Killing Reagan is a book written by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. The book’s focus is to take readers behind the scenes, through the life and times of Ronald Reagan. From his Hollywood days to his days in presidency, near-death experience, and the nearly impossible obstacles he had to overcome in order to carry out the duties as a man and as President of the United States. The authors wanted to create a portrait of a “great man operating in violent times”, and that they did. In this fifth book in their series Killing, Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard begin with the death of “the former leader of the free world, the man who defeated Soviet communism and ended the Cold War.” A fine tribute, but as the story of Reagan’s life unfolds, told through …show more content…
“Should Reagan be offered the GE job, Nancy will make sure he takes it.” When Reagan challenges Ford in the 1976 Republican primaries and loses the nomination at the convention, “Nancy Reagan looks ahead to the day that her husband, Ronald Wilson Reagan, becomes the president of the United States in 1980. She will see to it.” After the assassination attempt, “Nancy decides whom Reagan will and will not see. This practice will continue throughout Reagan’s presidency.” So there you have it — the first theme, that Reagan’s entire career after he marries is inspired, directed, and controlled by his wife. Nancy goads him on. The second theme is that Reagan is passive, lacking his wife’s inner steel. He lets others make important decisions for him (not one example is offered) and is not very bright. The unifying theme is that the assassination attempt caused mental decline, accelerated the onset of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, and ultimately lead to the Iran-Contra debacle. Thus did the violent assault of March 30, 1981, change a presidency. In reporting Reagan’s first speech after the assassination attempt, the April 28 speech to a joint session of Congress, …show more content…
As we move into the reelection year, the authors accuse Nancy of ensuring that Reagan hasn’t campaigned for eight months, following a “Rose Garden strategy.” But Reagan has no credible opponent for the 1984 nomination, and Walter Mondale, who will be his Democratic opponent in the general election, has not yet been nominated. So there is no need for a strategy, Rose Garden or otherwise. Of course we get the full chapter and verse on Reagan’s poor performance in his first debate with Mondale; at least we also get the report on the second debate. From there the narrative jumps to the Iran-Contra affair. A few high points — like the Berlin Wall speech in 1987 — are indeed included, but without any perspective on Reagan’s strategy, perseverance with the Soviets on arms control, or success in revitalizing the U.S. economy. Nothing is said about Reagan’s four second-term summits with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Except for a few comments that Reagan deplored Communism, this is a policy-free book, and a book
The book Murdering McKinley: The Making of Theodore’s America by Eric Rauchway examines the murder of President William McKinley and the assassin’s motives that impacted America. Rauchway also reveals to us the making of Theodore’s America through a tragic event to show us how Roosevelt gave it meaning through the start of the Progressive Era with his own political agenda. McKinley’s policies came to and end bringing open doors to new policies on social reform. The book is a well-constructed written book that presents to the reader the story of what had occurred chronologically from the beginning of the assassination to the end of the murder’s life. The main issues that are presented in the book include the assassination of the President and
Killing Lincoln is a historic, non-fiction book co-written by Bill O’Reilly, a popular conservative TV show host and Martin Dugard, a well established author. Published by Henry Holt and Company on September 27, 2011, this piece of literature contains 336 pages with complete sources, and references. In addition, this book [insert award] for its literary impact on young adults. With this historical thriller, Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard seek to describe the antagonist, victim, and impact of one of the most devastating and historical event in American history.
Candice Millard’s Destiny of the Republic is a historical novel that explains who James Garfield was, how he became the United States’ 20th president, as well as his assassination. Millard explains how James Garfield started out as a child in a poverty-stricken family who overcame poverty to later become President of the United States. In this novel, Millard shows the kind of people person James Garfield was in comparison with the type of person his assassin Charles Guiteau was. Destiny of the Republic takes a personal look at whom the United States’ 20th president was, his family, his assassin, and the medical care he received after he was shot. Candice Millard brings up many good arguable points and essential thesis elements in this historical novel. Perhaps the most important thesis elements in Destiny of the Republic include the character of James Garfield, the level of security deemed unnecessary at that time in history for the president of the United States, and the errors made by doctors following the shooting. As an author, Candice Millard developed her thesis elements well and in an intriguing way throughout the book, which can be difficult for writers to do who also strive for historical accuracy. For some readers, the characters in Destiny of the Republic might appear to be
O'Reilly, Bill, and Martin Dugard. Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever. New York: Henry Holt and, 2011. Print.
Now here is a brief summary of the book the president has been shot. First, the book tells you about John F.
Works Cited "American President Ronald Wilson Reagan: Impact and Legacy." Miller Center. University of Virginia, n.d. -. Web. The Web.
8 Levering 173 9 "The End of the Cold War" http://usa.coldwar.server.gov/index/coldwar/ 2 Feb. 1997. 10. http://usa.coldwar.server.gov/index/coldwar/. 11 Young, 28.. 12 Young, 28.. 13 Tom Morganthou, "Reagan's Cold War'sting'? ", Newsweek, 32 August 1993:
In the third decade of the Cold War, less than two years after the United States population had been scared half-way to death by the Cuban Missile Crisis, Dr. Strangelove invaded the nation's movie theatres and showed the country the end of the world. Touted by critics then and now as the film of the decade, Dr. Strangelove savagely mocked the President, the entire military defense establishment, and the rhetoric of the Cold War. To a nation that was living through the stress of the nuclear arms race and had faced the real prospect of nuclear war, the satiric treatment of the nation's leaders was an orgasmic release from deep fears and tensions. Its detractors argued that the film was juvenile, offensive, and inaccurate. Viewed, however, in its context of the Cold War and nuclear proliferation, Dr....
Hunter S. Thompson writes about the Election of 1972 from December 1971, before any primaries, to December 1972 after Nixon has won the election. It is a truthful first person account of what happened during the presidential race that year with much personal, side talk about Thompson’s life, experiences, and his coverage four years ago about the 1968 election. Thompson writes this book in a unique style that he has made called Gonzo Journalism. This style of writing is a deeply personal style of writing and is very opinionated. He does not give the facts on the election straight but instead gives his opinions on the people involved. It is a very subjective point of view and shows Thompson’s very liberal perspective. He is a strong supporter and is an enthusiast of the democratic candidate McGovern and shows time and time again how much he despises Nixon. Along with a very opinionated, subjective narrative, Thompson talks a lot about drug use. His point of view is from that from the drug underculture. Thompson is a very big drug us...
Gaddis, John Lewis. “We Now Know: Rethinking Cold War History.” Taking Sides: Clashing Views On Controversial Issues in United States History. Ed. Larry Madaras and James M. SoRelle. 14th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. 302-308.
“Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not ruin their lives”, directly stated and followed by former president, Ronald Reagan. In 2004 six days after the death of former American President, Ronald Reagan, Britain's former prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, honored Reagan in her eulogy. She praises Ronald Reagan in a way that compels Americans to trust in her. The reader is also encouraged to believe in Thatcher’s statements, similar to the way Americans in 2004 were addressed by her. In addition, she prompts the reader to hold high regard for the advancements Ronald Reagan made during his presidency that would contribute to the well being of Americans and the United States. Thatcher uses several rhetorical strategies in order to
Bass clarifies the events surrounding the infamous genocide and reactions. Bass receives automatic ethos because of his occupation as a professor of international affairs and politics at the University of Princeton. While he does not state any of his beliefs or opinions, he builds a case against Nixon by the
Lasky, Victor. (1979). Jimmy Carter the Man & the Myth. New York: Richard Marek Publishers
The author used many rhetorical devices such as personification, metonymy, asyndeton in order to describe how amazing Ronald Reagan was and how much change he had created for the people of the U.S. and the world. The author used personification when describing what Reagan had wanted to do to improve America. The author shows this by stating, “He sought to mend America’s wounded spirit, to restore the strength of the free world, and to free the slaves of communism.” This personifies America, the free world, and communism. This helps the reader get a much clearer visual representation by making it seem as if these are people he is changing and fixing for the better.Personification is not the only rhetorical device the author had used. He also
President Reagan, at the time in the beginnings of his second term, had successfully maintained overall a high approval rating with the American people. He had won their trust and respect by being quite relatable to the average citizen (Cannon). He had planned that evening to give his State of the Union address, but instead postponed it. The tragedy that had unfolded just hours earlier demanded his complete attention (Eidenmuller 29).