Ronald Reagan's racist phone call to Richard Nixon released

[Otto Lidenbrock]

The day after the United Nations voted to recognize the People’s Republic of China, then–California Governor Ronald Reagan phoned President Richard Nixon at the White House and vented his frustration at the delegates who had sided against the United States. “Last night, I tell you, to watch that thing on television as I did,” Reagan said. “Yeah,” Nixon interjected. Reagan forged ahead with his complaint: “To see those, those monkeys from those African countries—damn them, they’re still uncomfortable wearing shoes!” Nixon gave a huge laugh.

Audio in link:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/07/ronald-reagans-racist-conversation-richard-nixon/595102/

[pangaia]

1. hero of the republican party and deplorables....

[rusty fender]

2. OMG!

[dewsgirl]

3. I swear I read half of this and thought it was certainly satire. Was this leaked to

help them? See we've been like this forever.

[Still In Wisconsin]

5. Yes, we have been like this forever. Difference is our current President says these things

into live microphones and in front of cameras, whereas Nixon, Reagan, and their ilk said them privately.

[misanthrope]

4. If you didn't know this already

then you don't remember the 1980s.

[Still In Wisconsin]

6. It's amazing to me how people- even many Democrats- treat Reagan like some revered figure

in American history. He was a polished turd- no more, and no less.

[malaise]

7. +1,000

They are racist to the core

[912gdm]

10. it was a massive rebranding effort...

that's why every damn road seems to be named after the bastard.

may he rot in hell

[Still In Wisconsin]

14. Ronald Reagan National Airport...

I still insist on calling it Washington National.

[NYC Liberal]

8. He kicked off his campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi.

That should tell anyone everything they need to know.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Chaney,_Goodman,_and_Schwerner

[misanthrope]

17. Talking about "states rights"

which is a large and loud dog whistle in the South. It was only 12 years after MLK's assassination, less than 20 after those three civil rights workers were murdered there.

[dewsgirl]

11. I was a child. I thought this was new. I wonder why it never comes up?

[Skittles]

9. proud to say I was NEVER fooled by Reagan

I found him sickening

[muntrv]

12. And yet Reagan felt hurt when Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes revealed the survey that a

majority of African Americans found Ron racist.

[GulfCoast66]

13. I had the bad luck to turn 14 in 1980.

Raised by a father who took both newspapers in town to insure I read all sides of each story. One leaned liberal, one conservative. He was dismayed as I became a conservative republican, and I think part of that was just natural 14 year old rebellion against a father. It’s natural. Unfortunately it took me 30+ years to figure out my dad was absolutely correct. Wish he had lived to see the day I proudly changed my registration from republican to Democratic.

One thing he told me I disagreed with strongly but now understand. ‘ there’s very little Black and White in the world. It’s uniformly grey’.

The republican message is nothing if not Black and White... America great, government bad, taxes bad. Etc. Now they have openly brought the real life Black and White into it which used to be a little subtle.

Reagan was George Wallace with a marketing agency.

[Kid Berwyn]

15. Ronald Reagan the Racist Rapist

Pruneface (right) and Statuary, 1966

[gay texan]

16. Well it seems Saint Ronnie

Ain't a saint. Color me fucking shocked....