Former President Ronald Reagan was notorious for many things. While many presidents were hated by the country and their staff during their final days in office, Reagan was one of the few who left office and never returned to politics. Richard Brookhiser’s thesis appears to be that Ronald Reagan's legacy is likely to be watered down, as are the political achievements that shaped how history ultimately remembers and judges his presidency. The piece outlines three personal aspects: his humble beginnings, his ability to connect with the common person, and his simplicity, as well as three political hallmarks, as he helped end the Cold War, changed the economy, and took a stance on social conservatism. However, Brookhiser glosses over and oversimplifies many of Reagan’s actions…show more content… Brookhiser's main reason for this paper is to analyze how Ronald Reagan's presidency is viewed and how he might be remembered by the future public. This is shown right from the start, as the fourth paragraph explains that the purpose of this article is to explore "six aspects of Ronald Reagan—three personal, three political—from which those in the year 2075 may make their selection." Brookhiser proceeds to delve into these points, using Reagan's actions along with anecdotes from those around him to paint a portrait of the president. For instance, the author cites Reagan's simplicity and tendency to think about the bigger picture, illustrating it with an anecdote from Tip O'Neill, stating that Reagan knew "less than any president." However, Brookhiser counterbalances this by highlighting Reagan's political achievement of outfoxing the Soviet Union, highlighting the idea of the president's simplicity while working on a bigger, more complex
