“Which founders have these presidents cited - and why? What did, say, President [Ronald] Reagan's view of George Washington, or President [Bill] Clinton's view of Thomas Jefferson, tell us about their view of America and where they intended to lead the country?In many cases, it told us a lot about the president.” CountryAmericaPresidentViewsCasesBillsClintonFoundersPresident Bill ClintonPresident Ronald Reagan Author:Paul Kengor
“[Gerald] Ford and [Jimmy] Carter, in fact, were huge disappointments to me. Think about this: They were the presidents around the time of America's historic bicentennial, and yet rarely quoted the founders.” ThinkingFactsAmericaPresidentHugeDisappointmentFoundersHistoricJimmyCarterGerald Ford Author:Paul Kengor
“There's the unique case of Ronald Reagan, who cited [founders] some 850 times, and in a way that was absolutely fundamental to understanding Reagan's vision for America.” WayAmericaUnderstandingVisionCasesUniqueFundamentalsFounders Author:Paul Kengor
“Ronald Reagan [ cite the founders] on behalf of emphasizing the faith of our founders, of limited government, of the uniqueness and exceptionalism of America, of a nation with a people facing another historic challenge beyond the American Revolution, and in contrasting the system of the United States with the system of the USSR.” PeopleStatesGovernmentAmericaNationsChallengesUnitedUnited StatesRevolutionFoundersUniquenessBehalfHistoricAmerican RevolutionLimited GovernmentCitingUssrExceptionalism Author:Paul Kengor
“Issues are important, yes, but issues come and go. America as an ideal is timeless.” ImportantAmericaIssuesIdealsTimelessComes And Goes Author:Paul Kengor
“If our presidents, or potential presidents, don't know this or don't articulate [an America ideal], that's a blown opportunity. The president can teach as well as lead.” IfsKnowsWellsAmericaOpportunityPresidentTeachIdeals Author:Paul Kengor
“In part, it's almost surely a failure of modern education, whether K through 12 or higher education, or really both. Barack Obama went to Ivy League institutions like Columbia, which are reputed to be among America's top colleges. And yet, this very recent product of those American institutions is not publicly articulating an appreciation of the American founding or the founders and their vision for America.” AmericaVisionModernCollegeProductsHigherInstitutionsAppreciationBarackLeagueFoundersFoundingIvyHigher EducationColumbiaIvy LeagueArticulatingModern Education Author:Paul Kengor
“You would hope that the supposed best of American educational institutions would teach its students about America as an institution.” AmericaTeachStudentsInstitutionsEducationalEducational Institutions Author:Paul Kengor
