OCTOBER 27

On this date in 1964, Ronald Reagan gave a nominating speech for Senator Berry Goldwater at the Republican National Convention in Los Angeles, CA.  It effectively launched Reagan's career as a politician. (I have included a link to the full text and a recording of his speech)

Goldwater lost in his bid to be president to Linden Johnson.  Johnson and the Democrats painted Goldwater to be a military hawk who would get the country into war.  Johnson proceeded, in the next four years, to oversee the huge buildup of our forces in Vietnam - which sent me there.

Not only was that election about war and our relationship with the Communist world, but domestically about Conservative and Liberal principles. Goldwater had written the book, Conscience of a Conservative. Johnson had begun his push for the Great Society with many new social welfare programs administered by the government.  The people overwhelmingly voted for the free ride.

Sixteen years later, Reagan was elected President.

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreaganatimeforchoosing.htm

o.o