Ronald Reagan A Biography

 

看第4本他的傳記. 

紀實為主, 所以趣聞不多. 對於選舉的細節, 對手, 伊拉克, 蘇聯的內容, 我的興趣不大. 

由藝人轉為加州州長到總統. 他的魅力幫助不少. 當然, 是個努力又平實的人.  

In August, the 13,000 members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organisation decided to go on strike until their demands for reduced workloads and higher salaries were met. As federal employees, the controllers were violating a written pledge in the no-strike clause of their employment contract. The president responded in the Rose Garden with an ultimatum that was clear, return to work within 48 hours for face termination. Ironically, PATCO was one of the few unions that supported Reagan’s candidacy in the 1980 election…the public sided with the president and had little sympathy with the controllers. When the federal employees did not show up for work, Reagan fired them, and directed Transportation Secretary Lewis to hire replacements.  

最有名是強硬手段對罷工的機師. 

 

 

Iran: I want you to do whatever it takes to help these people keep body and soul together.

他的演說及文字能力很好, 所以令人印象深刻. 

 

The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and “slipped the surly bonds of earth” to “touch the face of God”.

曾受聘於GE, 以演說介紹公司, 所以很會公關技巧. 

 

 

“I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease …At the moment I feel fine. I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done…I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead. Thank you, my friends, May God always bless you.” 

83歲患腦退化後, 沒有公開露面. 

 

Reagan knew himself better than most presidents and he kept his identity separate from politics. He was the same person off camera as on.

他有錢, 但居所佈置簡潔, 令記者很驚訝. 

4本傳記, 我覺得這一本最有趣味.

https://catlovesbook.blogspot.com/2014/02/ronald-reagan.html

此書給一個沒有品德的人借閱過, 在文內大力的劃上間線, 大概是覺得寫得好, 但他/她是破壞公物的賤人! 

在書上塗鴉的情況很常見, 但以英文書來說, 通常是在初幾章才畫, 之後的就根本與沒有看過差不多. 可以想像都是一班只有能力/毅力看幾十頁的人, 就不要隨處便溺吧.