Ronald Reagan's Speeches
Eureka
Ronald Reagan's Speeches 1957-1980
Before holding public office, Ronald Reagan honed his communication
skills speaking before groups as a member of the Screen Actor's Guild, as a private citizen,
as a representative of General Electric (G.E.), and as Governor of California. This section summarizes some of Reagan's most important pre-presidential speeches.
In particular, the speeches delivered
both before and during his years as the Governor of California highlight
the formation of Reagan's conservative ideology and anticipate the
content of his speeches made during campaigns for the presidency.
Select the speech icon at the front of each description for a sample of Ronald Reagan's Speeches.
One of Reagan's first public speeches was
a commencement address to the Class of '57 at Eureka College, Reagan's
own alma mater. (June 7, 1957)
A Time For Choosing is one of Reagan's
best known speeches from the pre-presidential years. Dated 1964, this
speech was first televised as support for Barry Goldwater. The message
was so popular, Reagan was immediately viewed as one of the new
up-and-coming politicians in the Republican Party.
Once Reagan appeared on the political scene,
his career snowballed. Less than three years after the delivery of A
Time For Choosing, Reagan was elected Governor of California. He
delivered his first Inaugural Address as Governor on January 5, 1967.
Reagan returned to his alma mater to
dedicate their new library on September 28, 1967 with a speech titled
The Value of Understanding the Past.
To Restore America was first
televised on March 31, 1976 as part of Reagan's bid for the Republican
nomination over Gerald Ford.
Return to the Great Communicator.
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