure was further imperiled by the Iranian hostage crisis, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, near-catastrophe at a Pennsylvania nuclear plant, aviation accidents, serial killers on the loose, and endless gas lines. Backed by a reenergized conservative Republican base, Reagan ran on the campaign slogan &“Make America Great Again&”—and prevailed. Reaganland is the story of how that happened, tracing conservatives&’ cutthroat strategies to gain power and explaining why they endure four decades later.
The Reagans: Portrait of a Marriage
by Anne Edwards"One evening in mid-February 1952 Edith Luckett Davis and . Dr. Loyal Davis, parents of thirty-year-old Hollywood contract player Nancy Davis, were sitting down to eat dinner at their Scottsdale, Arizona, home when the telephone rang. Edith answered it. Ronald Reagan, a forty-one-year-old divorced movie star of waning celebrity, and father of two, was on the line. "He asked me for Dr. Loyal Davis and I said who wants to speak to him and he said Ronald Reagan," Edith, a onetime touring road actress known for her out-front responses, recalled. "I thought what the hell's he doing calling Loyal? I didn't know what it was for. I said, 'Just a minute.' I went in and said to Loyal, 'Ronald Reagan wants to speak to you.' And he said, "Me?" And I said, 'Get to that phone 'cause I want to know what in hell he wants.' Anyway, Loyal went to the phone. He said, 'That's interesting.[in answer to Reagan's admission that he wanted to marry Nancy]. Are you sure you can [support her]? Yes [when Reagan asked if he approved].' And they talked and after [they hung up] Loyal said to me, 'He wants to marry Nancy.' And I said, 'Oh, go on!' He said, 'No, I'm not kidding. He wants to marry Nancy.' And I said, 'That's very exciting, very exciting.' 'Then she called and I said, 'Why in hell is that man calling your father for this?' And she said ..."
Reagan's America: Innocents at Home
by Garry WillsNew York Times Bestseller: A &“remarkable and evenhanded study of Ronald Reagan&” from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Lincoln at Gettysburg (The New York Times). Updated with a new preface by the author, this captivating biography of America&’s fortieth president recounts Ronald Reagan&’s life—from his poverty-stricken Illinois childhood to his acting career to his California governorship to his role as commander in chief—and examines the powerful myths surrounding him, many of which he created himself. Praised by some for his sunny optimism and old-fashioned rugged individualism, derided by others for being a politician out of touch with reality, Reagan was both a popular and polarizing figure in the 1980s United States, and continues to fascinate us as a symbol. In Reagan&’s America, Garry Wills reveals the realities behind Reagan&’s own descriptions of his idyllic boyhood, as well as the story behind his leadership of the Screen Actors Guild, the role religion played in his thinking, and the facts of his military service. With a wide-ranging and balanced assessment of both the personal and political life of this outsize American icon, the author of such acclaimed works as What Jesus Meant and The Kennedy Imprisonment &“elegantly dissects the first U.S. President to come out of Hollywood&’s dream factory [in] a fascinating biography whose impact is enhanced by techniques of psychological profile and social history&” (Los Angeles Times).
Reagan's Comeback
by Gilbert GarciaNever before has the story been told of the dramatic turning point when Ronald Reagan found his voice as a presidential contender and overcame the Republican establishment. Reagan's Comeback is the story of how one state, one man, and one month changed national politics forever. Chronicling how Reagan's political career nearly ended, this turnabout story is told by those who made it happen: campaign volunteers, financiers, political activists, and media observers. Positioning Reagan to win in 1980, the birth of the "Reagan Democrat" transformed Texas from Democratic stronghold to the reliably Republican powerhouse it is today, since producing five Republican presidential candidates and two Republican presidents, with more to follow. Reagan's rise and victory against Ford in 1976 mirrors the current climate between the Tea Party movement and the GOP. With the 2012 election in sight, there is no better time to finally tell the whole story of how the Reagan Revolution found its launching point.
Reagan's Comeback
by Gilbert GarciaNever before has the story been told of the dramatic turning point when Ronald Reagan found his voice as a presidential contender and overcame the Republican establishment. Reagan's Comeback is the story of how one state, one man, and one month changed national politics forever. Chronicling how Reagan's political career nearly ended, this turnabout story is told by those who made it happen: campaign volunteers, financiers, political activists, and media observers. Positioning Reagan to win in 1980, the birth of the "Reagan Democrat" transformed Texas from Democratic stronghold to the reliably Republican powerhouse it is today, since producing five Republican presidential candidates and two Republican presidents, with more to follow. Reagan's rise and victory against Ford in 1976 mirrors the current climate between the Tea Party movement and the GOP. With the 2012 election in sight, there is no better time to finally tell the whole story of how the Reagan Revolution found its launching point.
Reagan's Disciple: George W. Bush's Troubled Quest for a Presidential Legacy
by Carl M. Cannon Lou CannonAn insightful examination of what remains of the Reagan agenda in the Bush era by a father/son reporting team that has covered six of the last seven presidencies
Reagan's Journey
by Margot MorrellA RENOWNED LEADERSHIP EXPERT EXAMINES THE LIFE OF R ONALD REAGAN, EXTRACTING THE KEY C OMPONENTS OF HIS IMMENSE S UCCESS--PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL--AND OFFERS AN ILLUMINATING MODEL F OR LEADERS AND MANAGERS IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE. Since leaving office, Ronald Reagan has emerged as among America's greatest-- and best-loved--leaders. Today he is known as "the Great Communicator," but in the course of his sixty-year career, Reagan faced obstacles and hardships that could have stalled him at any point along the way. After every disaster, he picked himself up and kept moving forward. How did he manage his career and handle the hurdles involved in transitioning from actor and union official into a public speaker in high demand and from there into an extraordinarily successful politician? What can we learn from the way the perennial "new kid in town" muscled through adversities, maintained his focus, stayed true to his principles, and achieved his goals? In a compelling narrative that is both a motivational leadership teaching tool and a fascinating biography, bestselling author Margot Morrell sheds light on the challenges and heartbreaks that shaped Ronald Reagan. Four times his life slammed into a brick wall: his 1948 divorce from actress Jane Wyman; the termination of his long-standing contract with Warner Bros.; the end of his eight-year association with General Electric; and a hard-fought loss to President Gerald Ford in the 1976 primary campaign. Setting politics and policies largely aside, Morrell highlights the strategies and tactics Ronald Reagan used to transform himself from shy introvert to confident communicator; the methods and tools he employed to keep his career on track; and the skills he developed that led to his many accomplishments. Each chapter of Reagan's Journey is followed by summary bullet points and an essential overview titled "Working It In," to facilitate these lessons into your formation as a leader. Anyone interested in strengthening their leadership and communications skills, becoming more resilient in the face of setbacks, or taking their careers to the next level will find practical and useful lessons in the life of Ronald Reagan.
Reagan's Legacy in a World Transformed
by Jeffrey L. ChidesterReagan's Legacy in a World Transformed offers a timely retrospective on the fortieth president's policies and impact on today's world, from the influence of free market ideas on economic globalization, to the role of an assertive military in U.S. foreign policy, to reduction of nuclear arsenals in the interest of stability.
Reagan’s Mythical America
by Jan HanskaAmerican Storyverse introduces narratology as a relevant approach to the study of any US President, but especially Ronald Reagan. While initially much of the research conducted into the Reagan presidency was highly critical, many of the books written lately have been more like hagiographies. Reagan has been subjected to almost a worshipful attitude in the past two decades (see e. g. D'Souza 1997, Kengor 2006, Wallison 2003), and only recently more level-headed and objective studies have begun to emerge (see e. g. Wilentz 2008). There is a need to keep researching Reagan, but by taking new stances and original approaches. Hanska introduces a new interpretation of Reagan's success that goes beyond explaining his rhetoric. He takes a more comprehensive view by arguing that Reagan's political leadership focused on the use of stories as factual tools of policymaking. Reagan was a man fond of stories and his tendency to illustrate even the most confounding political challenges in short anecdotes and parables are an example of his ability as a storyteller. But that was not the whole scope of his narrative-based policies. The main argument is that with the aid of multiple stories about America, the American Way of Life and especially the American Dream Reagan narrated into existence a mythical America, which could be characterized as America where all its highest aspirations and ideals were manifested. This was not the world Americans lived in, but with aid of the ability of stories to create alternative realities or storyworlds (Herman 2004) of their own Reagan managed to alter the perception of people about the country they lived in. Instead of the mere storyworld that is built in the narrates interaction with the story Hanska introduce a concept of 'storyverse' to illustrate how such a complex and multifaceted storytelling as Reagan's was able to knit storylines into a 'storyweb' where common-sensical, ideological, cultural, political, mythical and even religious beliefs worked as snares to draw the audience into accepting one storyline and by following it deeper into the narrative superstructure were enticed to accept more and more beliefs without even consciously noticing their influence. Reagan's mythical America was not the United States of America that exists with clear boundaries on the map, but rather an imagined community that people were happy to inhabit. It was a place of everyday heroism and good deeds, love within families and communities, a land where indeed there always was a 'new morning for America. ' The skillful storytelling created an entire storyverse of belief of what it meant to be an American and a part of this mythical community and by maneuvering people in and out of different storyworlds within the entire metanarrative Reagan was able to immerse the citizenry in his storyverse and exclude politically disadvantageous factors almost completely. Of course, just as in every story, the audience needs to accept it as worth listening to, and this requires belief. This explains why Reagan was simultaneously loved and hated by the citizens. There was no middle ground. If one chose not to accept Reagan's political vision of America as fundamentally 'true, ' they were strongly opposed to all Reagan stood for.
Reagan's Path to Victory
by Martin Anderson Annelise Anderson Kiron K. Skinner George P. ShultzIn the last years of Ronald Reagan's life, his voluminous writings on politics, policy, and people finally emerged and offered a Rosetta stone by which to understand him. From 1975 to 1979, in particular, he delivered more than 1,000 radio addresses, of which he wrote at least 680 himself. When drafts of his addresses were first discovered, and a selection was published in 2001 as Reagan, In His Own Hand by the editors of this book, they caused a sensation by revealing Reagan as a prolific and thoughtful writer, who covered a wide variety of topics and worked out the agenda that would drive his presidency. What was missed in that thematic collection, however, was the development of his ideas over time. Now, in Reagan's Path to Victory, a chronological selection of more than 300 addresses with historical context supplied by the editors, readers can see how Reagan reacted to the events that defined the Carter years and how he honed his message in the crucial years before his campaign officially began. The late 1970s were tumultuous times. In the aftermath of Vietnam and Watergate, America's foreign and domestic policies were up for grabs. Reagan argued against the Panama Canal treaties, in vain; against the prevailing view that the Vietnam War was an ignoble enterprise from the start; against détente with the Soviet Union; against the growth of regulation; and against the tax burden. Yet he was fundamentally an optimist, who presented positive, values-based prescriptions for the economy and for Soviet relations. He told many inspiring stories; he applauded charities and small businesses that worked to overcome challenges. As Reagan's Path to Victory unfolds, Reagan's essays reveal a presidential candidate who knew himself and knew his positions, who presented a stark alternative to an incumbent administration, and who knew how to reach out and touch voters directly. Reagan's Path to Victory is nothing less than a president's campaign playbook, in his own words.