115 Years of Ronald Reagan

Feb 07, 2026

Given today’s political climate, Ronald Reagan’s 115^th birthday warrants our undivided attention. The Gipper can still teach us something new about our country—and politics.

There is no shortage of differing opinions on President Reagan’s life and legacy. To the Left, he was the devil incarnate (before Trump), and to the Right, he was a jovial St. Michael, wielding a righteous sword over America’s foes. Countless historians have dashed themselves across the rocks in trying to understand the oddly reticent Reagan, wondering just how a mere Hollywood actor upended American politics forever.

In trying to piece together my own perspective on President Reagan as a young teenager, a few sources left considerable impressions on me. The first was a recording of Reagan’s “A Time for Choosing” speech from 1964. It was the first time that I had heard his voice, and his powerful rhetoric captivated me at a critical moment.

At the time—in my youthful ignorance—Socialism sounded appealing to me, on paper, and I was not averse to the likes of Vladimir Lenin or Fidel Castro. Socialism offered easy answers like free housing, health care, employment, etc. The Soviet Union, despite its collapse, looked strong compared to the sheer consumerist culture of America. However, I failed to consider that the price for free living was freedom itself. “A Time for Choosing” shook me awake from a stupor into which I was unaware I had been lulled. It forced me to confront the reality that countless refugees fled socialist regimes in search of freedom, and I was taking my own liberty for granted.

My next source was Reagan’s 1989 farewell address. At the age of 15, after watching the full recording on YouTube, I was in tears. His overwhelming optimism for our country was a stark contrast to the cynicism that pervades our politics today. It made me want to live in Reagan’s America. It was this experience that helped me affirm myself as a conservative, a difficult thing to be in a place like New York, where I grew up.

All the same, I never gave up on my mission to restore America as that shining city on a hill. The 2016 Republican Presidential Primary was a real crash course into conservatism, with a wide selection of amazing candidates. Each claimed to embody the spirit of the Reagan Revolution, and while I feel that some were closer than others, the primary demonstrated the flexibility of Reagan’s wisdom in adapting to modern issues. Meanwhile, I continued devouring political texts throughout high school and college.

Interestingly, it was Jon Meacham’s “Destiny and Power,” a biography of George H.W. Bush, that gave some of the best insights into Reagan’s civic spirit. Following the battle for the 1980 Republican presidential nomination, Reagan selected former rival Bush to serve as vice president. Over time, Bush became a close confidant and lifetime friend. Reagan chose to build bridges rather than burn them down, fulfilling Lincoln’s sentiment: “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friend?” His tendency to work across aisles brought great success in dealing with congressional Democrats and the Soviet Union.

Reagan’s leadership style confirmed his unique ability to end conflicts peacefully, even while bolstering the U.S. military abroad. It won the Cold War without firing a shot and restored our nation’s confidence.

Ultimately, I liked Reagan because he believed in the best of America. So do I. I hope you’ll join me in wishing President Reagan a happy 115th birthday.

Logan Blakeslee is a resident of Binghamton, N.Y. He is a 2026 research intern at Gingrich 360.