Episodes
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
Words To Live By – Tension in the Middle East
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
Wednesday Feb 21, 2024
The complexity of dealing with problems in the Middle East was pervasive during the Reagan years but the 40th President continued to pursue a path to peace. In February 1984, he invited President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and King Hussein of Jordan to Washington to discuss the war in Lebanon and other issues. Things were hot in the Middle East. By early 1984, US forces were directly fighting in the Persian Gulf. In late February, a US Navy destroyer launched anti-aircraft missiles against Iranian patrol aircraft. At the end of May, a USAF KC-10 tanker helped Saudi Air Force jets maintain patrols over the Gulf to head off Iranian retaliation for Iraqi attacks on oil tankers. In early June, the USAF tankers and AWACS assisted the Saudis in shooting down one or two Iranian F-4 Phantom fighter-bombers. So, US military forces played a frequent and direct combat role in regional conflicts during 1984. Therefore, in constant pursuit of communication at least, President Mubarak of Egypt and King Hussein of Jordan visited. First, let’s talk about Jordan and Hussein.
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
A Reagan Forum – President Reagan's Birthday Recap
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Thursday Feb 15, 2024
Last week we brought to you our February 6, 2024, 113th birthday celebration for President Reagan with keynote remarks by Lech Walesa, the former President of Poland. In this week’s Reagan Forum, we are doing something a little different. We’re bringing you a playback of our live video from February 7th where we looked at past birthday celebrations and listened to excerpts of various keynote speakers since 2010.
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Words To Live By – Ron and Nancy's Love Story
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Tuesday Feb 13, 2024
Now that we’re into the month of February when lovers celebrate their devotion to one another, we’ll dedicate this podcast to the Reagans – first, we’ll hear a brief word from the President and then we’ll let Mrs. Reagan explain how she met this fella, in her own words, recorded years ago from her autobiography My Turn. But first, let’s start with the President who spoke about their relationship at a luncheon honoring Nancy at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans in 1988.
Monday Feb 12, 2024
A Reagan Forum – President Reagan's Birthday
Monday Feb 12, 2024
Monday Feb 12, 2024
February 6, 2024, marked the 113th anniversary of the birth of Ronald Wilson Reagan. He used to love to joke that each birthday was the anniversary of his 39th birthday, so 2024 would have marked the 74th anniversary of his 39th birthday! Since President Reagan’s passing on June 5, 2004, the Reagan Foundation has worked with the United States Marine Corps Camp Pendleton to hold a birthday celebration on February 6 of each year to honor the life and legacy of our nation’s 40th president. Each year the program includes live musical entertainment from the 1st Marine Division Band, an honor guard, a rifle guard, and the official laying of the White House Presidential Wreath on President Reagan’s gravesite. Keynote speakers in prior years have included Ed Meese, Elizabeth Dole, James Baker, and Henry Kissinger. In this week’s A Reagan Forum podcast, we listen in to the ceremony held on February 6, 2024, with special keynote speaker Lech Walesa, who shared President Reagan’s commitment to securing and preserving human rights, democracy, and freedom around the world. As the leader of the Solidarity movement, Lech Walesa’s role in the Cold War helped defeat the Soviet Union.
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
Words To Live By – A Birthday Celebration
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
Tuesday Feb 06, 2024
40 years ago, Ronald Reagan traveled to his hometown in Dixon, Illinois for his 73rd birthday celebration on February 6th, 1984. True to form, the jokes were flying, as were the warm memories. He was there with his older brother, Neil, his sister-in-law, and of course, Nancy. They toured one of the homes the Reagan family had lived in during childhood which had just been renovated by the Ronald Reagan Home Restoration Foundation. Then, they viewed a homecoming parade from the Nachusa House Hostel. Finally, the president delivered remarks at the Dixon High School Gymnasium.
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
A Reagan Forum – Gold Star Memorial Unveiling
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
Thursday Feb 01, 2024
In 1984, while speaking at Memorial Day ceremonies honoring an unknown serviceman of the Vietnam Conflict, President Reagan said, “We know why he died. He saw the horrors of war but bravely faced them, certain his own cause and his country's cause was a noble one; that he was fighting for human dignity, for free men everywhere. Today we pause to embrace him and all who served us so well.” To honor the values and ideals for which our country’s sons and daughters sacrificed, to honor their commitment to duty and country, to thank them for their service and our freedom, and to make sure that they are never, ever, forgotten, the Reagan Library was honored to install a new Gold Star Families Memorial Monument honoring the families of servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives while serving in the military. In this week’s A Reagan Forum podcast, we go back to November 12, 2018, for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Memorial’s unveiling. Program participants included Medal of Honor Recipient Hershel Woody Williams, actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise, singer John Ondrasik from the band Five for Fighting, and local Gold Star Family members.
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
Words To Live By – State of the Union
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
By the end of January every year, except for Inaugural years, the President fulfills his or her constitutional duty to "give to the Congress information on the State of the Union" (Article II, section 3 of the Constitution). So yes, today’s podcast will focus on the infamous State of the Union address which generally includes reports on the nation's budget, economy, news, agenda, progress, achievements, and the President's priorities and legislative proposals. Because of those many diverse topics necessary, several people work on this address. Of course, the economists and budget experts handle their portion, the diplomatic and national security staff meet with the President to create their portion, etc. Let's listen to some of President Ronald Reagan's State of the Union highlights.
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
A Reagan Forum – Audrey Birnbaum
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
Thursday Jan 25, 2024
As part of our Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. exhibit, the Reagan Foundation has been hosting authors whose books cover the atrocities of the holocaust, mainly told through survivor’s eyes. In this week’s Reagan Forum podcast, we go back to our in-person event with Audrey Birnbaum, who shares with us the story of her grandfather and his time growing up amidst the rubble and antisemitism of war-torn Nazi Berlin in her latest book, American Wolf: From Nazi Refugee to American Spy. During this program, Audrey sat down in conversation with Reagan Foundation and Institute Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Giller to discuss American Wolf which is an electrifying true account brimming with last-minute rescues and life-and-death struggles that defy the impossible. They discuss how the book is not just a tale of survival, but a profound coming-of-age story, delving into the complexities of family dynamics and the search for national identity.
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Words To Live By – Superbowl and Football
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Well, now that we’re into football playoff season, we have the perfect opportunity to focus on Ronald Reagan’s love for football. His experience in high school on the gridiron helped him audition for radio. Let's let him tell the story.
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
A Reagan Forum – Newt Gingrich
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
Thursday Jan 18, 2024
In this week’s “A Reagan Forum” we present former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Speaker Gingrich is well known as the architect of the “Contract with America” that led the Republican Party to victory in 1994, creating the first conservative majority in the House in 40 years. He is also recognized internationally as an expert on world history, military issues, and international affairs, as he is the longest-serving teacher of the Joint Warfighting course for Major Generals. Speaker Gingrich is the author of over 40 books. He specifically came to the Reagan Library a week ago to discuss his latest book, March to the Majority: The Real Story of the Republican Revolution, which takes readers behind the scenes of the Republican Revolution in 1994 and the rise of the modern GOP to show how we can lead America toward a more conservative, prosperous future. The book shares never-before-told stories about Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Tip O’Neill, George H.W. Bush and other political figures.