Ronald Wilson Reagan

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Ronald Wilson Reagan : biography

06 February 1911 – 05 June 2004

President elections – 1976

In 1976 during the elections of the president of USA from the Republican Party Reagan bade defiance to the president Gerald Ford. He designated himself as a conservative candidate, and he used support of such organizations of conservative course, as the American conservative alliance, which became the clue of his political base, while president Gerald Ford was supported by less moderatу republicans.

Reagan’s campaign was built on the strategy, which was made by a manager John Sierce. The strategy consisted in victory of several primary elections before the start of Ford’s campaign. Regan won on the elections in North Caroline, Texas and California, but soon supporting of his campaign became weaker, and he defeated in New-Hampshire and Florida. By the time of the Party convection start Ford was the first and was close to victory. Reagan realized that Party had an influence of the left wing, and he chose a moderate republican and senator Richard Shwaiker as his candidate to vice-presidents. Nevertheless, Ford won, got 1187 votes of delegates against 1070 votes of Reagan.

Reagan’s public speeches concentrated the attention on the danger of nuclear war, which was provided by the Soviet Union. Though he defeated the Party nomination, on the November elections he got 307 notes in elections in New-Hampshire, 388 votes as an independent candidate in Wioming and got one vote of the “negligent voter” from Washington state. As a result Ford defeated president elections to a democrat Jimmy Carter.

President elections – 1980

Regan bade defiance to the president Jimmy Carter. During the campaign rivals were discussing internal situation in the country and the capture of American hostages in Iran. Reagan underlined his fundamental principles: lowering of taxes for economics’ stimulation, decrease of governmental influence on lives of ordinary people, states’ rights and strong national defense.

After receiving a mandate of the Republican Party for presidential elections Reagan chose one of his opponents – George Bush as his candidate for the vice-president. Appearance on the October television debates promoted the growth of his campaign. As a result Reagan won on the elections, got the most number of votes in 44 states, got 489 votes of electors. Carter won in six states and got 49 votes of electors. On the whole number of votes Reagan had 50,7% against Carter’s 41% (6,7% had an independent candidate – a liberal republican John Anderson). At the first time republicans could take 34 additional seats in the Senate, but democrats was majority nevertheless.

“As a result of presidential elections the most reactionary forces of American imperialism under the leadership of Reagan took the power”, – newspapers wrote in USSR.

Reagan as the president 1981-1989

During his governing as the president, which was called Reagan’s revolution, the president carried out politics, which reflected his personal faith in personal freedom. He made serious changes in economic, external and internal politics of USA, raised mortal spirit of Americans, people began to less rely on government. Reagan kept diaries, where he commented daily events and his views about them. In 2007 his diaries were published in the book “Reagan’s diaries”, which became a bestseller.

The first term: 1981-1985

Reagan was the oldest president, who took his post at the age of 69, and the oldest president o the post (77 year old). His first inaugural speech on the 20th of January in 1981, which he wrote by himself, he devoted to the problems of economical disorder of the country. “During the crisis government is not a decision, government is a problem”. When he was making his speech, 52 American hostages were freed in Iran.

On the 30th of March in 1981, after two months of his being the president, he endured an attempt to his life. When he was going out the “Hilton” hotel in Washington, D.C., where Reagan had made a speech, a certain John Hinkly-junior came forward from the crowd and launched six bullets, literally mowed down three of president escort. The president had an injury to the lung with the bullet, which rebounded from the armoured window glass of the limousine. He was immediately sent to a hospital, where he was operated. In spite of advanced age, Reagan recovered quickly from the incident and soon returned to his duties. The three injured also were alive, but one of them, a press-secretary of the president James Brady, became disabled for the whole life.