Words to Live By

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
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An audio podcast featuring Ronald Reagan speeches and radio addresses from the 1960s through the 1990s. A new Words to Live By Podcast will be posted every Tuesday.

  1. 04/30/2025 · VIDEO

    The United Nations

    President Reagan’s disappointment in and distrust of international organizations is vividly apparent in his radio commentaries from 1975-1980. It was Dag Hammarskjöld, the tragic second UN secretary general, who said it best. The United Nations, he said, “was created not to lead mankind to heaven but to save humanity from hell."

    14 min

  2. 04/23/2025 · VIDEO

    Education and Respect

    After the recent uprisings at many of America’s collegiate institutions, we thought we’d look back on how Governor Reagan handled the situation, 50 years ago in the late 60’s and early 70’s. In his 1966 campaign for California governor, Republican Ronald Reagan promised to "clean up the mess at Berkeley." At the time, he was referring to the unrest prevalent not just at the University of California, Berkeley, but on college campuses throughout the state. Students and faculty alike were engaged in protests, demonstrations, and strikes related to issues such as the draft, civil rights, discrimination, and women’s liberation. In one 1966 campaign speech, Reagan declared that many leftist campus movements had transcended legitimate protest, with the actions of "beatniks, radicals and filthy speech advocates" having become more to do "with rioting, with anarchy" than "academic freedom." His core message was, "Anarchy in the name of academic freedom on the campus or on our streets, will not be tolerated...."

    13 min

  3. 03/05/2025 · VIDEO

    A Voice of Freedom

    Throughout his presidency, the subject of Cuba was frequently raised. In frustration, on one occasion, the president asked, “When’s the last time you heard someone swimming TO Cuba?” But long before he sat in the Oval Office, Ronald Reagan commented on a documentary that had been crafted on Cuba.

    18 min

  4. 11/06/2024 · VIDEO

    Honoring Our Veterans

    In today’s podcast we honor our veterans and in the president’s messages to veterans, we’ll cover peace through strength. Going through our archives, Citizen, Governor and President Reagan delivered many addresses saluting those who serve our country. Today we’ve chosen two – the first he delivered in August 1980 to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The theme was Peace because, in candidate Ronald Reagan’s view, Peace was the first purpose of American foreign policy. So in saluting the sacrifices made by veterans, President Reagan stresses that to protect these men and find a path toward peace, we must focus on peace through strength. He covers why he thinks American foreign policy has been working against peace and how that trend could be reversed. In the second half of the podcast, we’ll hear when he addressed the American people in honor of Veterans Day 40 years ago in 1983. Of course, this address was focused on the veterans of both the Grenada and Beirut operations.

    15 min

  5. 10/30/2024 · VIDEO

    Ahead in the Polls

    40 years ago at this time, our then 40th president was running for a second term. And just what did the polls say? Well, by the end of October 1984, the latest national opinion polls strongly favored President Reagan. Newsweek’s poll showed the president ahead by 17 points: a USA Today poll showed his lead at 23 points and US News and World Report said that its state-by-state survey showed Mr. Reagan way ahead in 45 out of the 50 states and the President “on his way to a smashing victory on November 6.” In addition to traditional campaign stops, the President used his bully pulpit to pursue his agenda; specifically, those radio addresses. So in today’s podcast, we’ll tune into one he sent in September 1984.

    10 min

  6. 10/23/2024 · VIDEO

    Leadership, Reagan Style

    In January 1983, 40 years ago, the President began his third year in office, working desperately to improve the economy while determined to convince the American people that the best was yet ahead. As a true leader, he met with his Executive team, exactly two years after his inauguration, to introduce two new cabinet members and to rally his executive squad to keep pushing the ball up the hill. His remarks are funny, inspiring, engaging and a perfect start to working with a brilliant team of individuals. We thought you’d like a taste of our 40th president’s leadership style in this new year: his vision, communication and optimism. You’ll hear him announce that Elizabeth Dole would replace Drew Lewis as Secretary of Transportation and Margaret Heckler would replace Richard Schweiker as Secretary of Health and Human services.

    20 min

  7. 10/15/2024 · VIDEO

    A Time For Choosing

    In this week’s podcast, we present Ronald Reagan’s famous October 27, 1964 “A Time For Choosing” speech.

    31 min

  8. 10/08/2024 · VIDEO

    Tension in the Middle East

    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.

    18 min
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About

An audio podcast featuring Ronald Reagan speeches and radio addresses from the 1960s through the 1990s. A new Words to Live By Podcast will be posted every Tuesday.

Information

  • Creator
    The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Words to Live By