How Reagan Fooled Us (His Fascinating Letters)

Andrewsullivan.com ^ | 9/30/03 | Andrew Sullivan

[camle]

reagan didn't fool you, the people you listened to, his critics fooled you. you bought the lies, and it wasn't Reagan's fault, it was yours.

speaking to the author, of course.

[Congressman Billybob]

Thanks to Andrew Sullivan for writing on this subject. The conclusion is clear. Ronald Reagan was a "good man." Being genuine and honest at his core, most of what he did as a public man, turned out well.

That is the central nature of the four Presidents who appear on Mount Rushmore. That is the central nature of all the Presidents other than those, who would merit inclusion if the monument were to expand.

George Bush is also a "good man." None of the Democrats now trying to take is place are "good men," nor can one "good man" be cobbled together from the lot of them, piece by piece. And yet, being a "good man" cannot be the basis of any campaign for office; it is an historical judgment that can only be made in the fullness of time -- as Sullivan has just done concerning Reagan.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, "Democrats Dancing to Tunes of Glory?," discussion thread on FR. Article also on ChronWatch.

[xzins]

I remember my emotion when Reagan left office. Solemn and misty. There were little things in his presentations that showed his heart was in what he was saying.

I'd vote for Reagan in his prime over anyone in politics before or since. Anyone.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

speaking to the author, of course

Give Sullivan credit for admitting he was wrong. That's often harder to do than being right all along. And it's a terrific piece, besides. I wish I had been older when Reagan was President. I was 16 when he left office, and thus still in the grip of the public school system.

I even once taped myself doing a parody of the coverage of the assassination attempt on Reagan (I was 9 at the time). Though I poked fun at Ronnie in that little taped skit, I was pretty clued-in about TV news and their superficial coverage. I think I had the anchorman seriously intoning about something trivial, like some shmoe stubbing his toe, and then audibly brightening to segue into "And on the LIGHTER side, Ronald Reagan was shot today!"

I think I was a nascent Republican even then, though I didn't know it yet.

[ClearCase_guy]

Who doesn't have a view about George W. Bush, for example? And yet the public image of this crude, swaggering cowboy is flatly contradicted by almost everyone who knows him.

I know the piece is about Reagan, but I can't stop myself from calling attention to this. Bush's approval ratings are very high (certainly over 50%). Why then does Sullivan speak of a "public image" of him as a crude, swaggering cowboy? Certainly the majority of the public does not hold his image in their mind: they like him as a suitable leader for this great country.

This "public" image Sullivan refers to is the image that has been crafted by leftists in the media and who are trying to sway the public with this image. Sullivan (in a small way) assists that effort when he accepts the "fact" that the public image of Bush is that of a crude,swaggerign cowboy. It's a lie. Call the leftists on it. It is not enough to note that people who know Bush don't feel that way. THE PUBLIC doesn't feel that way either!

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

Somehow I don't think Bush would be all that offended at being called a crude, swaggering cowboy. But as a politician, he's smart enough to know that for a large minority of the country, that's a negative connotation.

[Redleg Duke]

My favorite and most treasured Reagan quote, one that I live by, is: "It is amazing what can be accomplished when you don't worry about who gets the credit!"

[Redleg Duke]

Agreed. In order to be a "good man", you must have a core honesty and decency. None of the Democrat Wannabes have this. They are all phoney, superficial suits with nothing underneath.

[gitmo]

This was all known when he was president. Reagan wrote books while in the White House, but that was never even mentioned in the mainstream press. He gave weekly radio addresses, and his radio addresses from before his presidency were available.

The national press ignored his cunning intellect. They attributed everything to Hollywood packaging.

[Ronin]

A bump for the Greatest American of our time.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

After a few hours devouring the book, I couldn't find a single letter in which he didn't try to end on a conciliatory or friendly note. Well, one. It was to a ornery conservative activist who, early in Reagan's first term as president, had accused the president of selling out conservative principles. Reagan concluded: "And I must be honest and tell you I don't believe I am guilty of dividing and, yes, destroying the conservative movement at the very moment it has the greatest opportunity to reshape government philosophy it has ever had. But someone is." That someone was his correspondent, a man still throwing rhetorical bombs anywhere he can. But Reagan never sent the letter.

That paragraph says a lot.

[Shery]

Fortunately for us the letters and contents of his memoirs were not sealed for 50 years...which makes you wonder why others would demand theirs be?

[alnick]

It was to a ornery conservative activist who, early in Reagan's first term as president, had accused the president of selling out conservative principles.

That sounds all too familiar. :o)

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Wonder what his FR handle is?

[Richard Kimball]

Ronald Reagan was the greatest President of the 20th Century. I knew that when I voted for him, and I always knew how smart he was. Course, I started disliking Dan Rather early, to avoid the rush.

[Ronin]

Any guesses on who he was talking about?

I vote for Pat.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

My guess was Viguerie.

[BibChr]

Yes.

I think Reagan was one of the most "misunderestimated" public men of the last century.

Though he's no Reagan in all particulars, I think we've got another one in the White House right now.

Dan

[Reagan Man]

As time passes, we are shown more and more of the true superior human qualities and intellectual genius that was Ronald Reagan. He was a good man, a fine American and a great President. At the same time, we can better understand the the reasoning behind the liberal establishments many years of incessent insults and smears leveled at Reagan and what it was all about. Not only did the left respect Reagan and they did, more importantly liberals feared Reagan and for good reason. Reagan challenged the liberal philosophy at every opportunity and faced their meanspirited nature head on. He fought attempts to degrade his values and beliefs through tough and honest political rhetoric and personal good humor.

I think America has missed Ronald Reagan and could use some of his fabled wisdom and politics of principle and conviction. Long live The Gipper.