Reagan Rising

"In 1976, when Ronald Reagan narrowly lost his bid for the GOP presidential nomination to Gerald Ford--his second attempt after 1968--most observers believed Reagan's political career was over. Yet one year later, at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, Reagan sounded like a new man. He introduced conservatives to a 'New Republican Party, ' one that looked beyond the traditional country club and corporate boardroom base to embrace 'the man and woman in the factories ... the farmer ... the cop on the beat. Our party, ' Reagan said, 'must be the party of the individual. It must not sell out the individual to cater to the group.' Reagan's movement quickly spread, supported by emerging conservative leaders and influential think tanks. Meanwhile, for the first time in modern history, Reagan also began drawing young people to American conservatism. But the former governor's political philosophy wasn't the only thing that was changing. A new man was emerging as well: The angry anti-Communist was evolving into a more reflective, thoughtful, hopeful, and spiritual leader. He championed the individual at home, rejecting containment and détente abroad, and advocating for the defeat of Soviet communism, and his appeal crossed party lines. In Reagan Rising, bestselling biographer Craig Shirley tells the story of the decisive years after Reagan's defeat. He takes readers vividly through the changes that Reagan, conservatives, the Republican Party, and the nation as a whole experienced, as well as the struggles and failures of the Carter administration, which would set the stage for Reagan's triumphant emergence. As conservatives seek to redefine their identity after the brutal 2016 presidential campaign, Reagan Rising offers a brighter message, with insight into Reagan's optimistic and unifying philosophy. After Reagan's astonishing rise from the ashes of his lost 1976 presidential bid to his overwhelming victory in 1980, American conservatism--and the nation itself--would never be the same."--Jacket.