Source: H.W. Brands. Reagan: The Life (2015)
Some enter politics seeking power, but Ronald Reagan entered politics wanting attention. Unlike Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, who were about power and making their marks on history, Reagan merely wanted a large audience, notice, and applause . . . he craved the political stage.
In the early-1960s, the ratings for General Electric Theater were slipping; the format was outdated compared to most other programs. In 1961, the Justice Department launched a probe into price-fixing, and GE was the prime target; JFK's election as President had shifted the political landscape towards Liberalism and Big Government. Reagan was bucking the political tide with his conservative speeches, and GE didn't want their profile to be any greater than what it already was with the government. GE offered to let Reagan do GE commercials if he would stop talking conservative politics when he was representing the company. In 1962, Reagan formally refused GE's offer, and GE canceled their TV show, completely severing ties with Reagan.
In the early-1960s, the ratings for General Electric Theater were slipping; the format was outdated compared to most other programs. In 1961, the Justice Department launched a probe into price-fixing, and GE was the prime target; JFK's election as President had shifted the political landscape towards Liberalism and Big Government. Reagan was bucking the political tide with his conservative speeches, and GE didn't want their profile to be any greater than what it already was with the government. GE offered to let Reagan do GE commercials if he would stop talking conservative politics when he was representing the company. In 1962, Reagan formally refused GE's offer, and GE canceled their TV show, completely severing ties with Reagan.
Reagan was unemployed during the most dire moment of the Cold War: the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. The Cold War was in Europe, Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America, especially with Fidel Castro in Cuba. Soviet missiles in Cuba gave U.S. leaders a sobering taste of the elixir that the USSR was drinking in terms of the proximity of enemy nuclear missiles.
In the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the growing US involvement in Vietnam, and JFK's Assassination, Reagan had the opportunity to publicize his conversion to Republican Conservatism (he had long been a "New Deal Democrat"). Republicans were split, some believing that the moderate President Eisenhower was too accommodating, not only to liberals, but also to the USSR. These conservatives pointed to the expanded role of the federal government, the main reason being Social Security. These conservative Republicans were concerned that the Grand Old Party was actually losing its political soul. (Pictured: an ad promoting a conservative speech by Reagan while he was still employed with General Electric)
In the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the growing US involvement in Vietnam, and JFK's Assassination, Reagan had the opportunity to publicize his conversion to Republican Conservatism (he had long been a "New Deal Democrat"). Republicans were split, some believing that the moderate President Eisenhower was too accommodating, not only to liberals, but also to the USSR. These conservatives pointed to the expanded role of the federal government, the main reason being Social Security. These conservative Republicans were concerned that the Grand Old Party was actually losing its political soul. (Pictured: an ad promoting a conservative speech by Reagan while he was still employed with General Electric)
Senator Barry Goldwater (AZ) was the best of the conservative Republicans to promote for high office. While he rode Eisenhower's coattails to the Senate, Goldwater called Ike's policies "A Dime Store New Deal". Easily re-elected to the Senate in 1958, Goldwater appealed to millions of American conservatives; he lamented the growth of Big Government, but supported a large military in order to meet the threat of international communism, especially from the USSR.
Goldwater favored equality, but he opposed Civil Rights on the political belief that the states should have the authority with legislation on that issue, not the federal government. Goldwater was contested in the Republican primaries by Nelson Rockefeller (pictured: Goldwater is to the right), the Governor of New York. Goldwater edged Rockefeller in the California primary, which gave Goldwater a decided advantage in the Republican National Convention in the Cow Palace in San Francisco.
Goldwater favored equality, but he opposed Civil Rights on the political belief that the states should have the authority with legislation on that issue, not the federal government. Goldwater was contested in the Republican primaries by Nelson Rockefeller (pictured: Goldwater is to the right), the Governor of New York. Goldwater edged Rockefeller in the California primary, which gave Goldwater a decided advantage in the Republican National Convention in the Cow Palace in San Francisco.
The Republican National Convention of 1964 was perhaps the ugliest in the 108 year history of the party. Western conservatives howled and heckled the moderate Rockefeller, and then used his divorce and remarriage as an issue to sidetrack his nomination; conservatives were not about to let a divorced man be their party's nominee for President.
Moderates tried every trick they knew to keep Goldwater from becoming their party's candidate, even during the "11th Hour", but Goldwater and his supporters had a lock on the nomination. Goldwater became the nominee with 883 delegates, William Scranton (Governor of PA) finished second with 214, and Rockefeller finished a very distant third with 114 delegates.
During his acceptance speech, Goldwater stated "extremism in the defense of liberty . . . is no vice . . . and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue"; conservative Republicans were elated. But conservatives soon discovered that they had nominated an unelectable candidate for the Election of 1964: President Lyndon Johnson received the highest percentage of the popular vote in history, .611, to Goldwater's .385.
Moderates tried every trick they knew to keep Goldwater from becoming their party's candidate, even during the "11th Hour", but Goldwater and his supporters had a lock on the nomination. Goldwater became the nominee with 883 delegates, William Scranton (Governor of PA) finished second with 214, and Rockefeller finished a very distant third with 114 delegates.
During his acceptance speech, Goldwater stated "extremism in the defense of liberty . . . is no vice . . . and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue"; conservative Republicans were elated. But conservatives soon discovered that they had nominated an unelectable candidate for the Election of 1964: President Lyndon Johnson received the highest percentage of the popular vote in history, .611, to Goldwater's .385.
Goldwater's main motivation for asking Reagan to give the "Time For Choosing" TV/radio address (27 October 1964) so close to the election was to try and woo as many Southern Democrats to vote for Goldwater as possible. The speech was a huge success for Reagan; no speech in US History did more to launch a political career. True, William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" Speech in 1896, and Abraham Lincoln's "Cooper Union Address" in 1860 were significant, but both were already in politics . . . Reagan had never held any elected office . . . he had never even run for an elected office.
Reagan had only been a Republican for two years, and with one speech, he was viewed as the #1 conservative Republican after Goldwater's disastrous showing in the Election of 1964. Almost immediately, Reagan was being mentioned as a Republican candidate for the Governor of California. Democratic Governor Pat Brown's second term expired in 1966, and many California Republicans viewed Reagan as their chance to win the state's highest political office.
Reagan had only been a Republican for two years, and with one speech, he was viewed as the #1 conservative Republican after Goldwater's disastrous showing in the Election of 1964. Almost immediately, Reagan was being mentioned as a Republican candidate for the Governor of California. Democratic Governor Pat Brown's second term expired in 1966, and many California Republicans viewed Reagan as their chance to win the state's highest political office.
Reagan (pictured riding a horse at his ranch in 1965) and the Republicans in California faced obstacles, especially because the state had overwhelmingly voted for LBJ in 1964. Also, Reagan didn't have political experience, and he had been a Democrat for most of his 53 years . . . and many still viewed him as too conservative. Added to the hurdles in place was that Reagan hated flying, and preferred to travel by train, which drastically reduced the number of campaign appearances he could make.
But Reagan was a Southern Californian, and that's where most of the votes were located, and his apparent Republican opponent for the nomination was a Northern Californian. Reagan had the advantage of coming through great on television, and when Reagan spoke, it was on broad principles instead of political details. Reagan did attack moderate Republicans, stating that the moderates were the main reason for Goldwater's defeat. Despite his popularity in California, Reagan remained noncommittal about running for governor.
But Reagan was a Southern Californian, and that's where most of the votes were located, and his apparent Republican opponent for the nomination was a Northern Californian. Reagan had the advantage of coming through great on television, and when Reagan spoke, it was on broad principles instead of political details. Reagan did attack moderate Republicans, stating that the moderates were the main reason for Goldwater's defeat. Despite his popularity in California, Reagan remained noncommittal about running for governor.
For conservatives in the 1960s, the decade was the worst of times; tradition and stability were challenged as had rarely occurred before. But at the peak of Liberalism, when LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, he commented to journalist Bill Moyers that he thought that he just delivered the South to the Republicans for a very long time.
But, ironically, the 1960s were the best of times for conservatives as well, in that there was a sense of lawlessness and disorder that galvanized conservatives into action across the nation. Race riots occurred in Harlem, Philadelphia, Rochester (NY), and Jersey City in 1964, and then the Watts Riot (headline pictured to the left) started just days after LBJ signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law. (the only African-Americans that were safe during the riot were those that shouted "Burn Baby Burn"). Until 1965, the main complaint of conservatives was that the federal government was too large, but with the race riots, conservatives actually started to think that the federal government might be too small to secure law and order.
But, ironically, the 1960s were the best of times for conservatives as well, in that there was a sense of lawlessness and disorder that galvanized conservatives into action across the nation. Race riots occurred in Harlem, Philadelphia, Rochester (NY), and Jersey City in 1964, and then the Watts Riot (headline pictured to the left) started just days after LBJ signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 into law. (the only African-Americans that were safe during the riot were those that shouted "Burn Baby Burn"). Until 1965, the main complaint of conservatives was that the federal government was too large, but with the race riots, conservatives actually started to think that the federal government might be too small to secure law and order.
Conservatives blamed "Bleeding-Heart Liberals" for the lack of law and order in America. Conservatives didn't see poverty and inequality as the main causes of lawlessness and disorder; to conservatives, Liberalism corroded the US character, and the race riots were confirming evidence.
And then, there were the Baby Boomers; they represented the first huge wave of students that hit colleges / universities in the 1960s. These Baby Boomer students demanded autonomy and protested such issues as freedom of speech. The University of California at Berkeley was the first flashpoint; a combination of anti-Establishment and anti-Vietnam activists protested the restrictions of freedom of speech on campus. Conservatives were especially irked by the anti-Vietnam War protesters, whose war model was World War II; many conservatives branded resistance to the draft as sedition, or even treason.
Conservatives, such as Reagan, wondered who was more responsible for what was wrong with America: the over-sized liberal government under LBJ, or the "Long Hair" protesters on college campuses. The question that was most-often asked by conservatives was this: why didn't the federal government do something about the disorder in America? Due to this frustration and anxiety, the stage was set for a conservative backlash to Liberalism, and with the right candidate, Conservatism could rise again . . . the stage was set for Ronald Reagan's entry into politics in the California Gubernatorial Election of 1966.
And then, there were the Baby Boomers; they represented the first huge wave of students that hit colleges / universities in the 1960s. These Baby Boomer students demanded autonomy and protested such issues as freedom of speech. The University of California at Berkeley was the first flashpoint; a combination of anti-Establishment and anti-Vietnam activists protested the restrictions of freedom of speech on campus. Conservatives were especially irked by the anti-Vietnam War protesters, whose war model was World War II; many conservatives branded resistance to the draft as sedition, or even treason.
Conservatives, such as Reagan, wondered who was more responsible for what was wrong with America: the over-sized liberal government under LBJ, or the "Long Hair" protesters on college campuses. The question that was most-often asked by conservatives was this: why didn't the federal government do something about the disorder in America? Due to this frustration and anxiety, the stage was set for a conservative backlash to Liberalism, and with the right candidate, Conservatism could rise again . . . the stage was set for Ronald Reagan's entry into politics in the California Gubernatorial Election of 1966.