41: The "Genial and Aloof" Communicator: Reagan's Psychological Defense and Exquisite Political Timing. Max Boot discusses the late Reagan administration, his personality, and his legacy. Reagan was famously defined as "genial and aloof," and Boot argues that
Update: 2025-11-03
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The "Genial and Aloof" Communicator: Reagan's Psychological Defense and Exquisite Political Timing. Max Boot discusses the late Reagan administration, his personality, and his legacy. Reagan was famously defined as "genial and aloof," and Boot argues that Reagan was "very hard to know," even by his wife Nancy and his closest aides, who felt part of him was "walled off." This aloofness originated in his childhood, where constant moving and hiding his father's alcoholism led him to erect a "mental wall." Reagan was comfortable with the title of "Great Communicator," recognizing the political power of his background by stating, "Some people say they can't understand how an actor can be president. I don't understand how anybody but an actor could be president." His most famous sayings include "Honey, I forgot to duck," "ash heap of history," and "There you go again." Regarding his legacy, Boot notes that the economic recovery was largely "salesmanship," with growth rates during the Reagan presidency similar to the Nixon administration, though Reagan's political timing was "exquisite." Boot credits Reagan as a "very lucky politician" who also "made his own luck," with much of the economic recovery due to Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker. An anecdote illustrating Reagan's modesty notes that when he first sat behind the Resolute desk, he was too tall to fit his knees underneath but did not complain, reflecting his unassuming and undemanding nature.
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