The President’s Inbox Ronald Reagan on U.S. Global Leadership, with Max Boot
Sep 10, 2024
Max Boot, a senior fellow for national security studies at CFR and a columnist for The Washington Post, joins James M. Lindsay to unpack Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy legacy. They discuss Reagan's complex presidency, noting his triumphs like economic revival alongside failures such as delayed crisis responses. The dialogue highlights Reagan's communication prowess, his transformative summit with Gorbachev, and contrasts his tactics with the current U.S.-China relations. Boot emphasizes the necessity of active U.S. global leadership amidst contemporary isolationist trends.
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Motivation for Reagan Biography
- Max Boot explains why he wrote a biography about Ronald Reagan.
- Edmund Morris's fictionalized biography created an opportunity for a balanced account.
Reagan's Legacy: Successes and Failures
- Ronald Reagan's presidency is viewed as having both successes and failures.
- His achievements include economic and military revival, along with ending the Cold War, but he also faced scandals like Iran-Contra and inaction during the AIDS pandemic.
Reagan's Shift from Acting to Politics
- Reagan transitioned from acting to politics after his acting career declined.
- Working as a GE spokesman, he honed his political skills through speeches and adopted a conservative ethos.