Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:01,292 --> 00:00:06,006
[airplane engine humming]
2
00:00:07,173 --> 00:00:10,969
[man] Hey, hey. Hey. Hey, hey.
Gentlemen?
3
00:00:13,096 --> 00:00:15,015
[indistinct conversations]
4
00:00:15,056 --> 00:00:16,766
[man] All right? All right.
5
00:00:16,808 --> 00:00:19,352
[man] Glad to have you
in Mississippi.
6
00:00:19,394 --> 00:00:21,312
Governor,
welcome to Mississippi.
7
00:00:21,354 --> 00:00:22,897
Thank you so much
for coming again.
8
00:00:22,939 --> 00:00:26,860
Dramatic music
9
00:00:26,901 --> 00:00:31,197
[cheers and applause]
10
00:00:38,663 --> 00:00:41,041
[helicopter blades whirring]
11
00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:51,134
[cheers and applause]
12
00:00:57,557 --> 00:01:00,977
[cheering]
13
00:01:01,019 --> 00:01:02,729
[helicopter blades whirring]
14
00:01:02,771 --> 00:01:05,315
[crowd] R, R, R-E-A.
15
00:01:05,356 --> 00:01:08,026
G, G, G-A-N.
16
00:01:08,068 --> 00:01:10,653
R-E-A, G-A-N.
17
00:01:10,695 --> 00:01:14,240
Reagan, Reagan! Go, Reagan!
18
00:01:19,204 --> 00:01:22,874
[crowd] We vote Reagan!
We vote Reagan!
19
00:01:22,916 --> 00:01:26,127
We vote Reagan! We vote Reagan!
20
00:01:26,169 --> 00:01:28,463
[man] This time,
it's a real pleasure
21
00:01:28,505 --> 00:01:31,424
to present to you
Ronald Reagan. Governor.
22
00:01:31,466 --> 00:01:35,720
[cheers and applause]
23
00:01:35,762 --> 00:01:38,098
[Lopez] In 1980, Ronald Reagan
24
00:01:38,139 --> 00:01:41,559
wins the Republican nomination
for President,
25
00:01:41,601 --> 00:01:44,145
and he faces an incredibly
important decision...
26
00:01:44,187 --> 00:01:47,398
How will he introduce himself
to the country?
27
00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:50,235
Nancy and I have never
seen anything like this,
28
00:01:50,276 --> 00:01:53,446
because there isn't anything
like this any more than...
29
00:01:53,488 --> 00:01:55,907
[cheers and applause]
30
00:01:55,949 --> 00:01:59,244
[Lopez] He has a letter
from a Southern official
31
00:01:59,285 --> 00:02:02,705
that invites him to come down
to Neshoba County
32
00:02:02,747 --> 00:02:05,125
to the county fair there.
33
00:02:05,834 --> 00:02:10,880
Neshoba County was infamous for
one reason and one reason only.
34
00:02:10,922 --> 00:02:12,924
[man] This is
backwoods Mississippi,
35
00:02:12,966 --> 00:02:14,551
silent and suspicious.
36
00:02:14,592 --> 00:02:17,428
It is hostile country
with a hostile attitude
37
00:02:17,470 --> 00:02:19,430
towards civil rights workers.
38
00:02:19,472 --> 00:02:21,224
James Chaney, Andrew Goodman,
39
00:02:21,266 --> 00:02:23,143
and Michael Schwerner
went to Mississippi
40
00:02:23,184 --> 00:02:25,103
to help register Negroes
as voters.
41
00:02:25,145 --> 00:02:27,230
[man] They have been
missing since Sunday.
42
00:02:27,272 --> 00:02:29,858
They've been the focus
of a whole country's concern.
43
00:02:29,899 --> 00:02:33,945
[Lopez] 1964, three civil
rights workers were kidnapped,
44
00:02:33,987 --> 00:02:38,074
lynched, their bodies
stuffed in an earthen dam,
45
00:02:38,116 --> 00:02:40,994
and not found for over a month.
46
00:02:54,382 --> 00:02:57,177
[Lopez] 16 years later,
47
00:02:57,218 --> 00:03:00,221
there wasn't a voter alive
in Neshoba County
48
00:03:00,263 --> 00:03:01,764
who hadn't been alive
49
00:03:01,806 --> 00:03:04,601
when those three civil rights
workers were killed.
50
00:03:04,642 --> 00:03:06,144
[cheers and applause]
51
00:03:06,186 --> 00:03:09,272
[Wiley] He chose that place
to stand up
52
00:03:09,314 --> 00:03:13,651
and look at the white South
and say,
53
00:03:13,693 --> 00:03:16,029
"I'm for states' rights."
54
00:03:25,246 --> 00:03:27,457
[Lopez]
This phrase, "states' rights,"
55
00:03:27,498 --> 00:03:30,501
was prevalent across the South.
56
00:03:30,543 --> 00:03:34,797
We are defending the right
of the people of Virginia
57
00:03:34,839 --> 00:03:38,051
and of Alabama to decide some
questions for themselves.
58
00:03:38,092 --> 00:03:42,430
Get back to conservative
government, state rights.
59
00:03:42,472 --> 00:03:44,682
Not just the saying,
"states' rights,"
60
00:03:44,724 --> 00:03:47,060
but the real meaning
of states' rights.
61
00:03:47,101 --> 00:03:51,022
"States' rights"
has always in the South meant
62
00:03:51,064 --> 00:03:54,150
the North can't tell us
what to do about race.
63
00:03:54,192 --> 00:03:58,279
And the federal government
can't tell us
64
00:03:58,321 --> 00:04:00,156
that Black people are equal.
65
00:04:00,198 --> 00:04:03,493
It cannot tell us
to integrate our schools.
66
00:04:03,534 --> 00:04:06,704
It was a flat out signal
to an old South
67
00:04:06,746 --> 00:04:10,333
that thought the Civil War
was not over.
68
00:04:10,375 --> 00:04:12,669
[woman] The real purpose
of Reagan's trip is a speech
69
00:04:12,710 --> 00:04:16,297
to the Urban League in New York
tomorrow on Black unemployment.
70
00:04:16,339 --> 00:04:18,299
In Mississippi,
it was difficult to find
71
00:04:18,341 --> 00:04:20,760
a Black face in the crowd.
72
00:04:20,802 --> 00:04:22,887
[Johnson] He is saying
to white America,
73
00:04:22,929 --> 00:04:24,430
"You can trust me.
74
00:04:24,472 --> 00:04:27,684
"You can trust me to make sure
that the forces of change
75
00:04:27,725 --> 00:04:31,562
in civil rights and equality
will not affect your life,"
76
00:04:31,604 --> 00:04:34,357
and he received little
or no criticism for that.
77
00:04:34,399 --> 00:04:36,985
It's one of the reasons
Reagan's record on race
78
00:04:37,026 --> 00:04:39,070
has not been
sufficiently examined,
79
00:04:39,112 --> 00:04:41,864
and we're suffering for the
consequences to that today.
80
00:04:46,369 --> 00:04:47,996
Our guest today
on Meet The Press
81
00:04:48,037 --> 00:04:50,707
is screen and television actor,
Ronald Reagan,
82
00:04:50,748 --> 00:04:52,333
who this week announced
he would seek
83
00:04:52,375 --> 00:04:55,962
the Republican nomination
for Governor of California.
84
00:04:56,004 --> 00:04:57,171
We've reached a period
85
00:04:57,213 --> 00:04:58,715
in which
the philosophical differences
86
00:04:58,756 --> 00:05:01,592
between the two parties
are so great
87
00:05:01,634 --> 00:05:04,512
that it's high time that more
people from the rank and file
88
00:05:04,554 --> 00:05:07,390
of the citizenry
involve themselves
89
00:05:07,432 --> 00:05:10,810
so that we can have
government that's of and by
90
00:05:10,852 --> 00:05:12,520
as well as for the people.
91
00:05:12,562 --> 00:05:15,356
[Lopez] Ronald Reagan developed
the political persona
92
00:05:15,398 --> 00:05:18,234
that we know in the 1960s.
93
00:05:18,276 --> 00:05:19,610
[crowd cheering]
94
00:05:19,652 --> 00:05:22,113
[male reporter] It is not always
possible to tell the real
95
00:05:22,155 --> 00:05:25,825
from the unreal,
the actual from the artificial,
96
00:05:25,867 --> 00:05:27,535
truth from fiction.
97
00:05:27,577 --> 00:05:30,246
Just so you all know,
what you have been watching
98
00:05:30,288 --> 00:05:32,373
is a Hollywood movie premiere.
99
00:05:32,415 --> 00:05:36,586
What you are about to see is
a California political campaign.
100
00:05:36,627 --> 00:05:40,673
[marching band music playing]
101
00:05:43,551 --> 00:05:46,387
[klaxon horn honking]
102
00:05:48,765 --> 00:05:50,058
[horn honks]
103
00:05:51,559 --> 00:05:53,978
[Ron Jr.] When he began
his political career,
104
00:05:54,020 --> 00:05:55,396
I remember him saying that,
105
00:05:55,438 --> 00:05:57,190
well, he didn't know
about running
106
00:05:57,231 --> 00:05:58,691
for Governor of California,
107
00:05:58,733 --> 00:06:01,611
but he would go out
and make some speeches.
108
00:06:01,652 --> 00:06:03,154
[applause]
109
00:06:03,196 --> 00:06:06,532
He would judge the audience
reaction to that.
110
00:06:08,159 --> 00:06:12,038
And if the audience seemed
to want him to run
111
00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:13,831
for Governor of California,
112
00:06:13,873 --> 00:06:18,252
well, then, sure he wouldn't...
He wouldn't let them down.
113
00:06:18,294 --> 00:06:20,755
For a long time,
America sophisticates
114
00:06:20,797 --> 00:06:22,340
couldn't take
Ronald Reagan seriously.
115
00:06:22,382 --> 00:06:25,176
As an actor, he had
seemed corny to them.
116
00:06:25,218 --> 00:06:27,637
And remember,
Boraxo Powdered Hand Soap.
117
00:06:27,678 --> 00:06:29,680
[man] As a politician,
he seemed improbable.
118
00:06:29,722 --> 00:06:32,934
[man] Ronald Reagan
has played many roles.
119
00:06:32,975 --> 00:06:35,186
This year,
he wants to play governor.
120
00:06:35,228 --> 00:06:37,230
[Brown] You know, I'm running
against an actor.
121
00:06:37,271 --> 00:06:39,524
No shot at Abraham Lincoln,
don't you think?
122
00:06:39,565 --> 00:06:40,525
[laughter]
123
00:06:40,566 --> 00:06:43,152
You know,
the press just love to call him
124
00:06:43,194 --> 00:06:46,572
a fading actor or "B" actor,
125
00:06:46,614 --> 00:06:48,908
and that upset him.
126
00:06:48,950 --> 00:06:50,594
[Ronald] The manner
in which the other team
127
00:06:50,618 --> 00:06:53,538
has been campaigning,
it's time that some people
128
00:06:53,579 --> 00:06:55,790
are reminded
that actors are people.
129
00:06:55,832 --> 00:06:57,750
[Nancy] Decision to run
for Governor...
130
00:06:57,792 --> 00:07:01,045
That was a mutual decision
that we both,
131
00:07:01,087 --> 00:07:05,007
um, spent a couple
of very sleepless nights over.
132
00:07:05,049 --> 00:07:06,968
My wife, Nancy.
133
00:07:07,009 --> 00:07:09,679
[Nancy] That meant
a major change in our lives.
134
00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:11,806
It had to be a mutual decision.
135
00:07:11,848 --> 00:07:14,225
[Ron Jr.] When my parents
entered politics,
136
00:07:14,267 --> 00:07:16,436
the whole new cast
of characters arrived.
137
00:07:16,477 --> 00:07:19,021
I was used to,
you know, Jimmy Cagney
138
00:07:19,063 --> 00:07:20,606
coming over around Christmas.
139
00:07:20,648 --> 00:07:23,526
But now there's this
whole political crowd,
140
00:07:23,568 --> 00:07:26,654
new kind of money people.
141
00:07:26,696 --> 00:07:29,699
That was
a new social circle for them.
142
00:07:29,740 --> 00:07:32,743
My mother was much more
socially focused
143
00:07:32,785 --> 00:07:35,788
and acutely focused
than my father was.
144
00:07:35,830 --> 00:07:37,582
She understood the value
145
00:07:37,623 --> 00:07:39,542
of having wealthy,
powerful friends.
146
00:07:39,584 --> 00:07:42,003
And she was much more involved
147
00:07:42,044 --> 00:07:44,213
in cultivating
those friendships.
148
00:07:44,255 --> 00:07:46,007
[Nancy] Thank you all
for your work.
149
00:07:46,048 --> 00:07:49,051
Both my husband
and I appreciate it.
150
00:07:49,093 --> 00:07:52,889
Reagan was running for Governor
against Pat Brown...
151
00:07:52,930 --> 00:07:53,931
[crowd cheering]
152
00:07:53,973 --> 00:07:56,142
And he was a liberal
New Deal politician.
153
00:07:56,184 --> 00:08:01,647
Brown created this tremendous
infrastructure in California.
154
00:08:01,689 --> 00:08:05,902
Ordinary folks wondered,
"Why are my taxes going up?"
155
00:08:05,943 --> 00:08:08,905
And there's Ronnie Reagan
ready to take advantage of it.
156
00:08:08,946 --> 00:08:12,366
He's been singing this song
about big government,
157
00:08:12,408 --> 00:08:13,910
and it plays well.
158
00:08:13,951 --> 00:08:15,912
You know, for a number of years,
159
00:08:15,953 --> 00:08:18,623
I have been protesting
the growth of government.
160
00:08:18,664 --> 00:08:20,625
We have increased
our population 18%.
161
00:08:20,666 --> 00:08:24,879
We've increased the number
of recipients of welfare 49%.
162
00:08:24,921 --> 00:08:28,799
At that time, conservatism
was very much on the fringes
163
00:08:28,841 --> 00:08:29,967
of American politics.
164
00:08:30,009 --> 00:08:32,970
Remember,
Ronald Reagan campaigned
165
00:08:33,012 --> 00:08:35,473
for Goldwater in 1964.
166
00:08:35,515 --> 00:08:37,058
Barry Goldwater stood
167
00:08:37,099 --> 00:08:38,577
in the middle of what was
happening in America,
168
00:08:38,601 --> 00:08:40,520
and it was still
screaming segregation forever.
169
00:08:40,561 --> 00:08:43,314
So for Reagan to attach
himself so comfortably
170
00:08:43,356 --> 00:08:45,608
was a sign of where
he wanted to go long term.
171
00:08:45,650 --> 00:08:49,070
Governor Brown also called you
a party crasher this morning.
172
00:08:49,111 --> 00:08:50,380
- I know.
- Said that you're not in
173
00:08:50,404 --> 00:08:54,575
the, uh, progressive
Republican side of your party.
174
00:08:54,617 --> 00:08:55,910
Well...
175
00:08:55,952 --> 00:08:59,872
[man] He's called federal aid
education a tool of tyranny.
176
00:08:59,914 --> 00:09:02,083
[Brown]
He opposed Social Security.
177
00:09:02,124 --> 00:09:04,418
He wanted to make it voluntary.
178
00:09:04,460 --> 00:09:06,420
On the Redwoods,
he feels that we have enough
179
00:09:06,462 --> 00:09:08,673
of the natural resources
of our state.
180
00:09:08,714 --> 00:09:11,592
These are all taken
from speeches that he's made
181
00:09:11,634 --> 00:09:13,970
either recently or during
the past four or five years.
182
00:09:14,011 --> 00:09:18,808
I think his refusal to denounce
the John Birch Society
183
00:09:18,849 --> 00:09:21,143
as almost
every other Republican leader
184
00:09:21,185 --> 00:09:22,687
in the United States has done,
185
00:09:22,728 --> 00:09:25,523
I think all of these things
indicate a philosophy
186
00:09:25,565 --> 00:09:29,318
that would be very dangerous
to the people of our state.
187
00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:32,446
The John Birch Society
was this fringe group
188
00:09:32,488 --> 00:09:36,409
that believed in all sorts
of conspiracy theories,
189
00:09:36,450 --> 00:09:38,828
some of them anti-communist,
some of them are just
190
00:09:38,869 --> 00:09:41,956
absolutely absurd
fluoride in the water
191
00:09:41,998 --> 00:09:45,418
being intentionally put there
to dumb down American voters,
192
00:09:45,459 --> 00:09:47,837
concentration camps in Alaska.
193
00:09:47,878 --> 00:09:51,132
Most of the membership came out
of the Republican Party,
194
00:09:51,173 --> 00:09:54,677
and it was a problem
for Republicans.
195
00:09:54,719 --> 00:09:57,179
For a political operative
like Stu Spencer,
196
00:09:57,221 --> 00:10:01,767
his fear was that Reagan had
gotten ahold of a bad script,
197
00:10:01,809 --> 00:10:03,728
and that bad script
could be supplied
198
00:10:03,769 --> 00:10:06,188
by the John Birch Society,
199
00:10:06,230 --> 00:10:10,109
because some things
are apropos to talk about
200
00:10:10,151 --> 00:10:12,361
and some things not.
201
00:10:12,403 --> 00:10:15,615
[Lopez] They also had
a very strong strain
202
00:10:15,656 --> 00:10:17,533
of anti-Black racism.
203
00:10:17,575 --> 00:10:20,828
[Wiley] There was a concerted
far right effort
204
00:10:20,870 --> 00:10:24,540
to undermine the legitimacy
of the civil rights movement
205
00:10:24,582 --> 00:10:26,208
and the demands for equality
206
00:10:26,250 --> 00:10:31,005
that included even attacking
Martin Luther King, Jr.
207
00:10:31,047 --> 00:10:35,760
As a communist
even though he wasn't.
208
00:10:35,801 --> 00:10:38,763
One of the things that
happened in this country
209
00:10:38,804 --> 00:10:42,224
as a result of winning
passage of civil rights
210
00:10:42,266 --> 00:10:46,979
was literally a fracturing
of what white politics had been.
211
00:10:47,021 --> 00:10:50,274
The arc
of the moral universe is long,
212
00:10:50,316 --> 00:10:52,193
but it bends toward justice.
213
00:10:52,234 --> 00:10:56,322
[Wiley] You have people who left
the Democratic Party
214
00:10:56,364 --> 00:10:58,407
and became Republicans
215
00:10:58,449 --> 00:11:01,452
because of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964.
216
00:11:01,494 --> 00:11:05,039
[Ronald] I spent most of my life
as a Democrat,
217
00:11:05,081 --> 00:11:07,291
and I recall very well
218
00:11:07,333 --> 00:11:10,503
when the moment came to change
and to re-register,
219
00:11:10,544 --> 00:11:13,130
when the leadership
of the Democratic party
220
00:11:13,172 --> 00:11:15,424
repudiated
the constitutional concepts
221
00:11:15,466 --> 00:11:17,843
of individual freedom
and local autonomy,
222
00:11:17,885 --> 00:11:19,220
and states' rights,
223
00:11:19,261 --> 00:11:20,554
and the little
intellectual elite
224
00:11:20,596 --> 00:11:24,975
in the nation's capital
can engage in social tinkering,
225
00:11:25,017 --> 00:11:27,853
then I say to you,
you didn't leave your party.
226
00:11:27,895 --> 00:11:30,523
The leadership
of that party left you.
227
00:11:30,564 --> 00:11:35,861
[cheers and applause]
228
00:11:42,576 --> 00:11:44,578
[man] White America
watches in horror
229
00:11:44,620 --> 00:11:47,456
as the people
of Watts, California, riot,
230
00:11:47,498 --> 00:11:50,918
crying, "Burn, baby, burn."
231
00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:52,646
[man] It began with
the arrest by white officers
232
00:11:52,670 --> 00:11:55,256
of the California Highway Patrol
of two young Negroes.
233
00:11:55,297 --> 00:11:57,425
There was an argument.
There was a scuffle.
234
00:11:57,466 --> 00:11:59,403
By then, a crowd of several
hundred Negroes had gathered,
235
00:11:59,427 --> 00:12:01,929
and the story
of police brutality
236
00:12:01,971 --> 00:12:03,764
quickly spread
through the community.
237
00:12:03,806 --> 00:12:06,142
[officer] Put your hands up.
238
00:12:06,183 --> 00:12:07,768
- Get them up.
- Get your hands up.
239
00:12:07,810 --> 00:12:10,146
[Wiley] The Watts uprising
was very much
240
00:12:10,187 --> 00:12:12,064
an expression of pain and anger
241
00:12:12,106 --> 00:12:15,276
at the failure of society
to recognize
242
00:12:15,317 --> 00:12:19,363
what Black people had been
asking for for generations,
243
00:12:19,405 --> 00:12:21,198
which was a fair shot
244
00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,492
at being able to support
yourself and your family.
245
00:12:23,534 --> 00:12:27,413
It was also very frightening
for people who were white.
246
00:12:27,455 --> 00:12:30,207
It was the notion that,
247
00:12:30,249 --> 00:12:32,835
"This could spill over
into my community."
248
00:12:32,877 --> 00:12:35,796
And so it's very easy
for Ronald Reagan then
249
00:12:35,838 --> 00:12:38,424
to come in
and manipulate that fear.
250
00:12:38,466 --> 00:12:40,468
California also leads
in some things
251
00:12:40,509 --> 00:12:44,388
that unfortunately give us
no sense of pride.
252
00:12:44,430 --> 00:12:47,808
The only thing that's gone up
more than spending is crime.
253
00:12:47,850 --> 00:12:50,227
Our city streets
are jungle paths after dark.
254
00:12:50,269 --> 00:12:54,315
[Lopez] Reagan used the term
"jungle paths" to talk about
255
00:12:54,356 --> 00:12:58,235
the areas in our cities
populated by African Americans.
256
00:12:58,277 --> 00:13:01,781
This was a way to trigger
racist stereotypes.
257
00:13:01,822 --> 00:13:06,452
He used these terms
that hearkened back to Africa.
258
00:13:06,494 --> 00:13:09,371
[Ronald] The jungle is closing
in on this little patch
259
00:13:09,413 --> 00:13:12,333
that we have been civilizing
for so long a time.
260
00:13:12,374 --> 00:13:15,669
[Shearer]
Reagan is in effect saying,
261
00:13:15,711 --> 00:13:18,798
"These are people
who are breaking the law,
262
00:13:18,839 --> 00:13:21,550
and I will protect you
against them."
263
00:13:21,592 --> 00:13:23,135
We need law and order,
264
00:13:23,177 --> 00:13:26,764
and that's exactly
what Reagan campaigned on.
265
00:13:26,806 --> 00:13:29,558
You wanted law and order
in this town. You got it.
266
00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:31,101
[gunshot]
267
00:13:31,143 --> 00:13:33,813
When white people
heard "law and order,"
268
00:13:33,854 --> 00:13:35,231
they heard him saying,
269
00:13:35,272 --> 00:13:37,149
"I am going to stop
the hordes of liberals
270
00:13:37,191 --> 00:13:39,777
and Black and brown people from
invading your neighborhood."
271
00:13:39,819 --> 00:13:43,739
[Wiley] They bring violence.
They bring crime.
272
00:13:43,781 --> 00:13:46,700
All of those are
deeply imbedded stereotypes
273
00:13:46,742 --> 00:13:51,997
that get played out
in that tough-on-crime stance.
274
00:13:52,039 --> 00:13:53,707
Patriotic music
275
00:13:53,749 --> 00:13:56,919
[Lopez] In 1966,
it's no longer acceptable
276
00:13:56,961 --> 00:14:02,258
for a political figure to use
explicitly racist terms.
277
00:14:02,299 --> 00:14:06,846
So a new language developed,
and Ronald Reagan was a pioneer.
278
00:14:06,887 --> 00:14:09,682
It was a language
that allowed people
279
00:14:09,723 --> 00:14:12,852
to oppose integration
on a principle
280
00:14:12,893 --> 00:14:16,981
that supposedly
had nothing to do with race.
281
00:14:18,107 --> 00:14:19,733
That's what
dog whistle politics is.
282
00:14:19,775 --> 00:14:23,612
The use of coded language
to trigger
283
00:14:23,654 --> 00:14:25,865
unacceptable social hatreds
284
00:14:25,906 --> 00:14:28,659
while pretending that's not
what you're doing.
285
00:14:28,701 --> 00:14:30,786
Reagan can turn around
and say, "Me?
286
00:14:30,828 --> 00:14:32,621
I didn't say
anything about race.
287
00:14:32,663 --> 00:14:36,041
I just mentioned people
commit crimes,
288
00:14:36,083 --> 00:14:38,168
gangs, inner cities,
289
00:14:38,210 --> 00:14:40,963
a pathological culture,
no respect for work,
290
00:14:41,005 --> 00:14:44,884
jungle paths, nothing about
race there at all."
291
00:14:44,925 --> 00:14:48,888
[helicopter blades whirring]
292
00:14:48,929 --> 00:14:50,824
[man] Do you think the
Fair Housing Act in California
293
00:14:50,848 --> 00:14:53,350
is an ineffective
or a bad method
294
00:14:53,392 --> 00:14:54,643
of assuring open housing?
295
00:14:54,685 --> 00:14:59,648
It runs the risk of by President
giving to government a power
296
00:14:59,690 --> 00:15:01,817
that government should not have,
297
00:15:01,859 --> 00:15:04,320
and this is the infringement
on the right
298
00:15:04,361 --> 00:15:08,032
of the individual
to private possessions
299
00:15:08,073 --> 00:15:11,619
and the control ownership
of those possessions.
300
00:15:11,660 --> 00:15:14,038
When he ran for Governor,
fair housing
301
00:15:14,079 --> 00:15:17,333
anti-discrimination
was a big issue.
302
00:15:17,374 --> 00:15:19,627
Classical cello music
303
00:15:19,668 --> 00:15:24,632
You have to remember in the '50s
you could not sell your house
304
00:15:24,673 --> 00:15:27,009
to a Black person.
305
00:15:27,051 --> 00:15:28,761
This wasn't your private choice.
306
00:15:28,802 --> 00:15:30,930
This was imposed upon you
307
00:15:30,971 --> 00:15:33,807
by the entire
real estate industry.
308
00:15:33,849 --> 00:15:36,894
Under federal housing programs,
309
00:15:36,936 --> 00:15:39,980
banks would not loan
to African Americans
310
00:15:40,022 --> 00:15:44,193
if they tried to live
in white neighborhoods.
311
00:15:44,234 --> 00:15:47,404
This was legalized segregation.
312
00:15:47,446 --> 00:15:49,049
[woman] Everybody that lives
here has been hassling me.
313
00:15:49,073 --> 00:15:50,199
[man] Why?
314
00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:52,326
Because you're not safe
walking the streets at night.
315
00:15:52,368 --> 00:15:53,786
You cannot leave the house.
316
00:15:53,827 --> 00:15:58,165
The people were frightened
to death of integration.
317
00:15:58,207 --> 00:16:01,001
They thought,
"This will hurt our schools.
318
00:16:01,043 --> 00:16:02,312
It'll make
our neighborhood unsafe.
319
00:16:02,336 --> 00:16:05,339
Therefore the only thing
I have in value in this world,
320
00:16:05,381 --> 00:16:10,094
my house, will lose its value."
It was the hottest issue.
321
00:16:10,135 --> 00:16:12,596
Will you lose your neighborhood?
That was it.
322
00:16:12,638 --> 00:16:16,850
[Lopez] While campaigning,
Reagan would say,
323
00:16:16,892 --> 00:16:18,143
"I'm against prejudice,
324
00:16:18,185 --> 00:16:20,312
but I also support
property rights."
325
00:16:20,354 --> 00:16:23,440
And one of the inherent rights
of property
326
00:16:23,482 --> 00:16:27,611
is the right to dispose of it
any way a person sees fit,
327
00:16:27,653 --> 00:16:31,740
even if that meant not selling
to African Americans.
328
00:16:31,782 --> 00:16:33,867
That's a classic dog whistle.
329
00:16:33,909 --> 00:16:37,121
[Ronald] I do not believe
that we can without in seriously
330
00:16:37,162 --> 00:16:41,000
endangering our basic freedoms,
that we can violate
331
00:16:41,041 --> 00:16:44,294
this constitutional right
of the individual.
332
00:16:44,336 --> 00:16:48,465
But I myself, I'll tell you now,
do not subscribe to it.
333
00:16:48,507 --> 00:16:51,510
I'm willing to sell my house.
A matter of fact
334
00:16:51,552 --> 00:16:53,554
if there's anyone listening
wants to buy to a farm,
335
00:16:53,595 --> 00:16:56,515
I've got a farm
for sale right now.
336
00:16:56,557 --> 00:17:00,019
[Derek] In effect,
Reagan's definition of freedom
337
00:17:00,060 --> 00:17:04,106
included the so-called
freedom to discriminate.
338
00:17:04,148 --> 00:17:05,441
[crowd cheering]
339
00:17:05,482 --> 00:17:09,528
[Wiley] He understood that
there were many white voters
340
00:17:09,570 --> 00:17:13,949
in California who,
because of racial integration,
341
00:17:13,991 --> 00:17:17,244
did not want to see
their lives changed.
342
00:17:17,286 --> 00:17:21,040
He's sounding
a message that has appeal...
343
00:17:21,081 --> 00:17:25,794
"I warned people that this
actor's gonna defeat Pat Brown,"
344
00:17:25,836 --> 00:17:28,380
and it turned out to be true.
345
00:17:28,422 --> 00:17:31,300
Place your left hand
upon the Bible
346
00:17:31,341 --> 00:17:33,469
and raise your right hand.
347
00:17:33,510 --> 00:17:36,555
[Lopez] Reagan had demonstrated
that racial resentment
348
00:17:36,597 --> 00:17:40,142
wasn't confined
to the white supremacist South.
349
00:17:40,184 --> 00:17:44,688
Even in California you could
use race as way to win votes.
350
00:17:44,730 --> 00:17:47,900
Dramatic music
351
00:17:47,941 --> 00:17:51,945
My native country, thee
352
00:17:51,987 --> 00:17:56,450
Land of the noble free
353
00:17:56,492 --> 00:18:01,580
Thy name I love
354
00:18:01,622 --> 00:18:04,958
casual xylophone jazz music
355
00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,336
[indistinct conversations]
356
00:18:07,377 --> 00:18:08,879
[Nancy]
Mr. and Mrs. Deacon Anderson.
357
00:18:08,921 --> 00:18:10,356
- Mr. Reagan, Mrs. Kent.
- [woman] Hello,
358
00:18:10,380 --> 00:18:12,466
- Hello, Reagan.
- From Carmel.
359
00:18:12,508 --> 00:18:13,610
- Good to see you. Hello.
- Hello there. Oh!
360
00:18:13,634 --> 00:18:14,927
- Oh, my friend.
- A pleasure.
361
00:18:14,968 --> 00:18:16,608
Oh, yes, your friend,
your dearest friend.
362
00:18:16,637 --> 00:18:18,156
How are you?
It's nice that you can be here.
363
00:18:18,180 --> 00:18:19,681
Oh, we're so thrilled
to be here.
364
00:18:19,723 --> 00:18:21,517
- Nice to see you.
- Hello.
365
00:18:21,558 --> 00:18:24,978
[Kelley] When Nancy
became First Lady of California,
366
00:18:25,020 --> 00:18:27,147
first of all,
she was fit to be tied
367
00:18:27,189 --> 00:18:31,735
to have to leave Beverly Hills
and go to Sacramento.
368
00:18:31,777 --> 00:18:35,864
I mean, she loved the fact
that Ronnie was governor
369
00:18:35,906 --> 00:18:39,868
but Sacramento? No, she did not
like that at all.
370
00:18:41,703 --> 00:18:43,264
[Ron Jr.]
The original Governor's mansion
371
00:18:43,288 --> 00:18:46,792
was this Victorian wedding cake
of a place,
372
00:18:46,834 --> 00:18:50,045
this four-story thing with
the cupola on top and, you know,
373
00:18:50,087 --> 00:18:54,258
all these stairways
and rooms that were never used,
374
00:18:54,299 --> 00:18:58,011
so you could spend a lot of time
exploring this big house.
375
00:18:58,053 --> 00:19:00,013
It was kind of cool
for a little kid,
376
00:19:00,055 --> 00:19:03,851
but on the other hand,
it was right downtown,
377
00:19:03,892 --> 00:19:06,311
with a motel
and two gas stations
378
00:19:06,353 --> 00:19:07,521
on the other corner.
379
00:19:07,563 --> 00:19:09,815
[man] Nancy shows
some other governors' wives
380
00:19:09,857 --> 00:19:11,650
California's Governor's Mansion.
381
00:19:11,692 --> 00:19:14,736
- [Nancy] Quite a busy street.
- [woman] I should say so.
382
00:19:14,778 --> 00:19:17,364
All the freeway traffic
comes here.
383
00:19:17,406 --> 00:19:19,741
- There's no grounds around.
- [Nancy] No.
384
00:19:19,783 --> 00:19:21,326
It's unfortunate.
385
00:19:21,368 --> 00:19:24,079
It's... It's just gotten
surrounded by the city.
386
00:19:24,121 --> 00:19:25,038
[woman] Yeah.
387
00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:26,748
[Nancy] It's lovely to look at,
388
00:19:26,790 --> 00:19:28,792
but it really does need
some paint, doesn't it?
389
00:19:28,834 --> 00:19:33,255
Intriguing orchestral music
390
00:19:33,297 --> 00:19:39,136
There the jelly beans. [laughs]
Ronnie loves jelly beans.
391
00:19:39,178 --> 00:19:41,388
[woman]
Is this your son's decision?
392
00:19:41,430 --> 00:19:44,016
- Oh, this is my husband.
- Oh, your husband?
393
00:19:44,057 --> 00:19:46,018
When I said Ronnie,
I meant big Ronnie.
394
00:19:46,059 --> 00:19:47,603
[laughter]
395
00:19:47,644 --> 00:19:49,980
[Spencer] When she and I went
out to see the mansion
396
00:19:50,022 --> 00:19:51,732
for the first time,
397
00:19:51,773 --> 00:19:55,402
they had ropes on the second
story over fire escapes.
398
00:19:55,444 --> 00:19:59,072
They had two young kids
at the time,
399
00:19:59,114 --> 00:20:02,409
and she looks at me
and she just,
400
00:20:02,451 --> 00:20:05,537
"I'm not living there." [laughs]
401
00:20:05,579 --> 00:20:08,207
[Nancy] Don't you find
every governor's wife
402
00:20:08,248 --> 00:20:10,792
and every governor
that I've ever talked to,
403
00:20:10,834 --> 00:20:12,502
they want a home.
404
00:20:12,544 --> 00:20:16,340
They don't want to be there.
All day they're in downtown,
405
00:20:16,381 --> 00:20:18,175
but... - They really do need it.
406
00:20:18,217 --> 00:20:20,677
The job itself,
just you really need someplace
407
00:20:20,719 --> 00:20:22,763
to get away from it all.
- [Nancy] Yes, you do.
408
00:20:22,804 --> 00:20:24,681
[traffic light clicks]
409
00:20:24,723 --> 00:20:27,851
[Kelley] She really made
quite a scene about it
410
00:20:27,893 --> 00:20:29,770
and said
she wouldn't live there.
411
00:20:29,811 --> 00:20:31,939
Well, if she wasn't
gonna live in it,
412
00:20:31,980 --> 00:20:33,941
the governor
wasn't gonna live in it.
413
00:20:33,982 --> 00:20:36,401
[Nancy] Something should've been
done a long, long time ago,
414
00:20:36,443 --> 00:20:39,488
and it's awful that the governor
of the largest state
415
00:20:39,529 --> 00:20:42,574
is scrounging around
trying to find a place to live?
416
00:20:42,616 --> 00:20:44,701
Whoever heard
of anything like that?
417
00:20:44,743 --> 00:20:47,371
Uh, really,
isn't it disgraceful?
418
00:20:47,412 --> 00:20:48,932
Uh, I don't know about that.
[ chuckles ]
419
00:20:48,956 --> 00:20:51,833
[laughs] I can't get you
to commit yourself.
420
00:20:51,875 --> 00:20:53,585
[laughter]
421
00:20:53,627 --> 00:20:56,713
[Kelley] The Kitchen Cabinet
bought a large house
422
00:20:56,755 --> 00:21:00,300
for the Reagans
in a better part of town.
423
00:21:00,342 --> 00:21:03,470
Nancy felt much more
comfortable moving there,
424
00:21:03,512 --> 00:21:05,722
and that's what they did.
425
00:21:09,768 --> 00:21:11,270
Well, I was very happy as a kid
426
00:21:11,311 --> 00:21:13,689
when they moved
to a quieter neighborhood.
427
00:21:14,773 --> 00:21:17,109
Nice house with a pool
and, you know,
428
00:21:17,150 --> 00:21:20,404
big yard and trees to climb
and all the rest of that.
429
00:21:20,445 --> 00:21:23,365
I thought this is...
This is a vast improvement.
430
00:21:23,407 --> 00:21:24,908
[laughs]
431
00:21:24,950 --> 00:21:26,886
[man] In 1969, a group
of Governor Reagan's friends
432
00:21:26,910 --> 00:21:28,328
bought the present mansion.
433
00:21:28,370 --> 00:21:31,873
They charged the governor
$15,000 a year until this year
434
00:21:31,915 --> 00:21:34,876
when the legislature
agreed to pick up the rent.
435
00:21:34,918 --> 00:21:36,646
[man] $15,000 does sound
like a lot of money in rent.
436
00:21:36,670 --> 00:21:39,298
It sure does.
It is a lot of money in rent.
437
00:21:39,339 --> 00:21:40,757
[man]
I just was wondering more if
438
00:21:40,799 --> 00:21:42,110
it would've costed you more
to have actually
439
00:21:42,134 --> 00:21:44,720
bought the house
and paid it off at that rate.
440
00:21:44,761 --> 00:21:46,561
I'm not very good at arithmetic.
I don't know,
441
00:21:46,596 --> 00:21:50,559
but I just know we...
We, uh, we couldn't afford
442
00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:55,105
to... to buy a house, no, really,
shouldn't be asked to, actually.
443
00:21:55,147 --> 00:21:57,899
As I say, the state
is supposed to provide
444
00:21:57,941 --> 00:22:01,778
living quarters
for the governor.
445
00:22:03,196 --> 00:22:04,740
[woman] Mrs. Reagan thinks
446
00:22:04,781 --> 00:22:07,117
that both the state capital
and the Governor's Mansion
447
00:22:07,159 --> 00:22:10,078
should be points of pride
for California residents.
448
00:22:10,120 --> 00:22:12,706
And what Mrs. Reagan has started
as attempts to beautify
449
00:22:12,748 --> 00:22:16,918
the mansion have perhaps
turned into political issues.
450
00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:18,587
Can I walk in front of you?
451
00:22:18,628 --> 00:22:23,842
[Ron Jr.] My mother... she was
used to Hollywood kind of PR,
452
00:22:23,884 --> 00:22:26,386
where, you know,
for the most part,
453
00:22:26,428 --> 00:22:29,973
everybody's there to kind of
boost you, you know.
454
00:22:30,015 --> 00:22:33,018
Now it seemed like everybody
was there to tear you down.
455
00:22:33,060 --> 00:22:37,272
[Nancy] I don't like
viciousness and, um, uh,
456
00:22:37,314 --> 00:22:41,401
it's wrong, and that's why
politics has the bad name
457
00:22:41,443 --> 00:22:44,738
it has and, uh,
that's why it's very difficult
458
00:22:44,780 --> 00:22:47,240
to get good men
to go into politics.
459
00:22:47,282 --> 00:22:48,700
It's very, very hard,
460
00:22:48,742 --> 00:22:51,995
and the people are the losers.
[sighs]
461
00:22:52,037 --> 00:22:55,207
Nancy Reagan had
had a bit of an introduction
462
00:22:55,248 --> 00:22:59,544
to press coverage
with the Governor's Mansion
463
00:22:59,586 --> 00:23:04,007
that the Joan Didion piece
for The Saturday Evening Post
464
00:23:04,049 --> 00:23:05,425
did it for her.
465
00:23:05,467 --> 00:23:09,554
It was entitled Pretty Nancy.
466
00:23:09,596 --> 00:23:15,143
She talked about Nancy's
frozen smile and the gaze,
467
00:23:15,185 --> 00:23:19,773
"g-a-z-e" gaze,
became her trademark.
468
00:23:19,815 --> 00:23:22,359
Women made fun of it.
469
00:23:22,401 --> 00:23:24,736
She would just be like this
all the time
470
00:23:24,778 --> 00:23:27,823
looking at him,
and I don't think it was put on.
471
00:23:27,864 --> 00:23:32,744
It's a 1950s woman
trying to shore up her man.
472
00:23:32,786 --> 00:23:34,413
Do we want to center these
on the wall
473
00:23:34,454 --> 00:23:35,765
and then...
But then work around it?
474
00:23:35,789 --> 00:23:37,058
Is that... I think
that's the best... Hmm?
475
00:23:37,082 --> 00:23:39,876
And perhaps we have room
for hanging three right here.
476
00:23:39,918 --> 00:23:41,420
Don't you think
it would be better
477
00:23:41,461 --> 00:23:46,591
to put all of those,
uh, maybe down there,
478
00:23:46,633 --> 00:23:49,970
where they'd be the most visible
rather than here?
479
00:23:50,011 --> 00:23:51,197
[man] And having here...
And having there to themselves.
480
00:23:51,221 --> 00:23:53,181
Yeah, right,
and that... and that next.
481
00:23:53,223 --> 00:23:56,476
- [man] Yes, I think so.
- See, I'm sorry, ma'am,
482
00:23:56,518 --> 00:23:58,204
but unauthorized personnel
aren't allowed in here.
483
00:23:58,228 --> 00:24:00,021
- [laughs]
- Hi, honey.
484
00:24:00,063 --> 00:24:01,606
Hi.
485
00:24:01,648 --> 00:24:05,986
[Ron Jr.] My parents were
somewhat old-fashioned people.
486
00:24:06,027 --> 00:24:08,238
Look at these. Oops!
487
00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:09,448
[exhales deeply]
488
00:24:09,489 --> 00:24:12,409
[Ron Jr.] That was just as well,
given that they were going
489
00:24:12,451 --> 00:24:14,327
into Republican politics.
490
00:24:14,369 --> 00:24:17,664
You know, Nancy,
you'll see Patty later on.
491
00:24:17,706 --> 00:24:18,874
Hello.
492
00:24:18,915 --> 00:24:22,377
[Ron Jr.] They could stand as
this symbol of the old America,
493
00:24:22,419 --> 00:24:25,172
you know,
the America we miss so much.
494
00:24:25,213 --> 00:24:29,384
You could see it
in the TV shows of the '50s...
495
00:24:29,426 --> 00:24:35,932
A lot of conservatives
thought the nuclear family,
496
00:24:35,974 --> 00:24:38,518
the husband as breadwinner,
the little woman
497
00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:44,274
staying home with the apron,
the happy Black servant,
498
00:24:44,316 --> 00:24:48,278
this was kind of
the natural order of things.
499
00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:49,779
[man] Like many a housewife,
500
00:24:49,821 --> 00:24:53,325
Nancy Reagan likes to
shop herself when she can.
501
00:24:53,366 --> 00:24:55,243
[Kelley] Nancy felt her persona
502
00:24:55,285 --> 00:24:58,288
would be non-threatening
to America
503
00:24:58,330 --> 00:25:01,291
and non-threatening
to the Republican Party,
504
00:25:01,333 --> 00:25:07,255
and it worked.
It worked for the Reagans.
505
00:25:07,297 --> 00:25:10,008
They were scared
of The Beatles, for Godsakes.
506
00:25:10,050 --> 00:25:12,344
The Beatles.
507
00:25:12,385 --> 00:25:15,847
The '60s were very difficult
for my father.
508
00:25:15,889 --> 00:25:20,018
He was unable to fathom
this whole new long-haired
509
00:25:20,060 --> 00:25:22,854
rock-and-roll,
pot-smoking reality.
510
00:25:22,896 --> 00:25:24,540
[Ronald] This fellow
that was doing the talking
511
00:25:24,564 --> 00:25:26,900
had a haircut like Tarzan,
he walked like Jane,
512
00:25:26,942 --> 00:25:30,487
and smelled like cheetah.
[laughter]
513
00:25:30,529 --> 00:25:35,700
rock and roll music
514
00:25:35,742 --> 00:25:38,787
Hey, by the way you be sure
to listen to WYBC's Viewpoint
515
00:25:38,828 --> 00:25:41,248
when Jason Roberts talks
with Governor Ronald Reagan.
516
00:25:41,289 --> 00:25:43,476
- [Ronald] Okay, wait a second.
- [man] Yeah, roll the tape.
517
00:25:43,500 --> 00:25:45,710
[man] Since Sunday,
the California governor
518
00:25:45,752 --> 00:25:49,005
has been guest lecturer
at Yale University.
519
00:25:49,047 --> 00:25:50,173
[man] How do you feel?
520
00:25:50,215 --> 00:25:53,051
Well, uh,
a little nervous at the moment.
521
00:25:53,093 --> 00:25:57,514
It's, uh, but then I was always
nervous about an examination.
522
00:25:57,556 --> 00:26:00,100
[indistinct conversations]
523
00:26:00,141 --> 00:26:05,730
[Shearer] I first met Reagan
when he came to Yale University
524
00:26:05,772 --> 00:26:08,024
at the end
of the first year as governor.
525
00:26:08,066 --> 00:26:11,987
I probably knew
more than the average Yalie
526
00:26:12,028 --> 00:26:14,698
about him
because I was from California.
527
00:26:14,739 --> 00:26:16,616
Uh, I actually
I gave the impression a lot.
528
00:26:16,658 --> 00:26:19,119
He was a bit taken aback
by what I what I would call
529
00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:21,830
the critical reception
that he got.
530
00:26:21,871 --> 00:26:27,043
We asked penetrating,
journalist-like questions.
531
00:26:27,085 --> 00:26:30,922
He was not used
to be put on the spot.
532
00:26:30,964 --> 00:26:32,924
Could you tell me in what ways
you've been active
533
00:26:32,966 --> 00:26:35,802
for civil rights in your career?
534
00:26:43,810 --> 00:26:46,438
As a sports announcer
many years ago,
535
00:26:46,479 --> 00:26:49,357
baseball opened its rule book
with a line,
536
00:26:49,399 --> 00:26:52,235
"Baseball is a game
for Caucasian gentlemen."
537
00:26:52,277 --> 00:26:55,113
Baseball is a game
for Caucasian gentlemen.
538
00:26:55,155 --> 00:26:58,742
Only whites were allowed to play
baseball in the big leagues.
539
00:26:58,783 --> 00:27:01,703
I editorialized constantly
against this.
540
00:27:01,745 --> 00:27:05,624
Was editorializing against
the gentlemen's agreement
541
00:27:05,665 --> 00:27:09,044
that kept Blacks
from playing organized baseball.
542
00:27:09,085 --> 00:27:12,297
And one man defied that rule.
543
00:27:16,635 --> 00:27:19,095
And today,
baseball is far better off.
544
00:27:19,137 --> 00:27:23,475
[Shearer] The notion that he was
an aggressive activist
545
00:27:23,516 --> 00:27:26,186
who supported
Jackie Robinson's right
546
00:27:26,227 --> 00:27:30,065
to play baseball
was, again, not true.
547
00:27:30,106 --> 00:27:34,486
It's just an example of him
not really wanting to see
548
00:27:34,527 --> 00:27:38,865
and also not admitting
the depth of the issue
549
00:27:38,907 --> 00:27:41,117
of discrimination
in the country.
550
00:27:41,159 --> 00:27:43,119
Each time you've spoken
about civil rights,
551
00:27:43,161 --> 00:27:45,455
you've talked about
the integration of baseball
552
00:27:45,497 --> 00:27:47,332
about Willie Mays
and Jackie Robinson.
553
00:27:47,374 --> 00:27:49,167
It... it's become repetitious,
554
00:27:49,209 --> 00:27:51,795
and it seems to me
a sad concept of civil rights.
555
00:27:51,836 --> 00:27:54,714
The real problems
are questions of housing,
556
00:27:54,756 --> 00:27:56,383
of crime in the ghetto.
557
00:27:56,424 --> 00:27:59,469
It's always as if it's coming
out of something that's been...
558
00:27:59,511 --> 00:28:01,680
That's memorized,
that if they question you
559
00:28:01,721 --> 00:28:03,556
for more than five minutes,
you break down.
560
00:28:03,598 --> 00:28:06,685
I just... I don't believe
that you really have mastered
561
00:28:06,726 --> 00:28:08,353
the subjects
you're talking about.
562
00:28:08,395 --> 00:28:10,313
[Ronald] Well,
let me ask you something.
563
00:28:10,355 --> 00:28:14,567
What is the democratic machine
in Chicago?
564
00:28:14,609 --> 00:28:16,361
[arguing at once]
565
00:28:16,403 --> 00:28:20,448
Instead of arguing the facts
with us, he was sort of saying,
566
00:28:20,490 --> 00:28:23,410
"You're too young to understand
how the world works."
567
00:28:23,451 --> 00:28:25,537
This is one of the things
that you should learn.
568
00:28:25,578 --> 00:28:27,418
And, Derek, you ought
to learn this most of all
569
00:28:27,455 --> 00:28:29,916
if you're
going to pursue journalism.
570
00:28:29,958 --> 00:28:34,295
[Shearer] Reagan saw himself
as a patriot.
571
00:28:34,337 --> 00:28:36,047
Contemplative music
572
00:28:36,089 --> 00:28:37,632
He wasn't self-critical.
573
00:28:37,674 --> 00:28:42,470
He didn't wanna examine America
in any critical way
574
00:28:42,512 --> 00:28:46,683
because he accepted America
as it was.
575
00:28:48,059 --> 00:28:51,980
The notion that if you followed
other music
576
00:28:52,021 --> 00:28:53,982
or another lifestyle,
577
00:28:54,023 --> 00:28:56,568
or if you disagreed
with the war in Vietnam
578
00:28:56,609 --> 00:28:58,862
or if you got too excited
about voting rights
579
00:28:58,903 --> 00:29:02,699
for Black people that you were
actually challenging
580
00:29:02,741 --> 00:29:06,911
his America,
his unexamined America.
581
00:29:06,953 --> 00:29:10,749
[Ronald] College is the world
apart from the world.
582
00:29:10,790 --> 00:29:12,917
But this year
on the beautiful campus
583
00:29:12,959 --> 00:29:15,962
of the University of California
at Berkeley,
584
00:29:16,004 --> 00:29:18,882
college was also this.
585
00:29:18,923 --> 00:29:20,467
[chanting indistinctly]
586
00:29:20,508 --> 00:29:24,763
[Ronald] This small minority
of beatniks and malcontents
587
00:29:24,804 --> 00:29:26,639
and filthy speech advocates
588
00:29:26,681 --> 00:29:28,433
have interfered
with the primary purpose
589
00:29:28,475 --> 00:29:29,559
of that university,
590
00:29:29,601 --> 00:29:32,145
and they've brought shame
on a great university,
591
00:29:32,187 --> 00:29:34,189
a university of which
you and I have a right
592
00:29:34,230 --> 00:29:35,398
to be very proud
593
00:29:35,440 --> 00:29:38,151
and which, for many years,
we have been very proud.
594
00:29:38,193 --> 00:29:40,737
[crowd cheering]
595
00:29:45,033 --> 00:29:45,992
[Shearer]
At three in the morning
596
00:29:46,034 --> 00:29:48,119
on Thursday, the 15th of May,
597
00:29:48,161 --> 00:29:50,705
300 uniformed
fully equipped police
598
00:29:50,747 --> 00:29:53,917
occupied the park,
and a fence was erected.
599
00:29:53,958 --> 00:29:55,668
[man] And unless you leave,
600
00:29:55,710 --> 00:29:57,962
you will be arrested
for trespassing.
601
00:29:58,004 --> 00:30:02,383
[Shearer] That same day,
a rally was held on campus.
602
00:30:02,425 --> 00:30:04,761
[man] Don't let those pigs
beat the shit out of you.
603
00:30:04,803 --> 00:30:07,430
Don't let yourselves
get arrested on felonies.
604
00:30:07,472 --> 00:30:09,557
Go down there and take the park.
605
00:30:09,599 --> 00:30:13,144
[cheering]
606
00:30:13,186 --> 00:30:14,437
[man] Take the park!
607
00:30:14,479 --> 00:30:17,857
[Shearer] People's Park
involved students
608
00:30:17,899 --> 00:30:19,692
protecting a piece of land
609
00:30:19,734 --> 00:30:21,694
that the university
wanted to expand on.
610
00:30:21,736 --> 00:30:24,364
[crowd] We want the park!
We want the park!
611
00:30:24,405 --> 00:30:26,407
[Scheer]
The university overreacted.
612
00:30:26,449 --> 00:30:29,953
On the local level,
the police were coming in,
613
00:30:29,994 --> 00:30:33,498
and then Reagan came in
with the authorization
614
00:30:33,540 --> 00:30:36,459
on the state level
of the National Guard.
615
00:30:36,501 --> 00:30:39,045
Suspenseful music
616
00:30:42,340 --> 00:30:45,635
[indistinct chanting]
617
00:30:47,554 --> 00:30:49,055
[helicopter propeller whirring]
618
00:30:49,097 --> 00:30:53,726
Suddenly, you have troops there
with guns and bayonets.
619
00:30:53,768 --> 00:30:55,770
[gunshot]
620
00:30:55,812 --> 00:30:59,858
[crowd shouting indistinctly]
621
00:31:04,195 --> 00:31:06,573
[Shearer] If you were watching
the TV coverage,
622
00:31:06,614 --> 00:31:10,034
it looked like
that it was a riot.
623
00:31:10,076 --> 00:31:13,496
The optics of it
for Reagan were great.
624
00:31:13,538 --> 00:31:17,542
It played into all the tropes
of the conservative movement
625
00:31:17,584 --> 00:31:20,503
about young people.
626
00:31:20,545 --> 00:31:23,047
[interviewer] Did you personally
agree with it?
627
00:31:23,089 --> 00:31:26,426
Yeah. I'm that generation.
628
00:31:26,467 --> 00:31:29,137
Bomb the bastards.
629
00:31:29,178 --> 00:31:32,181
[gunfire]
630
00:31:32,223 --> 00:31:34,475
[indistinct shouting]
631
00:31:34,517 --> 00:31:35,894
dramatic music
632
00:31:35,935 --> 00:31:37,478
[indistinct shouting]
633
00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:42,025
[helicopter propeller whirring]
634
00:31:45,653 --> 00:31:48,448
[Scheer] Reagan blamed
everything bad that happened
635
00:31:48,489 --> 00:31:51,367
on the students
and the university.
636
00:31:51,409 --> 00:31:54,579
On the campus,
it was you who are adults.
637
00:31:54,621 --> 00:31:57,916
You who are entrusted with those
young people and their guidance,
638
00:31:57,957 --> 00:32:00,501
have a responsibility
to make it plain to them
639
00:32:00,543 --> 00:32:01,628
from the very beginning
640
00:32:01,669 --> 00:32:03,880
that you yourselves
do not tolerate
641
00:32:03,922 --> 00:32:05,381
the kind of conduct
642
00:32:05,423 --> 00:32:07,467
that has led to the burning
of Wheeler Hall.
643
00:32:07,508 --> 00:32:08,801
[man] The overwhelming majority
644
00:32:08,843 --> 00:32:11,804
of the faculty and students
are against violence,
645
00:32:11,846 --> 00:32:14,515
have done more to curb
violence than you
646
00:32:14,557 --> 00:32:15,767
and created an atmosphere...
647
00:32:15,808 --> 00:32:17,369
- [Ronald] Listen.
- [man] No one wants to listen.
648
00:32:17,393 --> 00:32:19,228
- No one...
- You are a liar.
649
00:32:19,270 --> 00:32:22,398
All of it began the first time
some of you who know better,
650
00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:24,609
and are old enough
to know better,
651
00:32:24,651 --> 00:32:27,487
let young people think
that they have the right
652
00:32:27,528 --> 00:32:29,238
to choose the laws
they would obey
653
00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:33,201
as long as they were doing it
in the name of social protest.
654
00:32:33,242 --> 00:32:36,913
[Wiley] Reagan was able to play
on the insecurity
655
00:32:36,955 --> 00:32:39,707
about a world
that was radically changing.
656
00:32:39,749 --> 00:32:42,335
From young people
on college campuses,
657
00:32:42,377 --> 00:32:45,630
from the anti-Vietnam War
demonstrations
658
00:32:45,672 --> 00:32:48,049
as well as
the civil rights movement,
659
00:32:48,091 --> 00:32:51,970
Reagan was linking
all of this demonstration
660
00:32:52,011 --> 00:32:55,223
and protest as a grand threat.
661
00:32:55,264 --> 00:32:59,060
[Ronald] It's time we recognize
that this is nationwide.
662
00:32:59,102 --> 00:33:00,353
This is a plot.
663
00:33:00,395 --> 00:33:03,606
There is
a conspiratorial side to it.
664
00:33:03,648 --> 00:33:07,068
[Scheer] What should have been
seen as positive expressions
665
00:33:07,110 --> 00:33:08,987
of legitimate concern,
666
00:33:09,028 --> 00:33:10,530
Ronald Reagan gets hacked.
667
00:33:10,571 --> 00:33:13,116
He made no bones about it.
668
00:33:13,157 --> 00:33:17,537
Anybody who talks about
these structural problems
669
00:33:17,578 --> 00:33:22,667
of race or peace and class
is the enemy, a traitor.
670
00:33:22,709 --> 00:33:26,337
Suspenseful music
671
00:33:26,379 --> 00:33:29,924
[man] The Governor
and The Students,
672
00:33:29,966 --> 00:33:31,968
an unedited,
unrehearsed dialogue
673
00:33:32,010 --> 00:33:34,387
between Governor Ronald Reagan
674
00:33:34,429 --> 00:33:36,347
and California students.
675
00:33:36,389 --> 00:33:38,057
Groovy music
676
00:33:38,099 --> 00:33:40,435
[man] Governor,
I know you kind of decided
677
00:33:40,476 --> 00:33:42,036
whether or not to receive
the Republican
678
00:33:42,061 --> 00:33:44,856
presidential, um, nomination
for President.
679
00:33:44,897 --> 00:33:48,151
But would you like
to be President?
680
00:33:48,192 --> 00:33:50,611
It's a job that... I think
it starts with the people.
681
00:33:50,653 --> 00:33:53,865
But I could never find myself
682
00:33:53,906 --> 00:33:56,284
just saying,
"Oh, I want to be President,
683
00:33:56,325 --> 00:33:58,245
and I'm gonna go out and talk
to people into it."
684
00:33:58,286 --> 00:34:02,331
My father came from a generation
where being nakedly ambitious
685
00:34:02,373 --> 00:34:05,877
was not seen as
a positive characteristic.
686
00:34:05,918 --> 00:34:07,503
Heroes don't do that.
687
00:34:07,545 --> 00:34:11,299
Heroes don't, you know,
seek attention.
688
00:34:11,340 --> 00:34:13,092
If you were nakedly ambitious,
689
00:34:13,134 --> 00:34:15,595
you were being something
less than heroic.
690
00:34:15,636 --> 00:34:18,639
[Plog] Reagan was thinking
of being President
691
00:34:18,681 --> 00:34:20,224
from the time we first met him.
692
00:34:20,266 --> 00:34:21,809
That's all he wanted.
693
00:34:21,851 --> 00:34:25,188
I was with him
in his Pacific Palisades home,
694
00:34:25,229 --> 00:34:26,856
and we're going
through some issues.
695
00:34:26,898 --> 00:34:28,858
He suddenly put the books down
and he said,
696
00:34:28,900 --> 00:34:30,485
"Damn. Wouldn't this be fun
697
00:34:30,526 --> 00:34:32,570
if we were running
for the presidency?"
698
00:34:32,612 --> 00:34:35,281
[Alter] In early 1968,
699
00:34:35,323 --> 00:34:37,700
the guy has been governor
for a year.
700
00:34:37,742 --> 00:34:42,288
He goes on a nationwide
speaking tour to test the waters
701
00:34:42,330 --> 00:34:43,915
for the presidency.
702
00:34:43,956 --> 00:34:45,833
[man] Governor,
are you running for President?
703
00:34:45,875 --> 00:34:48,920
I am not a candidate.
I'm not running for President.
704
00:34:48,961 --> 00:34:50,147
[man]
People think you're a candidate.
705
00:34:50,171 --> 00:34:52,673
Well, um, maybe the people think
I'm a candidate
706
00:34:52,715 --> 00:34:54,359
because you fellows
won't take my word for it.
707
00:34:54,383 --> 00:34:55,510
[man] Governor...
708
00:34:55,551 --> 00:34:58,387
[crowd chattering]
709
00:34:58,429 --> 00:35:00,932
[elephant blows]
710
00:35:00,973 --> 00:35:03,059
[elephant trumpets]
711
00:35:03,101 --> 00:35:09,273
And in '68,
my grandmother was for Reagan.
712
00:35:09,315 --> 00:35:12,110
Reagan was the governor
from the largest state
713
00:35:12,151 --> 00:35:14,112
governing as a conservative.
714
00:35:14,153 --> 00:35:16,739
He really put himself forward
as somebody that
715
00:35:16,781 --> 00:35:18,533
conservative Republicans said,
716
00:35:18,574 --> 00:35:22,036
"Someday, this is our candidate
for President."
717
00:35:23,955 --> 00:35:26,582
[man] This is probably his
last chance at the White House
718
00:35:26,624 --> 00:35:31,337
for one reason or another,
chiefly age, it's 1968 or never.
719
00:35:31,379 --> 00:35:33,965
[man] The nominee
of this convention...
720
00:35:34,006 --> 00:35:35,383
Richard M. Nixon.
721
00:35:35,424 --> 00:35:40,263
[crowd cheering]
722
00:35:40,304 --> 00:35:42,181
[Spencer] Reagan wasn't ready.
723
00:35:42,223 --> 00:35:46,060
But my governor had stars
in his eyes,
724
00:35:46,102 --> 00:35:48,396
and the message was out there.
725
00:35:48,437 --> 00:35:49,897
He wanted the job.
726
00:35:49,939 --> 00:35:52,400
[crowd chattering]
727
00:35:52,441 --> 00:35:56,112
We want Reagan! We want Reagan!
728
00:35:56,154 --> 00:35:58,364
[man] And I can tell
we need some more enthusiasm.
729
00:35:58,406 --> 00:36:00,199
Ladies and gentlemen,
if you will,
730
00:36:00,241 --> 00:36:02,160
join me in a tremendous
round of applause.
731
00:36:02,201 --> 00:36:03,953
[cheers and applause]
732
00:36:03,995 --> 00:36:06,956
It's Ronald Reagan, the fighter
733
00:36:06,998 --> 00:36:09,750
Ronald Reagan, the power
734
00:36:09,792 --> 00:36:12,587
Here he comes, here he comes
735
00:36:12,628 --> 00:36:16,299
'76, this is ours
736
00:36:16,340 --> 00:36:17,758
Oh, baby
737
00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:20,052
[Cannon] Ronald Reagan
left the California governorship
738
00:36:20,094 --> 00:36:21,470
early in 1975.
739
00:36:21,512 --> 00:36:22,889
- Hi.
- [man] How are you?
740
00:36:22,930 --> 00:36:25,850
By the time he was running
for President in 1976,
741
00:36:25,892 --> 00:36:27,643
Mrs. Reagan had acquired
an awful lot
742
00:36:27,685 --> 00:36:30,855
of political knowledge
about national politics.
743
00:36:30,897 --> 00:36:33,441
Upbeat music
744
00:36:33,482 --> 00:36:34,793
[reporter]
Obviously, you must think
745
00:36:34,817 --> 00:36:36,253
you're doing some good
to be out shaking
746
00:36:36,277 --> 00:36:38,154
all these hands,
running around the state.
747
00:36:38,196 --> 00:36:40,907
I'm doing
what they asked me to do.
748
00:36:40,948 --> 00:36:44,285
I go out and do questions
and answers,
749
00:36:44,327 --> 00:36:45,512
and it's fascinating.
It really is,
750
00:36:45,536 --> 00:36:49,415
'cause you find out that
no matter where you are,
751
00:36:49,457 --> 00:36:51,334
the same things
are on people's minds,
752
00:36:51,375 --> 00:36:56,214
which has been
fascinating to me.
753
00:36:56,255 --> 00:36:57,757
She was an actress.
754
00:36:57,798 --> 00:37:00,927
Not a great actress,
but an actress,
755
00:37:00,968 --> 00:37:04,472
and she could play parts
very well.
756
00:37:04,513 --> 00:37:07,266
[Alter] She created this
artifice that in some ways
757
00:37:07,308 --> 00:37:12,355
was almost as powerful
as her husband's façade
758
00:37:12,396 --> 00:37:16,734
and hers was of
the adoring, demure wife.
759
00:37:16,776 --> 00:37:18,611
But she also knew
how to charm people.
760
00:37:18,653 --> 00:37:20,529
[Nancy] It's, uh... [ laughs ]
761
00:37:20,571 --> 00:37:21,572
Have you ever just said,
762
00:37:21,614 --> 00:37:22,883
"No. That's not the way
we're gonna do it"?
763
00:37:22,907 --> 00:37:24,450
- No.
- [laughs]
764
00:37:24,492 --> 00:37:27,411
Well, I'll tell you, that's...
That's an ideal wife.
765
00:37:27,453 --> 00:37:29,205
[man] Mrs. Reagan...
766
00:37:29,247 --> 00:37:32,041
[Lopez] When Ronald Reagan
runs again in '76,
767
00:37:32,083 --> 00:37:35,670
he also learned from his
experience in California,
768
00:37:35,711 --> 00:37:39,215
and he runs a very aggressive
dog whistle campaign.
769
00:37:39,257 --> 00:37:42,176
Tonight, I'd like to talk
to you about issues,
770
00:37:42,218 --> 00:37:43,844
issues which I think
are involved
771
00:37:43,886 --> 00:37:46,806
or should be involved
in this primary election season.
772
00:37:46,847 --> 00:37:49,809
[Wiley]
Reagan's ideology was that
773
00:37:49,850 --> 00:37:51,811
government programs
are just wasting
774
00:37:51,852 --> 00:37:53,229
our hard-earned money.
775
00:37:53,271 --> 00:37:57,400
He pulls the story
of a woman in Chicago.
776
00:37:57,441 --> 00:37:59,819
[Ronald] She has
50 Social Security numbers
777
00:37:59,860 --> 00:38:02,655
and 50 addresses
in Chicago alone.
778
00:38:02,697 --> 00:38:04,615
Her tax-free cash income
779
00:38:04,657 --> 00:38:08,577
has been running a $150,000
a year.
780
00:38:09,495 --> 00:38:12,581
[Wiley] Reagan's welfare queen
and her Cadillac
781
00:38:12,623 --> 00:38:16,794
became a poster child for a lie.
782
00:38:16,836 --> 00:38:20,840
The lie is this is what
people on welfare are,
783
00:38:20,881 --> 00:38:23,926
that these are people
who don't need the program
784
00:38:23,968 --> 00:38:26,178
and that it was people of color
785
00:38:26,220 --> 00:38:28,681
who were getting
unfair handouts.
786
00:38:28,723 --> 00:38:31,434
Washington doesn't even know
how many people are on welfare,
787
00:38:31,475 --> 00:38:34,186
how many cheaters are getting
more than one check.
788
00:38:34,228 --> 00:38:38,357
The surface story
is Blacks are lazy.
789
00:38:38,399 --> 00:38:41,819
They're cheaters.
They're a drain on society.
790
00:38:41,861 --> 00:38:43,487
And by implication,
791
00:38:43,529 --> 00:38:45,406
a complimentary story
about whites...
792
00:38:45,448 --> 00:38:47,992
Hard-working,
responsible, innocent,
793
00:38:48,034 --> 00:38:51,620
law-abiding taxpayers
who contribute.
794
00:38:51,662 --> 00:38:55,499
Many politicians like Reagan
use welfare as a...
795
00:38:55,541 --> 00:38:57,418
As a term to cover up
their racism.
796
00:38:57,460 --> 00:38:58,919
That is they never deal
with the fact
797
00:38:58,961 --> 00:39:02,840
that they have three whites
on welfare for every one Black.
798
00:39:02,882 --> 00:39:06,344
[Scheer] Reagan was demonizing
vulnerable people.
799
00:39:06,385 --> 00:39:08,179
And meanwhile,
the people ripping you off
800
00:39:08,220 --> 00:39:10,973
are big corporations
getting tax breaks,
801
00:39:11,015 --> 00:39:13,517
and so it's
a very convenient narrative.
802
00:39:13,559 --> 00:39:15,603
[reporter] Significant numbers
of Democratic
803
00:39:15,644 --> 00:39:18,105
and independent voters
like what he's been saying,
804
00:39:18,147 --> 00:39:20,691
that some of his detractors
claim that at least
805
00:39:20,733 --> 00:39:24,195
some of what he's been saying
is a little short on accuracy.
806
00:39:24,236 --> 00:39:27,990
It costs three $3 in overhead
to deliver one $1
807
00:39:28,032 --> 00:39:30,409
to a needy person
in this country.
808
00:39:30,451 --> 00:39:31,702
[man] Reagan is wrong.
809
00:39:31,744 --> 00:39:35,164
It doesn't cost $3 to deliver
a dollar of welfare,
810
00:39:35,206 --> 00:39:36,957
but 12 cents.
811
00:39:36,999 --> 00:39:39,794
[Wiley] The majority of people
who are on welfare are white.
812
00:39:39,835 --> 00:39:44,256
And yet welfare exists
in our political consciousness
813
00:39:44,298 --> 00:39:47,009
as only benefitting
people of color.
814
00:39:47,051 --> 00:39:50,304
That is how blind we have become
815
00:39:50,346 --> 00:39:53,933
to how manipulated we are
by racial politics
816
00:39:53,974 --> 00:39:58,270
that serve
to undermine equality.
817
00:39:58,312 --> 00:40:01,232
[man] Ronald Reagan
almost has as many delegates
818
00:40:01,273 --> 00:40:02,483
committed to him
819
00:40:02,525 --> 00:40:04,235
as are committed
to President Ford.
820
00:40:04,276 --> 00:40:07,446
[woman] Do you think you'll be
the Republican nominee in '76?
821
00:40:07,488 --> 00:40:10,574
[Ronald] I don't know.
I'm gonna try.
822
00:40:10,616 --> 00:40:14,495
Tense music
823
00:40:18,999 --> 00:40:20,310
Good morning
from Kansas City, Missouri,
824
00:40:20,334 --> 00:40:25,714
the site of the 31st
Republican National Convention.
825
00:40:25,756 --> 00:40:27,967
The choice facing the people
in this country
826
00:40:28,008 --> 00:40:30,928
is between
that Democratic platform,
827
00:40:30,970 --> 00:40:33,556
which is for more government,
more spending,
828
00:40:33,597 --> 00:40:36,434
more deficits
as against the platform
829
00:40:36,475 --> 00:40:38,936
that has said,
"Let us reverse that
830
00:40:38,978 --> 00:40:40,187
and get back the freedom
831
00:40:40,229 --> 00:40:42,523
and state's rights
and local rules."
832
00:40:42,565 --> 00:40:45,443
[Baker]
In 1976, Reagan was a force
833
00:40:45,484 --> 00:40:47,611
to be reckoned with.
834
00:40:47,653 --> 00:40:52,158
He almost knocked off
an incumbent Jerry Ford
835
00:40:52,199 --> 00:40:53,617
for his party's nomination.
836
00:40:53,659 --> 00:40:57,204
[man] They're not really
fighting over the old fissure
837
00:40:57,246 --> 00:40:59,415
of, "Are we going
left or are going right?"
838
00:40:59,457 --> 00:41:03,043
This party's made up its mind.
It's going right.
839
00:41:03,085 --> 00:41:04,879
It's going right,
but how far right?
840
00:41:04,920 --> 00:41:09,550
[man] The nominee of this
convention is Gerald R. Ford.
841
00:41:09,592 --> 00:41:11,677
[crowd cheering]
842
00:41:11,719 --> 00:41:15,931
[man] The major Reagan threat
to the Ford campaign here
843
00:41:15,973 --> 00:41:19,018
has been decisively defeated.
844
00:41:19,059 --> 00:41:21,645
[man] There had been
a request to hear
845
00:41:21,687 --> 00:41:22,980
from Governor Reagan,
846
00:41:23,022 --> 00:41:24,607
invite him to address
the convention.
847
00:41:24,648 --> 00:41:28,068
[cheers and applause]
848
00:41:28,110 --> 00:41:30,488
[Norquist]
In the speech Reagan gave
849
00:41:30,529 --> 00:41:32,573
supposedly endorsing Ford
850
00:41:32,615 --> 00:41:35,075
was a speech
for electing Reagan,
851
00:41:35,117 --> 00:41:37,578
and he made it clear
that he had a vision.
852
00:41:37,620 --> 00:41:39,997
We've got to quit
talking to each other
853
00:41:40,039 --> 00:41:44,084
and about each other and go out
and communicate to the world
854
00:41:44,126 --> 00:41:47,046
that we may be fewer in numbers
than we've ever been,
855
00:41:47,087 --> 00:41:50,633
but we carry the message
they're waiting for.
856
00:41:50,674 --> 00:41:52,176
[Norquist]
Reagan was making the case
857
00:41:52,218 --> 00:41:55,304
for a modern conservative
Republican Party
858
00:41:55,346 --> 00:42:00,476
that had a serious vision
of where it wanted to go.
859
00:42:00,518 --> 00:42:04,230
What a great general said
a few years ago is true.
860
00:42:04,271 --> 00:42:07,942
There is no substitute
for victory.
861
00:42:07,983 --> 00:42:09,485
Mr. President.
862
00:42:09,527 --> 00:42:11,237
[crowd cheering]
863
00:42:11,278 --> 00:42:12,363
Thank you.
864
00:42:12,404 --> 00:42:14,990
[Spencer] He made
the best speech of his life.
865
00:42:15,032 --> 00:42:18,035
It just showed me how
badly he wanted it.
866
00:42:18,077 --> 00:42:21,413
After that, Reagan owned
the heart of the party.
867
00:42:21,455 --> 00:42:25,251
[man] This was supposed to have
been President Ford's night,
868
00:42:25,292 --> 00:42:26,835
and then as he swept
off the stage,
869
00:42:26,877 --> 00:42:29,255
the whole auditorium just rose.
870
00:42:29,296 --> 00:42:30,965
I've never seen anything
like that.
871
00:42:31,006 --> 00:42:32,526
[man] Saying in effect, Roger,
this is what you...
872
00:42:32,550 --> 00:42:33,610
That maybe we picked
the wrong man. I don't...
873
00:42:33,634 --> 00:42:35,636
This is what you might have had.
874
00:42:35,678 --> 00:42:36,679
Exactly.
875
00:42:36,720 --> 00:42:37,930
[man] Unless Ronald Reagan
876
00:42:37,972 --> 00:42:41,392
comes to the end
of the long trail,
877
00:42:41,433 --> 00:42:43,978
65 is not likely
to be a candidate
878
00:42:44,019 --> 00:42:46,230
for public office again.
879
00:42:54,488 --> 00:42:57,283
[Ron Jr.]
After the '76 campaign,
880
00:42:57,324 --> 00:42:59,785
I noticed my father
mellowing a bit.
881
00:42:59,827 --> 00:43:04,123
Part of that was the fact
that he had lost...
882
00:43:04,164 --> 00:43:05,499
[horse nickers]
883
00:43:05,541 --> 00:43:07,126
...but survived.
884
00:43:07,167 --> 00:43:08,836
Okay. All right. Yeah, yeah!
885
00:43:08,877 --> 00:43:11,088
[Rollins]
Reagan told me one time,
886
00:43:11,130 --> 00:43:12,673
"I probably wouldn't
have run again
887
00:43:12,715 --> 00:43:14,550
if it wasn't for Mrs. Reagan."
888
00:43:14,592 --> 00:43:15,968
She thought that he had to run,
889
00:43:16,010 --> 00:43:19,221
and he was sort of,
"Okay, I took my shot at it.
890
00:43:19,263 --> 00:43:22,349
Gonna go to the ranch
and live happily ever after."
891
00:43:22,391 --> 00:43:24,977
hopeful music
892
00:43:25,019 --> 00:43:27,062
She kept persuading him
893
00:43:27,104 --> 00:43:29,356
that he was the man
that could change the country.
894
00:43:29,398 --> 00:43:32,443
[man] Ronald Reagan
hasn't been heard from much
895
00:43:32,484 --> 00:43:34,361
since he lost
the Republican nomination
896
00:43:34,403 --> 00:43:36,322
to Gerald Ford in Kansas City.
897
00:43:36,363 --> 00:43:39,033
While his fellow Republicans
have been trying to figure out
898
00:43:39,074 --> 00:43:41,160
what to do about the party,
the governors,
899
00:43:41,201 --> 00:43:43,329
the state chairmen,
the national committee,
900
00:43:43,370 --> 00:43:47,041
Reagan has been more or less
quietly biding his time.
901
00:43:47,082 --> 00:43:48,310
[Ronald]
Well, there's nothing like
902
00:43:48,334 --> 00:43:50,294
being in the saddle all day.
903
00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:54,715
Governor Reagan, would you
have beaten Jimmy Carter?
904
00:43:54,757 --> 00:43:56,925
I said during the primaries
that I thought I could,
905
00:43:56,967 --> 00:43:59,011
and I still believe
that I could have.
906
00:43:59,053 --> 00:44:01,472
[man] Where Ford failed Reagan
would have won, how?
907
00:44:01,513 --> 00:44:03,223
How would you have
put it together?
908
00:44:03,265 --> 00:44:06,644
Well, I think I would have
broken into the solid South,
909
00:44:06,685 --> 00:44:09,313
which went for Carter as an...
As a native son.
910
00:44:09,355 --> 00:44:11,899
But what really
made the difference,
911
00:44:11,940 --> 00:44:13,376
if you will agree,
is the Black vote.
912
00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:14,485
Yeah.
913
00:44:14,526 --> 00:44:19,573
Apparently Black Americans
find almost nothing
914
00:44:19,615 --> 00:44:21,450
in the Republican Party
to attract.
915
00:44:21,492 --> 00:44:23,327
You're anti-people.
Bob Dole says
916
00:44:23,369 --> 00:44:25,788
you have the image
of being anti-people.
917
00:44:25,829 --> 00:44:27,706
Ah, we have the image,
918
00:44:27,748 --> 00:44:30,834
yes, but...
and I don't deny that.
919
00:44:30,876 --> 00:44:33,962
We have been the victims
of a false image.
920
00:44:34,004 --> 00:44:37,257
The Republican Party
has just done the lousiest job
921
00:44:37,299 --> 00:44:40,094
of merchandising
of what it has to offer.
922
00:44:42,805 --> 00:44:45,557
To me, it was realistic
that he could have been
923
00:44:45,599 --> 00:44:47,685
a nominee in '76.
924
00:44:47,726 --> 00:44:50,604
Do I think he could
beat Jimmy Carter? No.
925
00:44:50,646 --> 00:44:53,399
Reagan's base was the South,
926
00:44:53,440 --> 00:44:57,027
and Jimmy was
a hometown Southern boy.
927
00:44:57,069 --> 00:45:01,782
But four years later,
when Reagan ran again,
928
00:45:01,824 --> 00:45:04,910
they didn't like their boy.
[laughs]
929
00:45:04,952 --> 00:45:08,163
[crowd cheering]
930
00:45:08,205 --> 00:45:11,417
[Alter] Reagan knew he had
to win the South in 1980.
931
00:45:11,458 --> 00:45:15,087
To do that, he had to send
some messages
932
00:45:15,129 --> 00:45:16,630
that he was on the side
933
00:45:16,672 --> 00:45:18,716
of racist
conservative voters there.
934
00:45:18,757 --> 00:45:22,261
He definitely went for
935
00:45:22,302 --> 00:45:24,430
what they called
the cracker vote.
936
00:45:24,471 --> 00:45:27,182
[Shearer]
Since the end of the '60s,
937
00:45:27,224 --> 00:45:30,394
the Republican Party
consciously went after
938
00:45:30,436 --> 00:45:32,229
white voters in the South
939
00:45:32,271 --> 00:45:35,983
by making racial appeals
to voters.
940
00:45:36,024 --> 00:45:39,695
[Lopez] This was called
the Southern strategy.
941
00:45:39,737 --> 00:45:42,364
And when Ronald Reagan
runs for president,
942
00:45:42,406 --> 00:45:44,825
he opts to do the same thing
943
00:45:44,867 --> 00:45:48,162
by going to the deep South
and invoke state's rights.
944
00:45:48,203 --> 00:45:51,165
That is a deeply
considered strategy.
945
00:45:51,206 --> 00:45:55,210
[Johnson] He is saying I can
separate the North and the South
946
00:45:55,252 --> 00:46:00,424
by talking about racial issues
that will move white Democrats
947
00:46:00,466 --> 00:46:01,884
to the Republican Party,
948
00:46:01,925 --> 00:46:04,136
I can take the same bigotry,
I can dress it up
949
00:46:04,178 --> 00:46:05,488
and I can make it
something palatable
950
00:46:05,512 --> 00:46:06,638
to people in the suburbs.
951
00:46:06,680 --> 00:46:12,686
You've seen in his campaign
the stirrings of hate
952
00:46:12,728 --> 00:46:15,939
and the rebirth of code words
like "state's rights"
953
00:46:15,981 --> 00:46:18,859
in a speech in Mississippi.
954
00:46:18,901 --> 00:46:20,486
[Lopez] When Jimmy Carter
challenged
955
00:46:20,527 --> 00:46:22,946
Reagan's use of race
in the campaign,
956
00:46:22,988 --> 00:46:25,574
the Reagan campaign responded
by saying
957
00:46:25,616 --> 00:46:27,701
Carter was being mean to Reagan
958
00:46:27,743 --> 00:46:30,746
as if he was saying
Reagan is prejudiced.
959
00:46:30,788 --> 00:46:37,085
I am deeply, deeply offended
by the attempts of Mr. Carter
960
00:46:37,127 --> 00:46:39,755
to paint my husband
as a man he is not.
961
00:46:39,797 --> 00:46:41,465
That's a cruel thing to do.
962
00:46:41,507 --> 00:46:43,276
[reporter] The president had
some rather unkind words for you
963
00:46:43,300 --> 00:46:45,511
last night, Governor.
He said if you win the election,
964
00:46:45,552 --> 00:46:47,387
you'll have a divisive effect
on the country,
965
00:46:47,429 --> 00:46:50,808
and he suggested that you would
separate North from South,
966
00:46:50,849 --> 00:46:53,310
rural from urban,
Jew from Christian,
967
00:46:53,352 --> 00:46:54,812
and Black from white.
968
00:46:54,853 --> 00:46:58,982
Well,
I think he's a badly misinformed
969
00:46:59,024 --> 00:47:00,234
and prejudiced man.
970
00:47:00,275 --> 00:47:01,860
[man] Thank you,
ladies and gentlemen.
971
00:47:01,902 --> 00:47:07,157
The whole fiction of Reagan was
that "I am not marginalizing
972
00:47:07,199 --> 00:47:08,784
or dividing the country.
973
00:47:08,826 --> 00:47:11,745
I am finding a more honest,
effective way
974
00:47:11,787 --> 00:47:13,539
of helping people."
975
00:47:13,580 --> 00:47:17,125
He packaged this fiction,
976
00:47:17,167 --> 00:47:20,003
and then the only thing
that gets in the way
977
00:47:20,045 --> 00:47:22,047
are these bad actors,
978
00:47:22,089 --> 00:47:25,300
welfare mothers,
and people of color
979
00:47:25,342 --> 00:47:27,719
and communists and homosexuals.
980
00:47:27,761 --> 00:47:30,264
And people believed it.
981
00:47:30,305 --> 00:47:32,933
[reporter] The Reagan motorcade
left Manhattan
982
00:47:32,975 --> 00:47:36,103
for the South Bronx,
a high crime, low hope area.
983
00:47:36,144 --> 00:47:39,606
President Carter visited
the same site three years ago.
984
00:47:39,648 --> 00:47:41,859
Reagan came, he said,
to remind voters
985
00:47:41,900 --> 00:47:45,404
the administration had broken
its promise to rebuild the area.
986
00:47:45,445 --> 00:47:47,781
[woman] Go take him now!
You his wife!
987
00:47:47,823 --> 00:47:51,535
Señora, you're his wife!
Help us, okay?
988
00:47:51,577 --> 00:47:53,120
Help us!
989
00:47:53,161 --> 00:47:55,789
[crowd shouting indistinctly]
990
00:47:55,831 --> 00:47:59,001
I'd just like
to point out one thing.
991
00:47:59,042 --> 00:48:01,753
I didn't come down here
to make a promise,
992
00:48:01,795 --> 00:48:05,090
I came down here because
somebody else made a promise.
993
00:48:05,132 --> 00:48:07,885
[crowd chanting]
994
00:48:11,179 --> 00:48:13,056
[Shearer]
Reagan didn't understand
995
00:48:13,098 --> 00:48:15,142
African American life.
996
00:48:15,183 --> 00:48:18,186
He didn't really know
Black people.
997
00:48:18,228 --> 00:48:20,939
And that didn't bother him,
998
00:48:20,981 --> 00:48:26,236
but he knew what he was doing
when he campaigned.
999
00:48:26,278 --> 00:48:28,947
Listen, wait a minute.
1000
00:48:28,989 --> 00:48:31,950
[woman] Let the man speak!
- Cállate la boca!
1001
00:48:31,992 --> 00:48:33,660
Let him speak!
1002
00:48:33,702 --> 00:48:35,078
Right now...
1003
00:48:35,120 --> 00:48:36,204
[indistinct shouting]
1004
00:48:36,246 --> 00:48:41,543
Right now in... right now
in Congress, there's some...
1005
00:48:42,794 --> 00:48:45,714
- I'm trying to tell you!
- [woman] But can you?
1006
00:48:45,756 --> 00:48:50,761
I am trying to tell you
that I know now
1007
00:48:50,802 --> 00:48:54,181
there is no program or promise
that a president can make...
1008
00:48:54,222 --> 00:48:55,223
[man] Thank you.
1009
00:48:55,265 --> 00:48:56,784
...that the federal government
can come in and...
1010
00:48:56,808 --> 00:48:58,518
-...wave a wand and do this.
1011
00:48:58,560 --> 00:49:00,562
[Scheer] His stock and trade
1012
00:49:00,604 --> 00:49:03,565
was to say,
"I really care about you.
1013
00:49:03,607 --> 00:49:06,610
The people who are spending
all that government money
1014
00:49:06,652 --> 00:49:08,528
don't really care.
1015
00:49:08,570 --> 00:49:12,574
But he didn't really have
a program,
1016
00:49:12,616 --> 00:49:14,159
didn't have an answer.
1017
00:49:14,201 --> 00:49:16,244
When he got before
a crowd like that,
1018
00:49:16,286 --> 00:49:18,080
which was almost never happened,
1019
00:49:18,121 --> 00:49:20,207
he was exposed instantly.
1020
00:49:20,248 --> 00:49:23,418
[crowd shouting]
1021
00:49:23,460 --> 00:49:25,337
intriguing music
1022
00:49:25,379 --> 00:49:28,590
The question
of whether my father
1023
00:49:28,632 --> 00:49:30,592
was, in fact, racist in some way
1024
00:49:30,634 --> 00:49:34,262
is a troubling one for me
and, uh,
1025
00:49:34,304 --> 00:49:37,975
and one that I don't really know
how to answer.
1026
00:49:38,016 --> 00:49:41,561
I never heard him at home
1027
00:49:41,603 --> 00:49:45,440
in private ever saying
racist things.
1028
00:49:45,482 --> 00:49:48,318
He certainly didn't use
the "N" word.
1029
00:49:48,360 --> 00:49:50,904
Nobody talked like that
in our house.
1030
00:49:50,946 --> 00:49:53,740
I do not think
Ronald Reagan thought
1031
00:49:53,782 --> 00:49:55,367
he was a racist.
1032
00:49:55,409 --> 00:50:00,080
When he visited us at Yale,
my friend asked Governor Reagan,
1033
00:50:00,122 --> 00:50:03,083
"Are there any other
Black people you know
1034
00:50:03,125 --> 00:50:05,252
other than Jackie Robinson?"
1035
00:50:05,293 --> 00:50:06,837
And that's where
Governor Reagan said,
1036
00:50:06,878 --> 00:50:10,841
"Sammy Davis Jr.
Is one of my best friends.
1037
00:50:10,882 --> 00:50:13,301
So that means I'm not a racist."
1038
00:50:13,343 --> 00:50:19,433
[Wiley] Ronald Reagan made
explicitly racist statements.
1039
00:50:19,474 --> 00:50:23,020
We know that from tapes that
were only recently released.
1040
00:50:23,061 --> 00:50:25,689
[woman] President Richard Nixon
recorded himself talking
1041
00:50:25,731 --> 00:50:28,316
to then-California Governor
Ronald Reagan
1042
00:50:28,358 --> 00:50:32,154
in October 1971,
the day after the United Nations
1043
00:50:32,195 --> 00:50:35,198
voted to recognize
The People's Republic of China.
1044
00:50:35,240 --> 00:50:37,075
Reagan had phoned Nixon
at the White House
1045
00:50:37,117 --> 00:50:40,078
to vent his frustration
at African delegates
1046
00:50:40,120 --> 00:50:41,705
who celebrated the vote.
1047
00:50:55,844 --> 00:50:58,013
[Lopez] That sort of quote
is only part
1048
00:50:58,055 --> 00:51:00,974
of the larger indictment
against Ronald Reagan.
1049
00:51:01,016 --> 00:51:06,021
He should also be criticized
for being a national leader
1050
00:51:06,063 --> 00:51:09,441
who made the decision
to strategically promote
1051
00:51:09,483 --> 00:51:12,444
racial conflict and hatred
as a strategy
1052
00:51:12,486 --> 00:51:16,490
to rile up voters
and to win elections.
1053
00:51:16,531 --> 00:51:18,200
[indistinct chatter]
1054
00:51:18,241 --> 00:51:19,868
[Shearer] Voters got the message
1055
00:51:19,910 --> 00:51:22,621
that this was not gonna be
a president
1056
00:51:22,662 --> 00:51:25,415
that enforced civil rights
or voting rights.
1057
00:51:25,457 --> 00:51:28,543
And you could feel good
about voting for him
1058
00:51:28,585 --> 00:51:30,921
because he'd supported
Jackie Robinson
1059
00:51:30,962 --> 00:51:32,339
playing baseball.
1060
00:51:32,380 --> 00:51:37,636
Let us pledge to each other,
with this great lady looking on,
1061
00:51:37,677 --> 00:51:41,640
that we can,
and so help us, God,
1062
00:51:41,681 --> 00:51:45,477
we will make America
great again.
1063
00:51:45,519 --> 00:51:46,996
- [crowd cheering]
- Thank you very much.
1064
00:51:47,020 --> 00:51:50,190
[cheering]
1065
00:51:50,232 --> 00:51:52,442
[Lopez] Reagan's reputation
as a dog whistler
1066
00:51:52,484 --> 00:51:56,321
has not had a sufficiently
negative impact on his legacy.
1067
00:51:56,363 --> 00:52:00,408
Dog whistling is all about
plausible deniability
1068
00:52:00,450 --> 00:52:03,495
that allowed Reagan
to protect himself
1069
00:52:03,537 --> 00:52:05,247
and that has allowed
the Republican Party
1070
00:52:05,288 --> 00:52:06,915
for the last four decades
1071
00:52:06,957 --> 00:52:10,127
to deny that that's
who Ronald Reagan was,
1072
00:52:10,168 --> 00:52:12,003
to turn him into a hero,
1073
00:52:12,045 --> 00:52:14,047
to insist
that he really did care
1074
00:52:14,089 --> 00:52:18,135
about the average
American working family.
1075
00:52:18,176 --> 00:52:20,053
But when people stand back,
1076
00:52:20,095 --> 00:52:25,183
they see that, in fact,
Reagan was a divisive figure,
1077
00:52:25,225 --> 00:52:28,520
someone willing to do
what he knew was wrong
1078
00:52:28,562 --> 00:52:31,481
to divide Americans
as a way to win power.
1079
00:52:31,523 --> 00:52:36,027
[Wiley] Reagan's genius
as a politician
1080
00:52:36,069 --> 00:52:41,241
was that he wrapped his racism
in a façade of fatherly love.
1081
00:52:41,283 --> 00:52:42,576
[crowd cheering]
1082
00:52:42,617 --> 00:52:44,512
And it was something that
Black people in this country
1083
00:52:44,536 --> 00:52:48,206
understood was a façade,
1084
00:52:48,248 --> 00:52:51,877
and we understood it
by his words and his deeds.
1085
00:52:51,918 --> 00:52:55,046
[Ronald] For those without
job opportunities,
1086
00:52:55,088 --> 00:52:56,756
we'll stimulate
new opportunities
1087
00:52:56,798 --> 00:52:59,593
particularly in the inner cities
where they live.
1088
00:52:59,634 --> 00:53:02,721
For those who've abandoned hope,
1089
00:53:02,762 --> 00:53:04,097
we'll restore hope,
1090
00:53:04,139 --> 00:53:06,474
and we'll welcome them
into a great national crusade
1091
00:53:06,516 --> 00:53:09,895
to make America great again.
1092
00:53:09,936 --> 00:53:15,192
[jet roaring]
1093
00:53:17,944 --> 00:53:21,656
We have here what,
I think, reasonably
1094
00:53:21,698 --> 00:53:23,325
could be called a landslide
1095
00:53:23,366 --> 00:53:26,077
or certainly something
approaching a landslide.
1096
00:53:26,119 --> 00:53:27,746
Where did it come from?
1097
00:53:27,787 --> 00:53:28,997
Nobody anticipated it.
1098
00:53:29,039 --> 00:53:32,542
No polls predicted it.
No one saw it coming.
1099
00:53:32,584 --> 00:53:33,835
How did that happen?
1100
00:53:33,877 --> 00:53:36,880
[man] Ronald Reagan...
Look at what he has done.
1101
00:53:36,922 --> 00:53:40,217
These are the states in blue
that he has won.
1102
00:53:40,258 --> 00:53:42,510
Well, who leads
the social counter revolution
1103
00:53:42,552 --> 00:53:43,946
that Teddy Kennedy...
- [man] Lawyers.
1104
00:53:43,970 --> 00:53:45,639
I think it'll be somebody
whose name
1105
00:53:45,680 --> 00:53:47,182
is not a household word tonight.
1106
00:53:47,224 --> 00:53:48,910
[man] Try Senator Biden
from Delaware for openers.
1107
00:53:48,934 --> 00:53:50,894
Very impressive young guy,
1108
00:53:50,936 --> 00:53:52,413
in his second term,
revisionist Democrat.
1109
00:53:52,437 --> 00:53:55,440
[coughs] Wow, okay.
1110
00:53:55,482 --> 00:53:56,650
[laughter]
1111
00:53:56,691 --> 00:53:58,526
All right. All right.
1112
00:53:58,550 --> 00:54:00,550
>>>>oakislandtk<<<<<
www.opensubtitles.org
95670
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.