1 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:08,559 Speaker 1: On this episode of Newts World. Thousands of Germans gathered 2 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:12,119 Speaker 1: at the Berlin Wall on November ninth, nineteen eighty nine 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: and began to tear it down. The act of tearing 4 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: down the wall was the symbolic end of the collapse 5 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: of the Civil Union and communist rule of East Berlin 6 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: and began the reunification of Germany. Just two years before, 7 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: President Ronald Reagan gave an address at the Brandenburg Gate 8 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: on June twelfth, nineteen eighty seven. Listen to what Reagan had. 9 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 2: To say, General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if 10 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,240 Speaker 2: you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe, 11 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 2: if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mister 12 00:00:52,520 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 2: Goarbaschev opened this gate, Mister g Mister Garba Shalk teared 13 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 2: down this wall. 14 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,039 Speaker 1: Here to discuss the thirty fifth anniversary of the fallow 15 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:41,279 Speaker 1: Berlin Wall and President Riggins enduring legacy. I'm really pleased 16 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: to welcome my guest and good friend, David Trulio. He 17 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: is the President and chief executive officer of the Ronald 18 00:01:48,240 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley, California. David, 19 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: welcome and thank you for joining me on Newts World. 20 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 3: Mister speaker, it is great to see you again and 21 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 3: a thrill to be on your show. Thank you. 22 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: I should mention to our listeners were just a few 23 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: days off from that anniversary, because both you and I 24 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 1: have been traveling quite a bit in the days around 25 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: the election. I want to set the stage for our 26 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: listeners who maybe don't remember how incredible this moment when 27 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: time was Here is ABC News journalist Peter Jennings reporting 28 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: live from Berlin on November tenth, nineteen eighty nine from ADC. 29 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 3: This is World News Tonight with Peter Jennings reporting tonight 30 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 3: from Berlin. 31 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 4: From the Berlin Walls, specifically, take a look at them. 32 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 4: They've been there since last night. They are here in 33 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 4: the thousands, they are here in the tens of thousands. 34 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 4: Occasionally they shout dem almost vec the wall must go, 35 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 4: and thousands of West Germans come to make the point 36 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 4: that the wall has suddenly become irrelevant something as you 37 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 4: can see, almost a party on How do you measure 38 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 4: such an astonishing moment in history? The East German government 39 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 4: said tonight they were going to make more openings in 40 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,359 Speaker 4: the wall, at least a dozen more put bulldozers right 41 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 4: through the wall so that more people could cross to 42 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 4: the west. 43 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: David must go back in history to the origins of 44 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:28,960 Speaker 1: the wall, why it was initially built, and what its 45 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:29,640 Speaker 1: purpose was. 46 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 3: Absolutely, mister speaker. Well, on a technical basis, it starts 47 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 3: in August of nineteen sixty one. The wall goes up, 48 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:40,080 Speaker 3: and it's important to note that the wall was not 49 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 3: to keep the free people of West Berlin in but 50 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 3: to keep the imprisoned people of East Germany and the 51 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 3: broader Eastern bloc out of freedom. And people were escaping 52 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 3: to freedom by getting themselves to West Berlin, and that 53 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 3: was intolerable in a system that forced control of people 54 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 3: down to where they could move and live and so on. 55 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 3: So in the dead of night, the East German and 56 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 3: Soviet militaries stand up this wall that ends up lasting 57 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 3: twenty eight years. That fort fell, as you said, mister speaker, 58 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 3: on November ninth of nineteen eighty nine. 59 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: These German communists were faced with a real crisis because 60 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: so many people were leaving, that all of their talented 61 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: folks who were leaving, they literally created an effect a 62 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: prison out of the whole country. And yet people continued 63 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: to tunnel under it and to try to get over it. 64 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 1: It seemed to me that it was a remarkable testimony 65 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 1: both to the power of freedom and to the evil 66 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 1: of tyranny. And yet the Berlin Wall had divided the 67 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: city of Berlin in half for almost twenty six years 68 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: before Reagan went to Berlin, and he went there to 69 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 1: commemorate the seven hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the city's founding. 70 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 3: It's remark and President Kennedy had been there about a 71 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 3: quarter century before. It was twenty four years before. Two 72 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 3: other US presidents had been there after him, And when 73 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:14,160 Speaker 3: President Reagan arrived in June of nineteen eighty seven, Secretary Gorbachev, 74 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 3: the leader of the Soviet Union, had just been in 75 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 3: East Berlin two weeks before. So the timing was very 76 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 3: interesting and noteworthy. And it was a momentous speech which 77 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:25,239 Speaker 3: I'm sure we'll get into now in a moment. 78 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: Well, you know, it became known ultimately as the Tear 79 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: Down this Wall speech, but that wasn't how it started, 80 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 1: and except for Reagan personally, that isn't that it would 81 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: have ended. Talk a little bit about the dynamics of 82 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:45,239 Speaker 1: this bold challenge, which, by the way, related to something 83 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:49,359 Speaker 1: Reagan had said when he was governor of California and 84 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 1: he visited Berlin, I believe it was in nineteen sixty seven, 85 00:05:53,400 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: and he looked up and he said, that wall sure 86 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 1: is ugly. They ought to tear it down. And so 87 00:05:58,560 --> 00:05:59,919 Speaker 1: I think he'd had that in the back of his 88 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: head for all those years, and that was a chance 89 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 1: to do something. Could you talk a little bit about 90 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: the drama. I mean, this thing almost didn't get said. 91 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,280 Speaker 3: Well, mister speaker, it's a very perceptive point that you make, 92 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 3: because the most famous phrase, arguably of Ronald Reagan, and 93 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 3: one of the most important phrases of the entire Cold 94 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 3: War was almost not set and part of that or 95 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,799 Speaker 3: the big driver that was a huge debate within President 96 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 3: Reagan's team over whether or not that line was an 97 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 3: advisable thing to say, mister Gorbercheff, tear down this wall. 98 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 3: It was viewed as something to be removed by the 99 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 3: State Department, by the National Security Council staff and including 100 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 3: the great Secretary of State George Schultz and at the 101 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 3: time Deputy National Security Advisor Colin Powell, another great American. 102 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 3: But history has shown that they were wrong. But they 103 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 3: kept taking the line out, and the line kept going 104 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,040 Speaker 3: back in at the behest of the President himself. After all, 105 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 3: he was the president and he was there, and of 106 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 3: course there was help from the speech writers, Peter Robinson 107 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 3: and Tony Dolan. I think there's a huge implication for 108 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 3: today or for any president, mister speaker, whereby the direction 109 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 3: of the boss, whoever that is, really needs to carry 110 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 3: the day. And also there'll be an inevitable perhaps timidity 111 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 3: or a desire to maybe not offend and calling people out, 112 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 3: people who are either engaged in wrongdoing or proclaim, as 113 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 3: General Secretary Gorbachev did, that this was a new era 114 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 3: of openness or restructuring. Ronald Reagan called him out. And 115 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 3: it's interesting, mister Speaker, Ronald Reagan didn't say, would you 116 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 3: please take down this wall, or Hey, we'd really like 117 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 3: it if you take down this wall. This was a demand. 118 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 3: He demanded that Gorbachev tear down the wall. So as 119 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 3: will Imboden, who wrote a magnificent book The Peacemaker, details 120 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 3: really wonderfully, this is one of the two most powerful 121 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:56,679 Speaker 3: men in the world talking to the other most powerful 122 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 3: man in the world, and he's issuing this demand, and 123 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 3: it's an incredible and that's why we're still talking about 124 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 3: it today and people will talk about it one hundred 125 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 3: years from now. 126 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 1: He's issuing the demand very publicly. It's also a a 127 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: classic sense of Reagan's skills tear down this walls a 128 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 1: great line. You can imagine had the normal State Department 129 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: speech writers gotten away with it, he would become so indirect, 130 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: so obscure, so timid, that it would have had no meaning. 131 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 3: Well, will Imbden, who I just mentioned, he cites in 132 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 3: his book how some of the comments as they were 133 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 3: soliciting and working through comments. So the Germans are not 134 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 3: a sentimental people. They won't like this. This seems silly 135 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 3: as edited. That was another piece of feedback. Too much 136 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 3: emphasis on good guys and bad guys, and you can 137 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:44,719 Speaker 3: just see the sort of timidity of the bureaucracy at 138 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 3: work now. At the same time, I think, in my opinion, 139 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:50,959 Speaker 3: there was a legitimate concern that Ron Reagan maybe he 140 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 3: shouldn't challenge Gorbachev too directly and risk weakening the Soviet 141 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 3: leader who was on a good trajectory, or maybe it'll 142 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 3: upset the Allies, maybe could raise false hopes. Right, all 143 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 3: the reasons not to do something bold. But obviously history 144 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 3: has proven that it was the right thing to do, 145 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 3: and it not only electrified the audience in person, but 146 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,320 Speaker 3: it showed that Ronald Reagan and America stood with the 147 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 3: people of Berlin, people who were yearning for freedom everywhere, 148 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 3: and he was speaking to them. He was challenging Gorbachev, 149 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 3: calling him out on the talk of openness and restructuring. 150 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:29,840 Speaker 3: Reagan gave hope to captive nations through moral clarity, and 151 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 3: his secretary Schultz subsequently said it was a statement beyond 152 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,959 Speaker 3: the wall that the system had to change, So change 153 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 3: it Gorbachev. 154 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: Secretary Schultz told me one time that Reagan had put 155 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: this line in and I went over to State and 156 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 1: the State bureaucrats took it out, and he hand wrote 157 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: it back in and went over to State and they 158 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 1: took it out. And he finally called Schultz and said, Georgia, 159 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: you need to tell them I am the president. They're 160 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: not the president. It stays in. Then they get to 161 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:09,680 Speaker 1: Berlin and that morning at breakfast, every senior advisor begs 162 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 1: him to take it out, and on the car on 163 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: the way to deliver the speech. Ken Diverstein, who became 164 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,199 Speaker 1: his chief of staff said, are you really really sure 165 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: you want to do this? The level of personal focus 166 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: and personal strength that Reagan had to exhibit just to 167 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:35,319 Speaker 1: get that simple line, that's amazing. But I always tell 168 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: people that Reagan had a unique knack. Most of the 169 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: time he was at fifty thousand feet looking at grand 170 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: policy unless he thought there was a point of leverage 171 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 1: that required him to go out it. And I think 172 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: Reagan had this deep intuitive sense. But at the same time, 173 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: as you know very well, Reagan also had an acute 174 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:01,559 Speaker 1: sense of the importance of backing up words with strength. 175 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,640 Speaker 1: And I think one of the most interesting examples was 176 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: his initiative on the Strategic Defense Initiative can you talk 177 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:11,960 Speaker 1: a little bit about but became ultimately derided by the 178 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:15,320 Speaker 1: left and called star Wars. But in fact it was 179 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: a very serious effort to find a way to minimize 180 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: the danger of nuclear war. How do you see all that? 181 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 3: Absolutely crucial? So the Strategic Defense Initiative, often referred to 182 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 3: as SDI and then derided by critics such as Ted Kennedy, 183 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 3: dismissed as star Wars, some fantastical thing from a science 184 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 3: fiction movie that can never happen, was a groundbreaking initiative 185 00:11:38,920 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 3: with the ultimate objective of intercepting and destroying nuclear missiles 186 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 3: before they reached our own soil or that of our allies. 187 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 3: And it had the potential to make nuclear weapons obsolete. 188 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:55,200 Speaker 3: And this was a concept and idea that President Reagan 189 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 3: advanced very publicly in nineteen eighty three, and crucially he 190 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:02,280 Speaker 3: stuck to it. As you know as well as anybody, 191 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 3: mister speaker. Many in the United States dismissed it on 192 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 3: scientific grounds, it could never happen. Allies and partners of 193 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 3: the United States, good allies thought, if you pull this off, 194 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 3: which many of us don't think you actually can technologically, 195 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:18,880 Speaker 3: is this going to delatch you from Europe? Are our 196 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 3: interests going to diverge? But President Reagan understood well. First 197 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 3: of all, he hated the concept of nuclear war. He 198 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 3: hated the concept that we had lived under of mutually 199 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 3: assured destruction mad and he wanted to find a way 200 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 3: to fundamentally change the game around that. And more broadly, 201 00:12:38,160 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 3: he saw the possibility that American technology and ingenuity could 202 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 3: nullify Soviet advantages. So he had the vision for this 203 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 3: and he held really firm to it. Again, as we 204 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:55,560 Speaker 3: discussed earlier, he was able to withstand internal critics external critics, 205 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 3: and it would have been the easiest thing in the world, 206 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 3: especially at the Reykvic summitch, to trade away SDI for 207 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 3: other nuclear reductions. But he stuck with it, and that 208 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 3: played a crucial role in the ultimate defeat of the 209 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 3: Soviet Union, because the Soviets, unlike those in the West, 210 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:14,680 Speaker 3: actually thought this thing might actually work. They had such 211 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 3: healthy respect for American technology and ingenuity that they essentially thought, Hey, 212 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 3: the Americans might actually pull this off, which meant that 213 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 3: they had to spend more and more time and money 214 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 3: pour that into their military, which ultimately was unsustainable for them. 215 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: The fact is that Reagan hit him very subtle vision 216 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 1: of the power of technology. Partly, I suspect from the 217 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 1: eight years he spent a general electric he really did 218 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: have some sense for that. But in addition he had 219 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: the huge advance that he had two partners in Margaret 220 00:14:03,679 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 1: Thatcher and Saint John Paul the second Clise and I 221 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: did a movie on Reagan called Roundio Destiny, and then 222 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 1: we did a movie on John Paul the Second called 223 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 1: Nine Days That Changed the World. And this magic moment 224 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 1: when they get together for the first time they've both 225 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: been shot, and they both were professional actors. John Paul 226 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: was an actor before he became a priest. They're sitting 227 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 1: here getting to know each other, comparing notes on being 228 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: actors and then comparing notes on why did God save 229 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: their lives? And they concluded that it was to enable 230 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: them to defeat the Soviet Empire. When you added Thatcher 231 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 1: to that, the three of them had a clear purpose, 232 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: which was to accelerate the disintegration of the Soviet Union. 233 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: The three formed just sort of a remarkable team. And 234 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: part of that and you capture this in the library, 235 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: which I should say to all of our listeners have 236 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: never been to the Reagan Library. It captures the spirit 237 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 1: of Ronald and Nancy Reagan. It's elegant, it's well thought out. 238 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 1: You will find it totally fascinating. David does a great job, 239 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: and his team does and it's just a remarkable place 240 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: to learn American history. But part of what I think 241 00:15:18,040 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: you learned there is how pleasantly but firmly Reagan pursued 242 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: a handful of big things. He pursued the defeated the 243 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 1: Soviet Empire. He pursued rebuilding the American economy. Something we 244 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: have to talk about briefly, and then he pursued renewing Americans' 245 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 1: faith in themselves and the whole idea of social value 246 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: of being an American. How does it feel for you 247 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:46,480 Speaker 1: to be the director and to walk around and to 248 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 1: be in that building and be surrounded by that extraordinary history. 249 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 3: Well, it's an honor of lifetime, mister speaker. And I'm 250 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 3: fifty years old. I was six years old when Ronald 251 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:02,400 Speaker 3: Reagan was elected. I was fourteen when he left office. 252 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 3: I had the tremendous privilege of growing up with Ronald 253 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 3: Reagan as the president in my most formative years. So 254 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 3: I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility but also passion 255 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 3: to share with others those timeless principles, everything from individual 256 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 3: liberty to economic opportunity, to freedom and democracy, peace through strength, 257 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 3: and national pride. That is really tremendously motivating. And I 258 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 3: appreciate your kind words about the Reagan Library here and 259 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 3: seem Valley. We're only an hour from lax and we 260 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 3: are the most visited Presidential library for a variety of reasons. 261 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 3: The compelling history, the amazing man, and of course Missus Reagan. 262 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 3: First Lady Nancy Reagan and the timeless principle. So it's 263 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 3: a really remarkable experience. 264 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: There's also a kind of beauty that I suspect one 265 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 1: has to attribute a good bit of it to Nancy, 266 00:16:55,440 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 1: But there's just a sense of really being elegant. This 267 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 1: suffuses the entire Reagan experience. 268 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,679 Speaker 3: Well, I appreciate that it's elegant. I emphatically agree with you. 269 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 3: It is elegant. It is also relaxed in the sense 270 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 3: that it's in a Spanish Mission style of architecture, and 271 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 3: it's evocative of the West, and it really reflects the 272 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:24,440 Speaker 3: simultaneous grandeur and humility of the man, and it's really powerful. 273 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 1: We're not going to replace Reagan as a person, but 274 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 1: as you look at his policies and his strategies and 275 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:49,480 Speaker 1: how he said about to achieve things, what do you 276 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 1: think of the lessons the new administration can learn. 277 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 3: Oh, they're tremendous, tremendous lessons that are truly timeless. First 278 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:01,640 Speaker 3: of all, the fundamental commitment to through strength. I think 279 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 3: we're on a very good footing there with President elect Trump, 280 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,920 Speaker 3: where it's clear that he believes in strength. So peace 281 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 3: through strength as a timeless, enduring principle is really crucial. Obviously, 282 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:19,119 Speaker 3: economic opportunity and really making sure that America is economically competitive. 283 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 3: In my opinion, mister speaker, we don't have enough in 284 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 3: our national conversation a discussion about the interplay between economic 285 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 3: strength and security. You cannot have a strong national security 286 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 3: if you don't have a strong economy, and if you 287 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 3: don't have strong security, you're not going to have a 288 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 3: strong economy for very long. So that interplay is absolutely crucial. 289 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 3: And President Reagan fundamentally understood that through economic pressure we 290 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 3: would force the hand of the Soviet Union. Basically it 291 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 3: would ultimately have to choose between bankruptcy and surrender because 292 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 3: we were imposing unsustainable costs on them. And as we 293 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 3: look to the present time, look at the similarities from 294 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 3: back then to today. We had inflation and a really 295 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:08,640 Speaker 3: tough economy for so many Americans. We're facing competition from 296 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 3: a ruthless communist regime with global reach and ambition. Back 297 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,360 Speaker 3: then it was the Soviet Union. Today it's the People's 298 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 3: Republic of China led by the Chinese Communist Party. By 299 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:23,080 Speaker 3: the way, the Reagan Library were sanctioned by the People's 300 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 3: Republic of China because We dared to host Speaker Kevin 301 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 3: McCarthy and President CI of Taiwan last year. They didn't 302 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 3: like that. So no trips to the People's Republic of 303 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 3: China for me. But we wear that as a badge 304 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:36,679 Speaker 3: of honor. 305 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: What does it mean to be sanctioned by the Chinese Communist. 306 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 3: Party, Well, we get kind of a kick out of it. 307 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,000 Speaker 3: It's not entirely clear. What I can guarantee you is 308 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 3: that if I were to apply to get a visa 309 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,119 Speaker 3: to visit China, it will either get denied or if 310 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:54,359 Speaker 3: it's approved, I'd probably at the very least expect to 311 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 3: have a very long and uncomfortable time at the airport. 312 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 3: Were I to land inside the borders of the People's 313 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 3: Republic of China, as currently ruled by the Chinese Communist Party. 314 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 3: It probably means we're not going to get the terra 315 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 3: Cotta warriors, is my guess. We're leading cultural institution. We 316 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:13,880 Speaker 3: have special exhibitions all the time. By the way, we're 317 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 3: about to host starting next week for many months, the 318 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 3: Dead Sea Scroll, So the most significant archaeological discovery of 319 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,120 Speaker 3: the last eighty years will be here at the Reagan Library. 320 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:25,880 Speaker 3: But I don't expect that we'll have anything coming out 321 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 3: of the. 322 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 1: PRC welc US through this exhibit. 323 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 3: Absolutely, So we are a leading cultural institution. So in 324 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:38,439 Speaker 3: addition to the amazing museum dedicated to the life and 325 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,199 Speaker 3: presidency of Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, we 326 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 3: are actually launching a new exhibition starting at the end 327 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:48,600 Speaker 3: of next week that is going to display the Dead 328 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 3: Sea Scroll. So we invite the public to journey through 329 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 3: time and explore one of the most significant archaeological discoveries 330 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 3: of the twentieth century. They're coming to the United States 331 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 3: after nearly a decade. Features eight authentic Dead Sea schools 332 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 3: and over two hundred artifacts from the Second Temple period. 333 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 3: So it's a really remarkable exhibition. It's the world premiere 334 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 3: and the only West Coast venue if anybody would like 335 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 3: to see them. So I invite you and Callista and 336 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:18,879 Speaker 3: all of your listeners to an embark on what I 337 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,879 Speaker 3: think is a really unforgettable journey through history. And it 338 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:23,439 Speaker 3: starts Friday of next week. 339 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 1: How much of what you do nowadays is online so 340 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 1: people cann access it from all over the world. 341 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 3: Thank you for that question, mister speaker. It is a 342 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 3: huge part of what we do. We will always be 343 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 3: world class at the in person experience, the special exhibition. 344 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 3: I just mentioned the amazing speakers that we get to 345 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 3: host in person. We hosted you back in January, you 346 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 3: and Callista, and it was wonderful and it was a 347 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 3: packed house. In a nation of three hundred and thirty 348 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,679 Speaker 3: plus million people, we need to reach them, and we 349 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 3: are reaching them through our social media reach. So whether 350 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 3: it's at Ronald Reagan on x or at Reagan Foundation 351 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 3: on YouTube and Instagram, we're reaching literally millions of people 352 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:10,959 Speaker 3: with content rooted in present Reagan's legacy and principles. And 353 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 3: that's super exciting because we're pursuing parallel tracks with an 354 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 3: amazing in person experience with a tremendous online presence as well. 355 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 3: And that includes our educational programs. We're reaching tens of 356 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 3: thousands of young people, middle, high school and college people 357 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 3: through our variety of educational programs, our national oratory competition 358 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 3: for example, our scholarships and so on and all that 359 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 3: can be found on Reagan Foundation dot org slash education. 360 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:39,680 Speaker 1: It is a remarkable place. And of course you have 361 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 1: I think one of the dream jobs in American politics. 362 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: You get to be in a beautiful place, dealing with 363 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:50,399 Speaker 1: a remarkable couple, and hoping not just the Americans, but 364 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: people around the world have a better sense of why 365 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:56,880 Speaker 1: Reaganism worked, what it was all about. And I think, 366 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: in particular, I'm really hopeful President Trump and his team 367 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: we'll look at how Reagan got his three year tax 368 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: cut through because I was there, I was part of it. 369 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: I'd worked with Jack Kemp to develop supply side economics 370 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 1: and to develop a three year tax cut. But we 371 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,600 Speaker 1: were a minority. We had to have Democratic votes, and 372 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 1: Reagan did just an amazing job of turning this into 373 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: a national American issue, not a Republican issue. And as 374 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,680 Speaker 1: a result, he got the changes he needed in regulations 375 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,920 Speaker 1: and the changes he needed in taxation, and he launched 376 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: what became about twenty five years of prosperity in a 377 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: way that is really really remarkable. Every time I get 378 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:43,640 Speaker 1: a chance to come out there, I'm reminded that he 379 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: literally changed history. He changed economic history, he changed how 380 00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:51,159 Speaker 1: we felt about ourselves, and he was the key to 381 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 1: liberating the Russian people in all of Eastern Europe from 382 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,399 Speaker 1: the Civil Union. So you have a national treasure in 383 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: the Museum, and I really appreciate your taking the time 384 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: to be with us and to talk about this. Our 385 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,160 Speaker 1: listeners can learn more about the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation 386 00:24:08,280 --> 00:24:13,160 Speaker 1: and Institute by visiting your website at Reaganfoundation dot org. 387 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 1: And if you live in California or if you're going 388 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 1: to visit southern California, you really have to go see 389 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: the Reagan Library in SeeMe Valley. It is a remarkable institution. 390 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 1: And I'm want to thank you, David for taking this 391 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: kind of time to be with us. 392 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 3: Thrilled to be here, and my thanks right back at you, 393 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 3: mister speaker. Thanks for all that you're doing and for 394 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 3: this time today. Really appreciate it. 395 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:39,960 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest David Trulio. You can get 396 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 1: a link to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute 397 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: on our show, paid at Newtsworld dot com. Newtsworld is 398 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:51,360 Speaker 1: produced by Ginglers three sixty and iHeartMedia. Our executive producer 399 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 1: is Guarnsey Sloan. Our researcher is Rachel Peterson. The artwork 400 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 1: for the show Who's created by Steve Penley. Special thanks 401 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 1: to the team at Ginger six. If you've been enjoying 402 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: Newts World. I hope you'll go to Apple podcast and 403 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:07,399 Speaker 1: both rate us with five stars and give us a 404 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 1: review so others can learn what it's all about. Right now, 405 00:25:11,240 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: listeners of Newtsworld can sign up for my three freeweekly 406 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 1: columns at Gingrishtree sixty dot com slash newsletter. I'm Newt Gingrich. 407 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:20,680 Speaker 1: This is neut World