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Ronald Reagan: Presidents
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Ronald Reagan's political allies and political enemies alike stood together in sorrow, sharing the loss of the man who had reshaped American politics, fueled patriotism and earned their respect. Grown men wept, and put their hands over their hearts to salute the president upon his arrival.
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Ronald Wilson Reagan rode to the presidency in 1980 on a tide of resurgent right-wing sentiment among an electorate longing for a distant, simpler era. He left office in Jan. 1989 with two-thirds of the American people approving his performance during his two terms. It was the highest rating for any retiring president since World War II.
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Reagan tried to gain the Republican presidential nomination in 1968, and again in 1976 over the incumbent Gerald Ford, but was defeated at the Republican Convention. He succeeded in gaining the Republican nomination in 1980. The campaign, led by William J. Casey, was greatly affected by the Iran hostage crisis; most analysts believe President Jimmy Carter's inability to solve the hostage crisis played a large role to Reagan's victory against him in the 1980 election. Reagan's showing in the presidential debates boosted his campaign. He seemed more at ease, almost making fun of the president with remarks like "There you go again," though these did not need to be factual rebuttals to be effective. Perhaps his most influential remark was a closing question to the audience, during a time of skyrocketing global oil prices and highly unpopular Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, "Are you better off than you were four years ago?"
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Reagan's effort to transform the federal judiciary through his appointments began to draw heavy political fire. The Department of Justice became the focus of attention for Reagan's critics on the issue of the courts. Under his first attorney general, William French Smith, and especially later during the second term under Smith's replacement, Edwin Meese III, the Department of Justice went about the business of picking judges with a precision never before seen. The newly created Office of Legal Policy screened potential nominees with great care in an effort to fulfill the president's wish to have on the bench those who shared his views on the nature and extent of judicial power.
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In 1942, during World War II, Reagan entered the Army as a second lieutenant. He was disqualified for combat duty because of poor eyesight, and he spent the next four years making military training films. He then returned to acting. After his Army experiences, Reagan, then a Democrat, became more politically conservative. He served as president of the Screen Actor's Guild from 1947 to 1952. He later appeared on television as the host of "General Electric Theater" and "Death Valley Days." Reagan had married Jane Wyman, an actress, in 1940.
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Nearly four years later, on March 4, 1952, Reagan married the woman he would spend the rest of his life with, actress Nancy Davis. Their love for one another was obvious. Even during Reagan's years as president, he would frequently write her love notes. In October 1952 their daughter Patricia was born and in May 1958 Nancy gave birth to their son Ronald.
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