ποΈ Built Not Born Podcast: Max Boot on Ronald Reagan - His Life and Legend ποΈ
"The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them this morning as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God." - Ronald Reagan, January 28, 1986
In this episode, we sit down with Max Boot, the acclaimed Washington Post columnist, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and Senior Fellow on the Council on Foreign Relations, to discuss his groundbreaking biography "Ronald Reagan: His Life and Legend."
β±οΈ Episode Highlights:
[00:00] Introduction to Max Boot and his extensive work
[05:30] Reagan's early life and the pivotal Montgomery Ward job rejection
[12:45] The GE years: Reagan's political transformation
[18:20] Nancy Reagan's crucial role in Reagan's success
[25:15] The assassination attempt and its impact on the presidency
[32:40] The Iran-Contra affair and Reagan's management style
[38:50] Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) and Soviet relations
[45:30] James Baker: The Velvet Hammer
[52:15] Reagan's lasting impact on American politics
[58:40] The Challenger speech and Reagan's legacy
π Key Insights:
π Book Recommendation:
Max recommends Robert Caro's multi-volume biography of Lyndon B. Johnson as a masterpiece of political biography.
π Connect with Max Boot: