Governor and Mrs. Reagan, boating off of California in 1964.
It's going to be a very Reagan week at Mike's America as we count up to the 25th anniversary of President Reagan's first inauguration, which took place on January 20, 1981.
The invitations have been sent and already online celebrants are collecting their thoughts on our nation's 40th President. I'll be putting together excerpts of posts from all those who wish to participate throughout the week and a final blast on the big day, Friday, January 20, 2006. If you would like to participate but have not received an invite, just drop a comment and link back to your post and you'll be added to the "A" list.
You are also welcome to use the image in the invite on your own site.
Remembering Reagan: Personal Memories
One of my favorite photos of President Reagan is the one above where he welcomes Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to the White House, November 16, 1988. I snapped this shot as the Prime Minister paused to thank the honor guard. See the program of this event here. Photo by Mike's America.
Anyone old enough to remember the years of the Carter Presidency can probably sum it up in one word: "malaise" (some prefer "failure"). Whatever word you use, the nation was in trouble. Inflation was rampant, the economy was a mess, our embassy personnel in Iran were being held hostage, the Soviets had invaded Afghanistan, and everywhere you looked, Americans seemed to think our best days were behind us. The only bright spot in those long four years was the Camp David Peace Accords, between Egypt and Israel.
In 1980, Ronald Reagan began his third run for the office of President of the United States. It turned out to be a fortuitous twist of history that he was denied the office until the very time we needed him most.
I first met Ronald and Nancy Reagan in Cincinnatti, Oho in May of that year. Shortly after George H.W. Bush had withdrawn from the race, the Reagan's made a primary campaign stop in Fountain Square. As Mr. Reagan proceded to shake hands at the end of the event, the friend who I had dragged along for the ride, said to him "Pick Bush" for the V.P. slot. Later that day, as Mr. Reagan toured the state with the legendary Governor Rhodes, the Guv as he signed his autograph, told him the same thing.
I would see the Reagan's again at the Republican National Convention in Detroit, Michigan in July. As a Youth Delegate, my job was to make lots of noise in all the right places.
Election night, November 4, 1980 was a great surprise! No one thought we would achieve the spectacular mandate that was granted that night. As the head of the College Republicans at Ohio Wesleyan, I was asked to go on local TV with the student Democrat leader and share my thoughts. I almost felt sorry for the Dem. Later that night, a group of my College Republicans went to the Victory Party near the state capitol in Columbus. It was an electric night.
1980 Election Night festivities at the O'Neil Hotel in downtown Columbus, Ohio. Yours truly is to the far right with the silly hat. Center is Congressman John Ashbrook (R-OH) an early founder of the conservative movement along with Buckley, Goldwater and Reagan. A year later I would be working for his ill-fated Senate campaign.
On the day of President Reagan's first inaugural, I witnessed the event from an area way back on the mall, watched the parades, enjoyed the fireworks and had no idea what incredible history was about to unfold.
Inaugural Parade, January 20, 1981 White House Photograph
Commemorating President Reagan:
City Troll and Always on Watch Up First!
White House Photo
The City Troll's first remembrance was a reprint of the famous "Mr. Gorbachev: TEAR DOWN THIS WALL" speech, delivered June 12, 1987 at the Brandenburg Gate, where the wall divided East and West Berlin.
Always on Watch and another serious reflection:
Always on Watch posts President Reagan's speech at the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp known as Bergen-Belsen. The visit to Bergen-Belsen was moving, but also accompanied by the controversy of a visit to a Bitburg Cemetary where a handful of S.S. officers were among those interred. The President's visit to Bergen-Belsen brought many sad reminders of the nature of evil that has yet to depart from this world, even with our best efforts. Surrounded by reminders of evil President Reagan invoked a sense of hope as he repeated the words of Anne Frank in this excerpt:
And too many of them knew that this was their fate, but that was not the end. Through it all was their faith and a spirit that moved their faith.City Troll offers a further insight into President Reagan, with more timely lessons for today and the Senate confirmation of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. On October 14, 1987 the President delivered a speech on the failing nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. In the speech, President Reagan quotes Robert Bork's own concern for the politicization of the confirmation process:
Nothing illustrates this better than the story of a young girl who died here at Bergen-Belsen. For more than 2 years Anne Frank and her family had hidden from the Nazis in a confined annex in Holland where she kept a remarkably profound diary. Betrayed by an informant, Anne and her family were sent by freight car first to Auschwitz and finally here to Bergen-Belsen.
Just 3 weeks before her capture, young Anne wrote these words: "It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them because in spite of everything I still believe that people are good at heart. I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness. I hear the ever approaching thunder which will destroy us too; I can feel the suffering of millions and yet, if I looked up into the heavens I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end and that peace and tranquility will return again.'' Eight months later, this sparkling young life ended here at Bergen-Belsen. Somewhere here lies Anne Frank.
The process of confirming Justices for our nation's highest court has been transformed in a way that should not and, indeed, must not be permitted to occur again. The tactics and techniques of national political campaigns have been unleashed on the process of confirming judges. That is not simply disturbing; it is dangerous. Federal judges are not appointed to decide cases according to the latest opinion polls; they are appointed to decide cases impartially, according to law. But when judicial nominees are assessed and treated like political candidates, the effect will be to chill the climate in which judicial deliberations take place, to erode public confidence in the impartiality of courts, and to endanger the independence of the judiciary.
Resources for Remembering Reagan
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library has an extensive online collection including buckets of photographs, ALL of his presidential speeches and a page of especially memorable speeches.
The Miller Center at the University of Virginia has a nice collection of Reagan speeches before and during his presidency and provides mp3 audio files as well.
Professor Russell Renka, of the Southeast Missouri State University (Cape Giradeua) has perhaps the best all around collection of links to presidential resources, including his pages on President Reagan. I'd hate to take a test in his class!
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