Jack Reagan worked at a general store. The family was poor. Yet,in a book about his life, Ronald Reagan wrote that he never feltpoor. He was good at sports, especially football. During thesummers, he was a lifeguard at a local swimming pool. He reportedlyrescued many people from drowning. Ronald Reagan said there was afeeling of security throughout his childhood. But it was notperfect. His father was dependent on alcohol.

VOICE TWO:

Ronald Reagan studied at Eureka College in Illinois. After seeinga play at college, he said, “More than anything in the world, Iwanted to speak the actor’s words.”

But Ronald Reagan did not have enough money to go to New York orHollywood to become an actor. So, after college he found a job as asports broadcaster for a radio station in Iowa. Later he moved to abigger radio station in Chicago, Illinois. He announced the actionof baseball games. This work took him on a trip to California. Hetook a screen test to become an actor. Warner Brothers Studiosoffered him a job.

Ronald Reagan moved to Hollywood and became a movie star. Heappeared in many movies. “Knute Rockne – All American,” is probablyhis most famous. It is where he got the nickname “The Gipper.”

Mister Reagan played George Gipp, one of the greatest collegefootball players ever. In the movie, he speaks of the school’sfootball team as he is dying.

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“…ask them to go in there with all they got, win just one forthe Gipper.”

VOICE ONE:

Those words, “win one for the Gipper,” later became a politicalbattle cry for Ronald Reagan. In nineteen-forty, he married actressJane Wyman. They had two children, Maureen and Michael. But themarriage ended in nineteen-forty-nine.

Ronald Reagan became president of the main labor group for movieactors in nineteen-forty-eight. He served six terms. He met actressNancy Davis through the union. They married in nineteen-fifty-two.They later had two children, Patti and Ron.

At this time, Ronald Reagan was a member of the Democratic partywho described himself as a liberal. But, he became increasinglyconservative as his worries about communism grew. He opposed anyonein the movie industry who supported communism.

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VOICE TWO:

In the early nineteen-fifties, Ronald Reagan began to appear ontelevision. He presented dramatic shows produced by the GeneralElectric company. He became a spokesman for the company. MisterReagan learned a lot about public speaking. He began to campaign forRepublican party political candidates a few years later. Reagandeveloped the ability to reach people through his speeches. He laterbecame known as “The Great Communicator.”

Nancy Reagan supported herhusband’s political interests. Political experts say she was alwayshis most important advisor.

In nineteen-sixty-six, Ronald Reagan announced his own candidacyfor governor of California. Democrats in the state did not think hewas a serious candidate. However, Mister Reagan was elected governorby almost one-million votes.

Ronald Reagan received mixed public opinion as governor of thenation’s most populated state. He was praised for loweringCalifornia’s debt, yet criticized for raising taxes. Votersre-elected him as governor in nineteen-seventy.

VOICE ONE:

Ronald Reagan was unsuccessful in his first two attempts to winthe Republican nomination for president. Then, in nineteen-eighty,he became the Republican Party’s presidential candidate. Hisopponent was President Jimmy Carter.

The two men debated on national television. Ronald Reagan spokedirectly and simply to the American people and asked them somequestions:

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“Are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easierfor you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four yearsago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than therewas four years ago?”

VOICE TWO:

Ronald Reagan won the UnitedStates presidential election by a huge majority. He and hisvice-president, George Herbert Walker Bush, were sworn into officein January, nineteen-eighty-one. Many people called the change inpolitical power “The Reagan Revolution.”

President Reagan immediately began to work to honor a majorcampaign promise. He called on Congress to lower taxes. But only twomonths later, tragedy struck. A mentally sick man shot the presidentand three other people outside a hotel in Washington. PresidentReagan and his press secretary, James Brady, were severely wounded.

Mister Reagan had a bullet in his left lung, close to his heart.But, he showed his sense of humor at the hospital. As the presidentwas taken into the operating room he said he hoped all the doctorswere Republicans. Ronald Reagan recovered from the shooting andreturned to work within two weeks.

VOICE ONE:

The President now began work on his main goal to reduce the sizeof the federal government. He had campaigned on the idea that thegovernment was too costly and interfered too much in the lives ofAmericans.

Mister Reagan and Congress reduced taxes and cut spending forsocial programs. The administration argued that these actions wouldcreate economic growth.

Extremely high inflation rates did begin to fall. But, the UnitedStates’ debt rose sharply. This was partly from big increases inmilitary spending.

The Reagan economic policy became known as “Reaganomics.” It had,and still has, supporters and opponents. Some people argued that thecuts in social programs greatly hurt poor people. Others said thepolicy improved the economy.

President Reagan sought re-election in nineteen-eighty-four. HisDemocratic opponent was former Vice-President Walter Mondale. AgainMister Reagan won the election by a large amount.

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VOICE TWO:

President Reagan dealt with many serious foreign issues while inoffice. He sent American Marines to Lebanon to stop the fightingamong several opposing groups. But more than two-hundred Marineswere killed in an extremist bomb attack.

The so-called “Reagan Doctrine” was the administration’s mostfamous foreign policy. That policy was to support anti-communistforces anywhere in the world. Under the policy, American forcesinvaded the Caribbean island nation of Grenada. The policy also ledto secret United States support for rebels in Nicaragua.

President Reagan met with Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev severaltimes in an effort to reduce nuclear weapons. He gave a famousspeech at the Berlin Wall that divided Soviet-controlled EastGermany from West Germany on June twelfth, nineteen-eighty-seven.

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“General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seekprosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seekliberalization: Come here to this gate! Mister Gorbachev, open thisgate! Mister Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

VOICE ONE:

Some historians say Ronald Reagan helped cause the fall of theSoviet Union. They say his military spending forced the Soviets tospend more, too. They say this led to the Communist nation’seconomic failure.

President Reagan enjoyed very high public approval ratingsthroughout his presidency. Many Americans considered him a friendlyleader, a “man of the people,” filled with hope for America.

VOICE TWO:

Ronald and Nancy Reagan returned to California after his secondterm ended in nineteen-eighty-nine. In nineteen-ninety-four, MisterReagan wrote an open letter to the American people. He informed themthat he had the brain disease Alzheimer’s. The former presidentexpressed his love for the country and thanked Americans for lettinghim serve. And, he wrote, “I know that for America there will alwaysbe a bright dawn ahead.” Ronald Reagan died at his home inCalifornia on June fifth. He was ninety-three.

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VOICE ONE:

This program was written by Caty Weaver. Mario Ritter was theproducer. I’m Gwen Outen.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember. Listen again next week for another People inAmerica in VOA Special English.

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