Word to LIve by & Reagan Forum

Joel Rosenberg

In this week’s Reagan Forum podcast we go back just a few days to November 30, 2021 for our in-person conversation with New York Times best selling author Joel Rosenberg on his newest book, Enemies and Allies: An Unforgettable Journey Inside the Fast Moving and Immensely Turbulent Modern Middle East. Joel Rosenberg is most known for his 16 political thriller novels like The Last Jihad and The Auschwitz Escape. But he is also an American-Israeli communicators strategist, non-profit executive and author of multiple non-fiction books, including the one he joined us for. Among the readers of his books are Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former President George W. Bush, former CIA Director Porter Goss, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, former Israeli Interior Minister Natan Sharansky, and many other foreign leaders.

Venezuela and Ronald Reagan

Today, when most of us think about Venezuela, the former socialist President Hugo Chavez comes to mind. He led the nation from 2002 until his death in 2013. While initially a “populist” leader, he implemented a socialist revolution, fueled by massive oil revenues and made the country resemble an authoritarian state. After his death, President Nicolas Maduro succeeded him along with Juan Guaido, and the net result has been dismal. The South American country has been caught in a downward spiral for years with growing political discontent further fuelled by skyrocketing hyperinflation, power cuts, and shortages of food and medicine. More than 5.6 million Venezuelans have left the country in recent years. But in 1981, 40 years ago, when our 40^th President came into office, Venezuela’s leader was an advocate of democracy. With a desire to solidify the relationship with this important South American ally, President Reagan held a state dinner in November 1981 for President Luis Herrera Campins and welcomed him to the White House.

Michael Medved

In this week’s Reagan Forum podcast we go to our in-person program with conservative talk radio host and bestselling author Michael Medved. Mr. Medved was kind enough to be our first in-person event back in July 2021 after we had been shutdown for 14 months due to COVID. The event was so successful, that he agreed to come back. Michael Medved returned to the Reagan Library just before the Thanksgiving Holiday to discuss “Guilt versus Gratitude” which confronts America’s self-esteem crisis. For all their raging disagreements, the detractors and defenders of the United States share one point of common conviction: that America represents an unprecedented, deeply consequential development in the history of civilization. The core dispute behind our current culture war involves the nature of that uniqueness, and whether America qualifies as exceptionally guilty or exceptionally great. Michael Medved addresses this ferocious debate in the context of his two New York Times bestselling books, THE AMERICAN MIRACLE and THE 10 BIG LIES ABOUT AMERICA.

Space Shuttle Columbia

1981 was a year of firsts: Ronald Reagan’s first year as President and the Space Shuttle’s first mission in April and second mission in November. From Space Shuttle Columbia’s first journey in 1981 to the last journey of Endeavour in June 2011 the Space Shuttle program inspired many Americans in many different ways. Today, we’re focused on the Space Shuttle Columbia, know as the First in the Fleet.

A Reagan Forum on Veterans Day

In this week’s Reagan Forum Podcast we go back one week to the Reagan Library’s Veterans Day Program, which included an honor guard, live music, and keynote remarks by United States Marine Corps Vietnam veteran Bob Parsons. Mr. Parsons is the recipient of the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. An American entrepreneur, he is best-known as the founder of GoDaddy.com and PXG. He and his wife are also the founders of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, which provides transformational grants to nonprofit organizations including those who focus on the needs of wounded veterans and military families.

James Brady and the White House Press Briefing Room

During the assassination attempt of President Reagan in March 1981, his Press Secretary James Brady was severely wounded and permanently disabled by Hinckley’s random shots. The wound left him with slurred speech and partial paralysis that required the full-time use of a wheelchair. Never able to return to work, President and Mrs. Reagan honored his contribution by renaming the Press Briefing Room as the Brady Press Briefing Room, 40 years ago on November 9^th, 1981. In this podcast, we’ll learn about this remarkable man, James Brady, we’ll learn a little about the history of the White House Press Room and we’ll catch the President’s remarks with some fun banter from Mr. Brady and Mrs. Reagan, along with a few members of the press, like Sam Donaldson and Helen Thomas.

30th Anniversary of the Reagan Library

Although today is Veterans Day, we will spend today’s Reagan Forum Podcast celebrating the Reagan Library’s 30^th Anniversary. Last week we brought you the official opening day ceremonies from November 4, 1991. Today we go back just a few days to November 7, 2021, for the Library’s 30^th Anniversary Commemorative Program, featuring former Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice, former Reagan Speechwriter Peter Robinson, and David Ferriero, Archivist of the United States.

Irish-American Heritage

40 years ago this month, President Reagan was delighted to accept an award, presented to him at the 84^th Annual Dinner of the Irish-American Society in New York City. He was introduced by Dr. Kevin Cahill, president of the Society, who presented the President with a medal representing the Society's highest award. Now of course, it’s an honor receive an award. But what the President truly enjoyed was a chance to celebrate his Irish heritage and tell a few stories himself.

The Opening of the Reagan Library

On November 4, 1991, President Reagan stood alongside four other living U.S. Presidents – the first time in history five presidents had ever gathered together before – and officially opened the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. Since that time, millions of visitors have visited our hilltop to experience the life and legacy of our nation’s 40^th president. And, in those 30 years, we have grown – in 2005 we opened the Air Force One Pavilion which houses President Reagan’s Air Force One, President Johnson’s Marine One, and a portion of Ronald Reagan’s motorcade; in 2011 we renovated all of our galleries; in 2018 we added a hologram of President Reagan, and we’ve added outdoor displays, including an F14 fighter jet, an F117 stealth fighter jet, and an M1 Abrams tank. And, of course, the Reagan Library is now the final resting place for both President and Mrs. Reagan. In this week’s Reagan Forum podcast we go back 30 years today to the opening of the Library, to hear the opening day’s ceremonies.

Reagan Presidential Library 30th Anniversary

Today the subject is Presidential Libraries because this month we’re celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. But wait, here’s a question for ya – who was the first President to have a Presidential Library by leaving his papers to the Federal Government? The answer is FDR who not only left his papers, but ultimately, his Hyde Park residence. So, that’s why we hear about George Washington’s or Thomas Jefferson’s or Lincoln’s papers in private collections because earlier, when a President left office, he just packed up the work product and went home. So, after FDR left his to the government, President Truman followed suit, leaving his papers to the government at which point Congress passed the Presidential Libraries Act, providing Federal Funding for the preservation of the work product of the White House.