No, times have changed. The stars will never align just that right way again. We can hope to find others who inspire the same hope, optimism and faith in the future, but Reagan was one of a kind.
Posted on 05/22/2007 5:50:47 AM PDT by IrishMike
Forty years ago, Reagan taught RFK a lesson that ought to be remembered. The life of Ronald Reagan continues to be profiled by an apparent ever-flowing stream of new books. What are surprising are the many new revelations: Just when we thought we knew everything about the man, some enterprising scholar digs up something new. While not a total revelation — it was caught by a few early Reagan biographers — there was an event that occurred 40 years ago this month that has gone underreported and certainly unappreciated. The event concerns not only Reagan’s political life but that of an equally well-known rising star of the time: Robert F. Kennedy. It should be a permanent part of our mental history of Reagan’s rise, if not a permanent video exhibit at the Reagan Library and Museum.
On May 15, 1967, there was a fascinating debate between California’s new Republican governor, Ronald Reagan, and New York’s new Democratic senator, Robert F. Kennedy. The subject: the Vietnam War. The debate was titled “The Image of America and the Youth of the World,” and was billed by CBS as a “Town Meeting of the World.” It was broadcast from 10:00-11:00 P.M. EDT by CBS TV Network and CBS Radio Network. It was produced by later 60 Minutes brainchild Don Hewitt and hosted by CBS News correspondent Charles Collingwood. The debate was watched by a huge audience: 15 million Americans.
There was agreement, including among media sources who revered Bobby Kennedy, from the San Francisco Chronicle to Newsweek, that Reagan overwhelmingly won the debate. “To those unfamiliar with Reagan’s big-league savvy,” reported Newsweek, “the ease with which he fielded questions about Vietnam may have come as a revelation.” Newsweek judged that “political rookie Reagan … left old campaigner Kennedy blinking when the session ended.”
(Excerpt) Read more at article.nationalreview.com ...
A toast you,
Here’s to you gipper.
My father went to see RR when I was in high school. That's why my family became Republican when it wasn't "cricket" in SE Texas. The ONLY Republican we knew took my dad to see RR.
‘Having served in that era the mere mention of Robert Strange McNamara still makes my blood boil!’
I understand that. I feel the same way about Carter, having floated off the coast of Iran for months waiting for the orders that never came, but should have.
If only Carter and McNamara could have switched situations.....ironic, isn’t it?
The Reagan vs JFK debate illustrates perfectly why I’m not a lefty.
And to think that by today’s standards RFK would be a Republican or a marginalized Blue Dog dem. How sad.
How can we get the whole debate up on YouTube?
This is important.
That's nice, but you can't shove one's "culture" down another's throats, nor can you "remake" another's society's in your image. There is something called "human nature" that that global crusaders always fail to take into account.
W is one of the worst speakers I've ever seen. I always get the impression that he is talking down to people as if they are idiots, and his body language makes me cringe. However, his speeches don't seem nearly as bad on the radio.
Interesting that he writes that Bill Bradley was there. Athought he appeared troubled and overwhelmed by the level of bile directed at his country, things changed.
ust last Saturday (or maybe two ago) Bob Costas i/v’ed Bradley on his “Coast-To-Coast” show. He asked Bradley to reflect upon his observation of politician and politics and identify the ONE perso who he thought had the most vision, ability, drive and world understanding (or questions to that effect.
Bradley’s answer was Gorbachev.
Sure, he will. We just haven't recognized him yet.
Many, many thanks for posting this transcript!
“He asked Bradley to reflect upon his observation of politician and politics and identify the ONE perso who he thought had the most vision, ability, drive and world understanding
Bradley’s answer was Gorbachev.”
This should be all you need to know about Bill Bradley.
My thoughts exactly.
For later read
That's because half of all potential stars are excoriated before they get out of the gates, and the rest are dragged down into the usual political gamesmanship before they can get their feet wet. The media-darlings are typically vapid morons spouting the standard liberal line, which cannot withstand even passing cursory investigation.
That, and I think there would have been a psychological phenomenon...his brother had been killed not five years before. There would have been a sympathy vote, also a sense of...I don't know, healing, closing the circle by electing his brother.
No, times have changed. The stars will never align just that right way again. We can hope to find others who inspire the same hope, optimism and faith in the future, but Reagan was one of a kind.
Thanks so much. What a great read!! Damn, I miss that man!
One thing about this debate, though: Reagan knew where he stood on Vietnam.
Kennedy didn't know what to say or do about Vietnam in early 1967.
He could be critical of Johnson, but not too critical, and nowhere near as critical as the students in the audience.
Doubtless he was the poorer debater, but he may not have had much of an idea during the debate of what his public position was or could be or would have to be.
And that may be one reason why his performance was so poor.
If you want to say it amounts to RFK being all flash and no substance, I won't argue ...
The one President in our era who truly was "bigger than a breadbox"!
>I wonder if a man like Ronald Reagan will ever pass this way again.<
A man with the same qualifications IS running today. The people did not recognize Ronald Reagan as the man he proved himself to be. No one thought he could win. But those of us who believed in his capabilities worked very hard until voila! He won!
Today people do not recognize this man either. But those of us who believe in him are working very hard. No flip-flopper, but a consistent Conservative with an admirable record, Duncan Hunter is ready to serve his country - you and me, yours and mine - by securing our borders; by re-negotiating our trade agreement with China, recognizing the danger she presents to America; by preserving our sacred documents; by continuing to work to overrule abortion; by minimizing government. A no frills man’s man who says what he means and means what he says, the time for Duncan Hunter has come. GO DUNCAN HUNTER!
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