Reagan's Radio Commentary Program before he ran for President? Anyone remember?

[motife]

After Reagan retired as California Governor, he began to do nightly commentary on a syndicated radio broadcast. The vignettes were about 3 to 5 minutes in length.

Anyone remember these? They were broadcast here in Iowa both on WMT Cedar Rapids and WHO Des Moines.

I'm wondering if any of these are archived on the internet.

As a direct result of these broadcasts, after Reagan became president, he started the tradition of Saturday morning radio broadcasts to the nation by the President. I was hoping Bush would mention that today.

[JennysCool]

They were great!

"This is Ronald Reagan -- Thanks for listening!"

[A.A. Cunningham]

radio

[bayourod]

In the 60's they were made available to public schools for use in civic clases. Coach Johnson showed them frequently. Was it Westinghouse?

[angkor]

C-SPAN was running them unedited and back-to-back for a good while the other day, so they are definitely archived and available from somewhere.

I'll poke around and post the results.

[ChocChipCookie]

Weren't these published in a book? I know that I have them on a set of CDs I received as a gift last year. They're excellent, and I was amazed by how relevant they are, still.

[elbucko]

Anyone remember these?

Yes! They were broadcast on KABC radio in the Los Angeles area in the morning. Michael Jackson, (not the pop star) the Lefty radio host used to chuckle on the air after Reagan's radio commentary and make some wise a$$ remark about Reagan's ideas.

As you know the rest is history. Reagan became president and I enjoyed Jacksons tears on the radio as he lamented the loss (?) of Jimmy Carter. Jackson dogged Reagan for years until Rush Limbaugh made Jackson, as the English say; "redundant".

I'd like to have a copy of those commentaries too. I hope the Reagan Library can eventually put the commentaries into a cd collection.

I've been a Reagan supporter since he first ran for CA Governor. I am so proud of the man and feel all the work put into Goldwater and other conservative causes paid off.

[JOE6PAK]

When I was 17 and working in a machine shop back in NJ, this old guy would have it on and make us all listen. Made perfect sense.

Like when Rush first kicked in.

[Captain Peter Blood]

Yes I have that book. I have just started it and having read a a couple I find some of them just as relevant today as when he did them.
Name of the book is "Reagan in his own Hand"

[Quilla]

My father always piped them through the intercom in our house. I remember listening and thinking the exact same thing - he made perfect sense. I think that's when I woke up and started paying attention to politics and government. Smart men - both of them.

[angkor]

The Reagan Library is selling them for $30.00 on CD (click on image below), but I'm gonna' look for a bit more to see if they're available on the Internet.

REAGAN IN HIS OWN VOICE: Ronald Reagan?s Radio Addresses Edited and with commentary by Kiron K. Skinner, Annelise Anderson, Martin Anderson, Introduction by George P. Shultz. A collection of Ronald Reagan?s radio addresses from 1975-1979. (5 CDs, running time: approximately 6 hours) #CDD009 $30.00

[krb]

You can buy them on CD (shown above). They are very nice pieces of Reagan history.

The last address, the one right before he announced for president in 1979, gives me goodbumps.

[timpad]

if they're available on the Internet

Got mine at www.audible.com

[angkor]

Thanks for the tip. And a good price too.

For you other folks:

1) Go to www.audible.com
2)On the left-middle (under "Site Demo") go to Search
3) Enter Reagan
4) Click on "Reagan in His Own Voice -- Ronald Reagan"

You'll need an Audible.com account, but once done you can download the whole compilation of speeches for $16.95

[Uncle Hal]

I remember the radio broadcasts well. The were on KABC in LA. At the tine of the broadcasts, in the late 70's, Reagan had an office in the same building as I worked at in the Westwood section of LA. I would occasionally see him in the lobby or elevator. Always had a smile and said hello to everyone.

[NavyCanDo]

Saturday's "Republican Radio" on KTTH plays one each week.
They are Great.

[Rockingham]

I heard some of Reagan's radio shows while I was attending Tulane University in New Orleans. They were broadcast at noon on WDSU AM and I could sometimes catch them between classes.

Reagan spoke at Tulane in 1973. I briefly met him then at a reception, but the real treat was hearing him speak.

Reagan utterly disarmed a large and mostly hostile student audience and got a respectful hearing. He urged that they were bright kids who could think for themselves. They should therefore take nothing for granted, even liberalism, but should check the facts themselves and give conservative policies and principles fair consideration.

Reagan's modest and reasonable claims and his transparent sincerity and good will effectively played against the stereotype of him promoted by the Left as a mean and sinister fascist. I had several Lefty friends who were so flummoxed that they conceded to me that Reagan seemed an OK guy.