“Ronald Reagan”
...hit a rough spot in his acting career and landed a job going around to speak to car dealerships, IIRC. That’s where he acquired his political chops, by speaking directly with people all over.
I remember watching his 1964 speech live, on a little bitty tv with my folks while we were at a church camp. We were shocked that this was Ronald Reagan, and we all erupted with amazement at the end of it. Reagan’s speech was electrifying, and my dad did something he’d never done before. He called the convention long distance and talked to someone, wanting Reagan to be nominated.
I remember going to the dining room table and watching my dad phoning the convention on one of those old, black phones with the big cordsm, which sat on a little, hip-level phone stand. The room was hot, and the carmel-colored, oak (?) table had a whitish tablecloth on it.
The conversation seemed to last forever, as I look back now; I knew it was a big (read expensive) thing for my dad to do. I sat, leaning my head on my folded arm, just watching my dad in awe. He had on a thin, blue, seersucker shirt. and his usual white t-shirt, talking all the while the little B&W TV played in the corner of the other room. I watched both at the same time, but mostly, my dad.
oops
cords,