310. Ronald Reagan and the American Dream

Ronald "Dutch" Reagan was born in 1911 to a humble family of Illinois, his father an FDR-loving democrat, his mother a notable member of the local Christian community. "Dutch" Reagan, a high school football star, would grow up to become one of America's favourite sports broadcasters, a Hollywood actor and a union leader, before finally entering American political life in 1964.

The first episode of our three-part series on Ronald Reagan sees Tom and Dominic look at his childhood, his early career, his romantic life pre-Nancy, and the beginning of his journey towards Republican politics.

[mcdibbern]

If RR was born in 1911 he would have been only 30 when the US entered the war in 1941. In 1939 when Britain went to war the Hollywood based British actor David Nevin who was born in 1910 immediately left America to join up and was in DDay. My father born in 1914 was also in D Day.Fortunately for my father and David Nevin they returned. Many did not. RIP the greatest generation and thank you.

[ropeburnsrussell]

More than ever, i am proud to be a Reaganite.

[paulopereira]

You should have include the role of his VP, from the nomination trough the election, and Iran-Contras, to understand why he was know by.

[bnjmnwst]

14:03 AND that a little bit, a tiny bit of that paradise still exists, but we're in the process of losing THAT! I'm a conservative, so I know.

[John-ggx]

In a way we’re still influenced by the RR era. The foreign dept escalated during this era and just kept on rising

[klausbenavente]

three episodes on RR? Oh dear...this takes courage(from the listeners)

[davidsolomons]

Reagan is great as the gangster kingpin in Don Siegel’s The Killers.

[michaelandrewsalomonenewje]

Re-phrasing my “brainless” comment: he was a Democrat when it suited him, and sold out to greed in the end. Trickledown was absurd and a sham.

[bnjmnwst]

Reagan's policies were pretty good. It's fairly cheap to say Reagan was a terrible president with bad policies. No details, Tom?

[daviddiaz]

The best President we had against commies and actually listened to Milton Friedman

[Terinije]

More like, "Ronald Reagan and the Death of the American Dream."