Wednesday
(1)Ronald Reagan was, as we know, dubbed among other things as "The Great Communicator". Through his speeches, radio broadcasts and writings, Reagan had a wonderful knack of communicating important truths in clear-cut ways.
What intrigues me is wondering what he would have made of this new field of blogging. I reckon he would have loved it and could easily imagine the old fella writing one. As a talk-radio host, he had a lot to say that would have fitted in perfectly with the weblog format. I have recently been reading a collection of his radio show broadcast transcripts and it blasts the idea of him being a dope. Anything but, in fact.
Reagan was eager to make full use of the modern technologies of his time in spreading his views about the role of government, capitalism, the evils of communism and the like. I don't think it impertinent to imagine that this great man would have loved our medium and enjoyed the fact of its challenge to Big Media. I wonder what he'd have called his weblog. How about "Shining City on a Hill"?
I have recently been reading a collection of his radio show broadcast transcripts and it blasts the idea of him being a dope.
Hear, hear! The Reagan-as-genial-dunce trope was, of course, spread by his enemies, many of whom still haven't learned their lesson and are now having another "moron" lead them around by the nose.
It is more difficult to communicate plainly and clearly than it is to spout jargon in windy, ill-conceived sentences. Many an academic with a big vocabulary and a long record of being wrong on the issues of the day considered Reagan a dolt, even though he was on the right side of history and the issues and was a better communicator than they.
Posted by R C Dean at June 9, 2004 07:30 PM
even though he was on the right side of history and the issues and was a better communicator than they
Dare I say this is something the libertarian movement conspicuously lacks?
EG
Posted by Euan Gray at June 9, 2004 10:32 PM
I can picture Reagan lecturing Red China's Internet sensors:
"Tear down this firewall!"
Posted by Alan K. Henderson at June 10, 2004 07:12 AM
'Ronald Reagan was, as we know, dubbed among other things as "The Great Communicator". '
True. But Bill Clinton was also a Big Communicator. Or - in more simple language - a salesman, at least as good as Reagan. And he even was creditted by many with having an intellect (Rhodes scholar ... ), or rather - being very smart (which is not the same thing).
So what's the difference ? In the end - what matters more is WHAT you say, not how you say it.
Reagan had a very clear and consistent grasp of the ideas of liberty in which he believed.
Clinton has no clue what an idea is, he is unaware that such things exist, he despises ideas and people talking about them, he believes in nothing. He isn't even a lefty, as Hitchens pointed out, he despises their ideas too.
I propose to call Reagan "The Great Idealist".
Posted by Jacob at June 10, 2004 10:52 AM
Euan Gray, Jacob -- I agree with both your points.
Euan, there is in the UK right now (can't really speak for anywhere else), a serious major political figure who has been making the case for limited govt, free markets and liberty in the sort of sweeping way Reagan did. Lord knows when someone combining crystal-clear views and great communications skills comes along again.
It goes without saying that the Tory Party does not have a single person who has a tenth of Reagan's skills in this direction. Not one.
Posted by Johnathan Pearce at June 10, 2004 11:02 AM
The thing that's REALLY amazing/astounding (and need I add, REALLY pissing off) The Media here is the sheer numbers of people lining up for HOURS to pay thier respects. There have been people waiting at the capitol since before the coffin arrived. The shorted the line got was at 5:30 AM, when it was STILL 3 hours long. They just don't get it.
Posted by Pete (Detroit) at June 10, 2004 07:53 PM
Pete, it was all organized by the VRWC.
If you don't believe me, just ask HRC.
Posted by Uncle Bill at June 10, 2004 09:35 PM
