I.

Introduction

Ronald Reagan (1911-2004), 40th president of the United States (1981-1989), who implemented policies that reversed trends toward greater government involvement in economic and social regulation. He introduced a new style of presidential leadership, downgrading the role of the president as an administrator and increasing the importance of communication via the national news media.

Reagan first became famous as an actor in Hollywood motion pictures and became more prominent later in his career as a television host. His emergence as a political figure stemmed from his personal charm and his identification with conservative groups who believed that the nation had strayed from its traditional values. Many saw Reagan as a personal and ideological symbol of these values. Having never held public office, Reagan became governor of California, the most populous state, in 1967, and almost immediately thereafter emerged as a serious candidate for the presidency.