Donald Trump is trying to wrap himself in the imagery of Ronald Reagan. But some who knew Reagan are making it clear they do not agree and that much of what Trump says, the tone he uses, and how he politically operates would be anathema to the Republican Party’s Greatest Generation icon.
Trump is increasingly saying he knew Reagan: “And he liked me. And I worked with him and helped him.” Meanwhile, some Trump supporters on the Internet are calling him the new Reagan. But two former Reagan advisors, Stu Spencer (managed Ronald Reagan’s gubernatorial and presidential campaigns) and Ken Khachigian (Reagan’s chief speechwriter), have written a must read piece on RealClearPolitics setting the record straight. According to one Facebook page with some political insiders, it was written it at the request of Nancy Reagan. The late President’s son and former talk show host Michael Reagan has also blasted Trump for likening himself to Ronald Reagan and has written a blunt column demanding that any Republican Presidential candidate to step in ASAP and take Trump down.
Let’s look at the Stu Spencer and Ken Khachigian column on the must-read, serious political site RealClearPolitics. I’ll offer my thoughts as someone who has over the years been a liberal, conservative, independent, Republican, Democrat and who’s been an independent since 2000:
Combined, we had the privilege of working very closely with Ronald Reagan over a five-decade period, and we must have missed the occasions when The Donald “worked with” the president, and overlooked The Gipper’s expressions of affection for him.
Trump has followers who are the equivalent of singer Justin Bieber’s Beliebers, swooning on his every generalization, and accepting his every broad brush assertion as fact. So if he says he knew Reagan, worked with Reagan, even if he eventually said he helped advise Reagan, they (and some conservative bloggers) will instantly believe it and dismiss those who challenge those assertions as establishment hacks, liars, or people out to bring Trump down. When Donald moves his lips and says something it MUST be true.
But the two former close advisers to Reagan aren’t as concerned about that as they are other, more substantive differences:
–In his 1966 campaign for governor of California, Reagan popularized the so-called Republican 11th Commandment, stating, “Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican.” Calling his GOP opponents (or anyone for that matter) “losers,” “morons,” “dummies” or “idiots” would have been unthinkable for Reagan. Those words didn’t exist in his vocabulary—even for Democrats who called him names. He once wrote a note to us saying we had done “d— good,” not being able to bring himself to spell out the word “damn.” Meanness was not in Reagan’s soul.
I’d say part of this is politics, also because Reagan came from a generation when politics was more content-oriented and classier, even when it wasn’t all that classy. Specificity is a victim in the era of social media and entertainment political media.
Still, all of Trump’s money, hotels, jets, offices and helicopters can’t make him fit the old definition of “class.” Many in the 21st century think insulting, creating zingers and using sarcasm shows intelligence. 20th century politicians did not shy away from hard-ball tactics, some foul political play or some sleazy tactics. But their focus was on an actual debate on policy, and backing up a charge or assertion with an alternative view, not a generalized platitude. Today, literally and figurative, polemics trumps detailed policy.
–Yes, Ronald Reagan migrated from being a liberal Democrat to the gold standard for conservative Republicans. But Reagan’s views evolved over four decades’ worth of life experience, a philosophical journey that took place gradually. His conservative credentials didn’t emanate overnight to match the political season. His was a slow and thoughtful transformation from the 1930s to the 1960s. Trump’s appears to be a midnight conversion just in time for the Iowa caucuses.
Most assuredly yes. Those of us old enough (I’m a Baby Boomer) remember full well Ronald Reagan as the host and occasional actor on the popular the syndicated show “Death Valley Days,” (WATCH THIS) or as the dignified pitchman for GE (WATCH HERE), and how he later went out and made great motivational and political speeches. He wrote serious political columns that were published in many newspapers. We watched his steady transition into politics as a political figure. (In February 1980 my late uncle Lou Gandelman, suffering from a brain tumor, told me flatly by phone from LA: “The next President of the United States will be Ronald Reagan”).
It was NOT a sudden conversion; Reagan had made a steady, well=thought out shift to the kind of conservatism championed by William F. Buckley — a conservatism that featured Buckley rejecting the extreme John Birch Society conservationism that has resurfaced without the old name and is rapidly infecting 21st century conservative politics, egged on by popular talk show hosts.
Reagan transformed as a caterpillar steadily transforms into a butterfly; Trump transformed as a partygoer putting on a Halloween costume.
–Reagan vetted his ideas for governing with the likes of William F. Buckley, Milton Friedman, Barry Goldwater and Dwight Eisenhower. He got his information by studying and reading and listening to a wide spectrum of experts. By all accounts, Trump appears to have no policy or philosophical patrons, characterized by his recent statement that his schooling on military affairs comes from “watching television shows.”
Trump has no brain trust; he has an ego trust.
Which could be dangerous for a President who needs to consider a wide variety of best case/worst case scenarios and mustponder a list of possible consequences putlined to him by experts. Just acting on your gut feeling because you feel on top of the world because you made and own billions will not produce the most effective policy.
–Above all else, Ronald Wilson Reagan was genial and mannerly. He treated others with respect and courtesy. He was a gentleman whose personal decency was exceptional. On the occasions where he disagreed with our opinions or points of view, he did so without sharp words or rebuke, often apologetically. Yes, his political rhetoric could be tough and partisan, but it was never vulgar or personal. Donald Trump would benefit from the light-hearted humor that Reagan used to advantage in his communication.
Trump is a product of the current show biz and journalism follow-the-leader-and-get-the ratings mentality. How many times have you watched a cable news show feature a “discussion” with two people on with totally differing views who begin interrupting each other and shouting at and over each other, and turning redfaced, and the host almost seems to be drooling as he says “We’ll have to have you back!!” Rudeness, rancor, controversy gets the ratings which causes people to tune in again to see someone controversial. How many other candidates in modern political history have been ALLOWED by news networks to literally phone in their interviews? (Kudos to Fox New’s Chris Wallace for not allowing it).
Reagan was from The Greatest Generation, where classiness and a certain amount of dignity (even in heated battles) meant something. Toughness and partisanship are part of American political culture.
Donald Trump’s rhetorical style suggests his next business venture should be to start a company that sells lunch meats with his portrait on the meat packs: “Boor’s Head.”
–In the 1980 presidential campaign, Reagan also said it was time to “make America great again.” But he did so while reflecting on what a wonderful country we live in, and that even amid the failure of our institutions, our nation’s promise of hope and opportunity stood out. It would have been unimaginable for Reagan to say, “Our country is going to hell,” as Trump regularly claims. Optimism permeated Reagan’s thinking, and we don’t see any evidence of Trump using the uplifting and aspirational language that was so dominant in Reagan’s communications.
Reagan talked about a shining city on the hill; Trump talks about a wall on the border and a country in the toilet. Not Reaganesque but, hey, fills stadiums and gets ratings. And could well get him the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination. And I am NOT among those who think he cannot be elected President.
–Ronald Reagan was respectful of all people, but even more so towards women, with whom he was warm and courtly. As a person who believed a soft answer turneth away wrath, his approach to Megyn Kelly on debate night would have been delivered with a wink and a smile. He might have even said, “There you go again.” If Mr. Trump, as he insists on being called, wants to be like Mr. Reagan, he needs to replace churlishness with charm.
And, by all accounts listening to reporters who’ve met Trump in private, he CAN be charming and persuasive.
–Despite the acclaim he achieved in his motion picture, television and political careers, Reagan was never boastful. On election night 1980, as he prepared his victory remarks, there was no trace of gloating or conquest. And on the eve of his inauguration, it was the stirring emotion and spirit of the moment that moved him, not the notion that he would soon be the most powerful man in the world. It was America that was great, not him – a studied contrast with Mr. Trump’s overwhelming self-absorption.
That’s also because Reagan was an actor with an image who played many roles, and who could even shine with star-power and dignity when appearing in an early 1950s live TV bit with the super-talented, legendary ventriloquist Jimmy Nelson. Watch it HERE. Reagan’s image was sunny, happy, even though he could be and was tough.
Trump is a product of the in-your-face reality TV show system, a media culture in which controversy, aggression and anger mean audiences and can build a lucrative brand. Reagan could say he wasn’t a politician originally, but an actor. Trump was a business wizard. Reagan’s political evolution reflected years of overt politicking; Trump was behind the scenes and by his own admission involved in buying politicians who he says would do his bidding after getting contributions.
And they end their must-read column this way:
We find no similarities other than both Reagan and Trump came out of the entertainment industry. We knew Ronald Reagan. We served alongside President Reagan. Ronald Reagan was our friend. And, Mr. Trump, you’re no Ronald Reagan.
Read the entire piece in full from beginning to end.
And Michael Reagan? He agrees:
Political commentator Michael Reagan castigated Donald Trump and any GOP presidential contenders who are “looking to wrap themselves in the mantle of Ronald Reagan,” telling Newsmax TV they’re doing a “disservice” to themselves and the esteemed former president.
In a fiery interview with “Newsmax Prime” host J.D. Hayworth on Tuesday, the son of the 40th president chided Trump for his violations of the so-called 11th Commandment to never speak ill of another Republican.
….”If my dad were alive, what he’d be saying is this: ‘Well, there they go’,” Reagan said. “It’s amazing how many of these people, including Donald Trump now, dropping my father’s name to try and wrap them in the mantle of Ronald Reagan. Let’s be honest, never going to happen with Donald Trump…
AND:
“He’s using my father on one side, and on the other side trashing everything my father, in fact, believed in,” Reagan said.
Trump may have Big Mo.
But to many who intimately knew and worked with Ronald Reagan, he’s Big Schmo.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.