Reagan Endorses Barry Goldwater (0:58)
When Ronald Reagan, as spokesperson for General Electric, gives his “Time for Choosing” speech in support of Barry Goldwater’s 1964 presidential run, he establishes himself as an important player in the Republican Party and jumpstarts his political career.
Speeches & Audio (30)
-
Reagan Endorses Barry Goldwater
Reagan Endorses Barry GoldwaterAudio Clip (0:58)
Audio Clip (0:58)
When Ronald Reagan, as spokesperson for General Electric, gives his “Time for Choosing” speech in support of Barry Goldwater’s 1964 presidential run, he establishes himself as an important player in the Republican Party and jumpstarts his political career.
-
Reagan Accepts Presidential Nomination
Reagan Accepts Presidential NominationAudio Clip (1:33)
Audio Clip (1:33)
After unsuccessfully seeking the presidential nomination in 1968 and 1976, Ronald Reagan was nominated at the Republican National Convention on September 7, 1980. In his acceptance speech, the former California governor tells American taxpayers that they do not exist to fund the federal government.
-
Reagan and Carter in 1980 Presidential Debate
Reagan and Carter in 1980 Presidential DebateAudio Clip (1:06)
Audio Clip (1:06)
Held on October 28, 1980, the debate between former California governor Ronald Reagan and incumbent President Jimmy Carter covers the issues of inflation, the energy crisis and terrorism. In his closing statement, Reagan makes an impact when he poses this question: "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?"
-
Reagan’s First Inaugural Address
Reagan’s First Inaugural AddressAudio Clip (1:29)
Audio Clip (1:29)
With the country discouraged by high inflation, unemployment, gas shortages and the Iran hostage crisis, former California governor Ronald Reagan easily defeated incumbent President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 election. In his inaugural address on January 20, 1981, President Reagan promises to limit the reach of the federal government.
-
Reagan’s First State of the Union Address
Reagan’s First State of the Union AddressAudio Clip (0:43)
Audio Clip (0:43)
On January 26, 1982, Ronald Reagan delivers his first State of the Union address as president of the United States, remarking on the historical significance of the tradition.
-
Reagan Announces "Star Wars"
Reagan Announces "Star Wars"Audio Clip (1:39)
Audio Clip (1:39)
On March 23, 1983, in what later became known as his "Star Wars" speech, President Ronald Reagan announces his plans to develop an anti-missile capability to counter the threat of Soviet ballistic missiles and to make these nuclear weapons "impotent and obsolete."
-
Reagan’s Evil Empire
Reagan’s Evil EmpireAudio Clip (0:28)
Audio Clip (0:28)
In a speech delivered to the National Association of Evangelicals in Orlando, Florida, on March 8, 1983, President Ronald Reagan criticizes the Soviet Union’s lack of religious faith.
-
Ronald Reagan's Anti-Soviet Joke Caught on Tape
Ronald Reagan's Anti-Soviet Joke Caught on TapeAudio Clip (0:12)
Audio Clip (0:12)
On August 11, 1984, during a sound check prior to his regular Saturday radio broadcast, Ronald Reagan made a joke about bombing Russia. The recording was transmitted to the press and later played on CBS's Monday night Evening News program.
-
Reagan’s 1984 Presidential Nomination
Reagan’s 1984 Presidential NominationAudio Clip (0:57)
Audio Clip (0:57)
On August 23, 1984, President Ronald Reagan accepts his party's nomination for a second term. In his speech at the Republican National Convention, President Reagan promises a "springtime of hope" for America.
-
Reagan and Mondale in 1984 Presidential Debate
Reagan and Mondale in 1984 Presidential DebateAudio Clip (1:15)
Audio Clip (1:15)
On October 21, 1984, President Ronald Reagan and former Vice President Walter Mondale engage in their second nationally broadcast debate. When Henry Trewhitt of the Baltimore Sun asks the president about his advancing age, Reagan turns the question on its head by promising not to make an issue of his opponent’s youth and inexperience.
-
Reagan’s Second Inaugural Address
Reagan’s Second Inaugural AddressAudio Clip (0:47)
Audio Clip (0:47)
Defeating Democratic nominee Walter Mondale with an unprecedented electoral vote margin, President Ronald Reagan secured a second term as president of the United States. In his inaugural address on January 21, 1985, Reagan introduces the idea of a "new American emancipation."
-
Reagan on Hijacking of TWA Flight 847
Reagan on Hijacking of TWA Flight 847Audio Clip (2:38)
Audio Clip (2:38)
On June 14, 1985, a TWA jetliner en route from Athens to Rome was hijacked by armed Shiite terrorists who ordered that the aircraft be flown to Beirut, where the plane was held for 17 days with hostages on board. On day four of the situation, after one of the American hostages was killed, President Ronald Reagan held a news conference to bring the nation up to date.
-
Reagan on the Challenger Disaster
Reagan on the Challenger DisasterAudio Clip (0:43)
Audio Clip (0:43)
On January 28, 1986, instead of delivering his scheduled State of the Union Address, President Ronald Reagan speaks to the American people about the space shuttle disaster that killed seven astronauts.
-
Reagan Demands Fall of Berlin Wall
Reagan Demands Fall of Berlin WallAudio Clip (1:08)
Audio Clip (1:08)
On June 12, 1987, in a speech delivered from the Brandenburg Gate in West Germany, President Ronald Reagan makes one of his most famous statements when he calls on Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall.
-
Reagan on Historic Visit to Berlin Wall
Reagan on Historic Visit to Berlin WallAudio Clip (1:57)
Audio Clip (1:57)
In June of 1987, President Ronald Reagan stopped in West Berlin on the 750th anniversary of the city and delivered one of his most famous lines when he demanded that Mikhail Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall. In an address to the nation following his return from that trip, President Reagan recalls standing next to the imposing structure.
-
U.S. Marines Attacked in Lebanon
U.S. Marines Attacked in LebanonAudio Clip (3:05)
Audio Clip (3:05)
On October 23, 1983, a Lebanese terrorist drove a truck packed with more than 2,000 pounds of explosives into the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 241 U.S. military personnel. The next day, President Ronald Reagan holds a press conference to discuss the situation.
-
Reagan Fires Striking Air Traffic Controllers
Reagan Fires Striking Air Traffic ControllersAudio Clip (0:30)
Audio Clip (0:30)
On August 4, 1981, President Ronald Reagan reads a statement to the press on his decision to fire any air traffic controllers who do not show up to work within 48 hours. After negotiations with the federal government to raise their pay failed, 13,000 air traffic controllers went on strike.
-
Ronald Reagan on Iran-Contra Hearings
Ronald Reagan on Iran-Contra HearingsAudio Clip (2:56)
Audio Clip (2:56)
In 1987, Congress held 40 days of public hearings on the Iran-Contra affair during which they listened to 28 witnesses give more than 250 hours of testimony. On August 12, 1987, in a live broadcast from the Oval Office, President Ronald Reagan comments on the recent congressional hearings now that they are over.
-
Reagan Approves Iran-Contra Counsel
Reagan Approves Iran-Contra CounselAudio Clip (2:14)
Audio Clip (2:14)
After the Iran-Contra scandal is exposed in November 1986, President Ronald Reagan announces to the nation that he would "welcome the appointment of an independent counsel" to investigate matters. The Iran-Contra Affair involved the secret selling of arms to Iran in exchange for the release of hostages. The money from the arms sales was then used to secretly support the Contras in their battle against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua.
-
Ronald Reagan Delivers Farewell Address
Ronald Reagan Delivers Farewell AddressAudio Clip (1:54)
Audio Clip (1:54)
On January 11, 1989, President Ronald Reagan, who at nearly 78, was the oldest person ever to hold the nation's highest office, gave his final address to the American people.
-
Reagan Speaks on 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Reagan Speaks on 40th Anniversary of D-DayAudio Clip (0:41)
Audio Clip (0:41)
On June 6, 1984, in Normandy, France, President Ronald Reagan honors the heroes of D-Day, a pivotal moment during World War II.
-
Reagan on Libya Air Strikes
Reagan on Libya Air StrikesAudio Clip (6:49)
Audio Clip (6:49)
On April 14, 1986, President Ronald Reagan addresses the nation to announce that he has authorized a series of air strikes against Lybia. The military action was ordered as retaliation for a Berlin terrorist bombing, which Reagan describes as the latest act in Lybia's "reign of terror."
-
Reagan Swears in Rehnquist and Scalia
Reagan Swears in Rehnquist and ScaliaAudio Clip (0:40)
Audio Clip (0:40)
On September 25, 1986, President Ronald Reagan presides over the swearing in of William H. Rehnquist as the 16th chief justice and Aaron Scalia as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
-
Reagan Supports Poland's Solidarity Movement
Reagan Supports Poland's Solidarity MovementAudio Clip (2:41)
Audio Clip (2:41)
In late 1981, in an address to the nation, President Ronald Reagan condemned the recent communist crackdown on the Solidarity Movement in Poland.
-
Ronald Reagan on Roe v. Wade
Ronald Reagan on Roe v. WadeAudio Clip (1:10)
Audio Clip (1:10)
In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that women, as part of their constitutional right to privacy, could terminate a pregnancy during its first two trimesters. On the 10th anniversary of the ruling, President Ronald Reagan pledges in a radio report to the nation to fight to overturn the landmark case.
-
Reagan on Middle East Policy
Reagan on Middle East PolicyAudio Clip (5:15)
Audio Clip (5:15)
When the war broke out in Lebanon in June, 1982, President Ronald Reagan's plans to facilitate autonomy talks between Palestine and Israel were put on hold. Now, in September, with the conflict ended and the evacuation of the PLO from Beirut complete, President Reagan speaks from the studios of KNBC-TV on America's policy for peace in the Middle East.
-
Reagan on His Economic Programs
Reagan on His Economic ProgramsAudio Clip (2:18)
Audio Clip (2:18)
In his Saturday radio address on May 14, 1983, the last day of Small Business Week, President Ronald Reagan discusses the successes of entrepreneurs and new businesses in America.
-
Reagan Addresses British Parliament
Reagan Addresses British ParliamentAudio Clip (0:17)
Audio Clip (0:17)
On June 8, 1982, in the first speech by an American president to a meeting of both houses of the British Parliament, President Ronald Reagan presents his hope for a future that would "leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash heap of history."
-
Reagan Calls for Chemical Weapons Ban
Reagan Calls for Chemical Weapons BanAudio Clip (2:29)
Audio Clip (2:29)
On April 4, 1984, in his 23rd news conference broadcast live on radio and television, President Ronald Reagan publicly calls for an international ban on chemical weapons.
-
Reagan on Neutron Bomb Production
Reagan on Neutron Bomb ProductionAudio Clip (0:41)
Audio Clip (0:41)
In address to the nation, President Ronald Reagan defends his decision to authorize production of the controversial neutron bomb as a warhead for missiles and artillery.
Videos (26)
-
The Great Communicator
The Great CommunicatorVideo Clip (4:18)
Video Clip (4:18)
Ronald Reagan galvanized the American public through his famous speeches that helped redefine American politics in the 1980s.
-
Reagan and the 1980 Debates
Reagan and the 1980 DebatesVideo Clip (3:16)
Video Clip (3:16)
The closing arguments all but determined the winner during the 1980 presidential debates between President Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.
-
Reagan's Reelection
Reagan's ReelectionVideo Clip (2:55)
Video Clip (2:55)
In the 1984 presidential debates President Ronald Reagan relied on wit and poise to win a second term in office.
-
Reagan's Childhood
Reagan's ChildhoodVideo Clip (4:26)
Video Clip (4:26)
Throughout his life, Ronald Reagan possessed the strong will and likeable nature that helped him win the presidency.
-
Deconstructing History: White House
Deconstructing History: White HouseVideo Clip (1:35)
Video Clip (1:35)
It may not have been home to the president until 1800 or even called the White House until 1901, but it remains a symbol of freedom and democracy throughout the world.
-
Presidential Fun Facts
Presidential Fun FactsVideo Clip (1:21)
Video Clip (1:21)
The Oval Office has been filled with extraordinary presidents, but did you know about these not-so-famous firsts?
-
Deconstructing History: Berlin Wall
Deconstructing History: Berlin WallVideo Clip (2:27)
Video Clip (2:27)
For 30 years, the Berlin Wall was the defining symbol of the Cold War, separating families and keeping the people from jobs and opportunity in the west.
-
Cold War
Cold WarVideo Clip (2:31)
Video Clip (2:31)
The Cold War is over, but what it left behind may surprise you.
-
The Space Race
The Space RaceVideo Clip (2:58)
Video Clip (2:58)
The U.S. competition with the U.S.S.R. for technological dominance spurred the U.S. on to the first-ever landing on the Moon.
-
The Fall of the Soviet Union
The Fall of the Soviet UnionVideo Clip (3:22)
Video Clip (3:22)
Trace the steps that led to the collapse of America's Cold War foe as told by musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis.
-
Morning in America
Morning in AmericaVideo Clip (4:34)
Video Clip (4:34)
Morning in America was one of the greatest political ad campaigns because it promised a prouder, stronger, better America.
-
There You Go Again
There You Go AgainVideo Clip (5:13)
Video Clip (5:13)
Jimmy Carter unsuccessfully attempts to play into the uncertainty that the American public had for Ronald Reagan, during a debate on October 28, 1980.
-
Inaugural Address: Ronald Reagan
Inaugural Address: Ronald ReaganVideo Clip (2:34)
Video Clip (2:34)
Excerpts from Ronald Reagon's inaugural address on Tuesday, January 20, 1981.
-
Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions
Primaries, Caucuses, and ConventionsVideo Clip (4:15)
Video Clip (4:15)
Host David Eisenbach explains the history of the long election process a candidate must go through to become President of the United States.
-
The Inauguration
The InaugurationVideo Clip (4:15)
Video Clip (4:15)
Host David Eisenbach gives the historic significance of the process by which a newly elected candidate assumes the role of President of the United States of America.
-
Transfer of Power
Transfer of PowerVideo Clip (3:53)
Video Clip (3:53)
Host David Eisenbach reveals the process where one president transfers their duties of office to the next president.
-
The Press Plane
The Press PlaneVideo Clip (0:52)
Video Clip (0:52)
Pat Buchanan, speech writer during Richard Nixon's 1968 campaign, tells the story of one of Nixons early executive decisions.
-
Celebrities in Politics
Celebrities in PoliticsVideo Clip (2:48)
Video Clip (2:48)
In a Path to the Podium video, see how celebrities get involved in politics. While some celebrities stump for causes or candidates, the celebrities in this video take it to the next level by holding political office.
-
President Reagan Shot
President Reagan ShotVideo Clip (3:44)
Video Clip (3:44)
John Hinckley does his best to impress Jodie Foster by firing a few rounds at President Ronald Reagan. He hits Reagan in the armpit, and nearly kills Brady with a shot to the head. Reagan stays alive and Hinckley spends a whole lot of time in an institution.
-
Reagan Describes Shooting
Reagan Describes ShootingVideo Clip (0:46)
Video Clip (0:46)
President Ronald Reagan's assassination attempt by John Hinckley, Jr. in front of the Washington Hilton Hotel is shown on this History Channel video. White House Press Secretary James Brady was also seriously wounded.
-
Reagan Meets Gorbachev
Reagan Meets GorbachevVideo Clip (4:46)
Video Clip (4:46)
See President Ronald Reagan meet Mikail Gorbachev, set to "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour.
-
Reagan Advocates Small Government
Reagan Advocates Small GovernmentVideo Clip (0:46)
Video Clip (0:46)
"I resent it when a representative of the people refers to you and me, the free men and women of this country, as the masses."
-
Reagan on Military Strength
Reagan on Military StrengthVideo Clip (1:59)
Video Clip (1:59)
"We cannot shirk our responsibility as the leader of the free world."
-
Reagan on Vietnam 1964
Reagan on Vietnam 1964Video Clip (1:45)
Video Clip (1:45)
"There can be no real peace while one American is dying some place in the world for the rest of us."
-
Reagan: Don't Negotiate with Terrorists
Reagan: Don't Negotiate with TerroristsVideo Clip (0:37)
Video Clip (0:37)
The strategic defense initiative is outlined by President Ronald Reagan as he discusses his foreign policy position to halt terrorism.
-
USS Ronald Reagan
USS Ronald ReaganVideo Clip (3:02)
Video Clip (3:02)
A brief look at the USS Ronald Reagan, the biggest aircraft carrier in the world.
Photo Galleries (3)
-
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan(19 Photos)
19 Photos
View an image slideshow on President Ronald Reagan.
-
Cold War: American Leaders
Cold War: American Leaders(13 Photos)
13 Photos
From 1945 until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, U.S. presidents and politicians developed strategies to limit the spread of communism.
-
California
California(9 Photos)
9 Photos
With its varied climate and diverse cultural influences, California boasts a range of natural wonders and architectural masterpieces.
Most Popular Videos on History.com
-
America Divided
(3:54)
-
Caroline Dries: NYU Dorm
(3:26)
Newest Videos on History.com
-
Vietnam in HD Preview
(2:00)
-
Two For the Road
(1:48)
-
HISTORY says Thanks
(2:47)
Read More about Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan, a former actor and California governor, served as the 40th U.S. president from 1981 to 1989.
GoRelated Shows
-
America The Story of Us
America The Story of Us is an epic 12-hour television event that tells the extraordinary story of how America was invented.
-
Shop HISTORY
-
-
America The Story of Us Book & DVD Set
Own the DVD & the stunning companion book from the most anticipated HISTORY broadcast of all time.
$49.99
Buy Now -
Swamp People Troy Mask
Want the ultimate Big Head? The Swamp People Troy Mask is for Cajuns and Cajuns at heart.
$44.99
Buy Now
Email Updates
Keep up with the latest History shows, online features, special offers and more.
Sign up
