Larry Barrett with Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Photo: Michael Evans, courtesy of Larry Barrett.
May 1, 2019
vol. 1 issue 5
Hello,
This issue introduces the monthly podcast, Washington Remembers. In this episode, former Time magazine White House correspondent, Larry Barrett, remembers what it was like to have access to the “other” populist Republican president.
Barrett compares current White House press policies to those of the current and previous administrations, including President Jimmy Carter’s, which Barrett claims was not much good at managing the media, while Reagan’s team was.
Barrett also offers insights into how the religious Right got its foothold in Washington, not under the Southern Baptist Carter, but the socially moderate Reagan, who had been pro-choice before winning the White House. Barrett describes how Reagan advisors crafted a plan to pair the religious Right with the gun lobby in a move that helped transform the Republican party into what it is today.
Barrett also compares Reagan, whom he says at times chose to ignore his advisors and act on his gut, to our current president who also claims to act “gusty”, going without the input of aids and cabinet members.
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