The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

The Presidential Libraries

As I read about the opening of the George W. Bush Library and Museum in Dallas, Texas, the first of this month, I realized I had not been to a single presidential library.  There are now 13 of them, spanning our country from coast to coast.  It is President Franklin D. Roosevelt who began this tradition as a way of preserving papers, records, diaries and treasures of an administration.  Sadly, many such historic papers have been lost, destroyed or sold to private collectors.

I begin my tour with the Ronald Reagan Library because it is located only an hour's drive from my home.  It is located on a hill overlooking Simi Valley.   I had to go alone.  My travel buddy refused to go.  His dislike for Ronald Reagan goes back to 1969, when as governor of California, he sent in the National Guard with tear gas and clubs "to clean up the mess at Berkeley."  It was a dark time in U.S. history.

But I was a child during the Viet Nam War, living in Kansas.  I did not know anything about Reagan; I hadn't even seen one of his movies.  Even when he became president, I was living overseas for most of his administration.  My opinions were influenced by my European friends who thought he was a joke.

It was time to learn more.

"If the Reagan Library is anything like its counterparts, many of those who enter these doors will not be academics.  No, they will be ordinary people of all ages, backgrounds and political persuasions, eager to examine their past and explore a history not always learned in school."

 Ronald Reagan, November 4, 1991, at the opening of his museum

Since I am far left of our current president, I realized immediately all political biases had to be dumped into the trash receptacle if I was to enjoy (and educate) myself.  With that being said, it was clear from the minute I stepped in that the man was now sitting to the right of Saint Peter himself.

Ronald Reagan did not become president until he was 69 years old.  He was the oldest man ever elected to the presidency.  He died at 93, so there is much to cover here.  What did I want to know?   How did a Hollywood actor become one of the most powerful people in the world?  

Well, he wasn't just an actor; he was President of the Screen Actors Guild.  Politics was in his blood.  He was also a spokesman for General Electric and toured the country promoting the company.  His public speaking skills grew, as well as his polished, folksy persona.  He claimed his own politics shifted from left to right as he met the public on these trips.  People told him they wanted smaller government, lower taxes and a strong national defense.  He adopted these sentiments and never wavered.  No wonder he remains the darling of the Republican party.

He was governor of California from 1967 to 1975, and by now, was called "The Great Communicator."  He had no problem defeating President Carter in 1980.  Who doesn't remember his funny quip, "There you go again," during the presidential debates.  Besides being a handsome man, he had a twinkle to his eye and an easy, congenial manner that everyone liked.  Poor Jimmy didn't have a chance!

To me, one of the most fascinating exhibits in the museum is his collection of index cards he kept in an album.  Whenever he came across an interesting quote, he wrote it down.  There were quotes from Aristophanes, Cicero, John Adams and Mahatma Gandhi.  Many of his one-liners were inspired by these quotes.

The exhibit covering the assassination attempt on his life was very emotional.  Someone had filmed the actual attempt and it was being played nonstop in a small room.   A docent warned people of its intensity.  "If you think you can't handle it, just walk on through," she said.  Shots are heard and despite the chaos and shock,  what you see is the lightening-fast reactions of the Secret Service.  It is very impressive.

This happened only a few months into his presidency.  He was a lucky man.  The bullet hit his rib, passed through his lung and stopped less than one inch from his heart.  It is Reagan's sense of humor and quick recovery that endeared him to the nation.  He told Nancy that he forgot to duck.  He cracked jokes in the hospital.  "I hope you're a Republican," he told the surgeon.  "Today, Mr. President, we are all Republicans."  How can you not like such a man?

His personality was his strength.  Over the years, he earned the nickname, "Mr. Teflon Man," because nothing he did, even the scandal of the Iran-Contra affair, seemed to affect his popularity.

 I enjoyed the exhibits about everyday life in the White House.  Nancy Reagan, the First Lady, was a regal, beautiful woman.  Dinners at the White House were gorgeous affairs.  She oversaw every flower, every menu and every place setting.  Performances included ballet and opera.  She was one classy lady!

But the politics?  Well, this is where I felt like a fish out of water.  The museum covers his mass military spending--the biggest peace time defense buildup in history.  It was, after all, part of the Republican agenda.  And yes, it brought economic recovery.  Defense suppliers were making big money and we all benefited.  However, budgets to Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, Agriculture, Education and Transportation were all slashed.  In the 90's when the money stopped flowing, companies shut their doors.   "What if he had done the opposite," my son commented, "Poured money into infrastructure, education and the environment?"  What if, what if . . .

His diplomacy and relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev was also covered in depth.  Again, this is a matter of differing opinions.  Did he end the Cold War?  Bring down the Berlin Wall?  Well, he was president when they happened so he gets the credit.  (Although my European friends claim his massive arms buildup and anti-communist rantings only prolonged the inevitable.)  Who knows, who knows . . .

Section of the Berlin Wall

By far, the highlight of the museum is walking through Air Force One.  Photographs were not allowed.  What a thrill!  (Even my travel buddy admitted he was a bit jealous).   The big Boeing 707 carried seven presidents, from Nixon to George W. Bush, all over the world.  I saw the Presidential Office, the First Lady's State Room, the conference table, galley and press area.  A replica of the "nuclear football" was in place--very creepy.  A chocolate cake was sitting on the galley counter.  The docent said the president always liked to have one on hand.  "There's always someone with a birthday or anniversary to celebrate," he said.  See what I mean?  How can you not like the man?

It took me a full three hours to cover everything.  I ended my tour with lunch at the cafeteria and pondered what I had seen.  I can see why the Republicans idolize him.  He stimulated economic growth,  cut spending like non-essential travel and government consultants, lifted energy price controls, dismantled the Council on Wage and Price Stablility, appointed the first woman to the Supreme Court, strengthened our national defense and ended the Cold War.  Whether you like it or not, a walk through the Ronald Reagan Library is a walk through history.  And if your politics can't stomach it, well . . . come on up for the view.  It's spectacular!