From the Publisher
In Governor Reagan, Lou Cannon offers--through recent interviews and research drawn from his unique access to the cabinet minutes of Reagan's first years as governor of California--a fresh look at the development of a master politician.
At first, Reagan suffered from political amateurism, an inexperienced staff, and ideological blind spots. But he quickly learned to take the measure of the Democrats who controlled the State Legislature and surprised friends and foes alike by agreeing to a huge tax increase, which made it possible for him to govern for eight years without additional tax hikes. He developed an environmental policy that preserved the state 's scenic valleys and wild rivers, and he signed into law what was then the nation's most progressive declaration on abortion rights. His quixotic 1968 presidential campaign revealed his higher ambitions to the world and taught him how much he had to learn about big-league politics.
Written by the definitive biographer of Ronald Reagan, this new biography is a classic study of a fascinating individual's evolution from a conservative hero to a national figure whose call for renewal stirred Republicans, working-class Democrats, and independents alike.
The Washington Post
In the end, however, Cannon demonstrates that Reagan was neither a fool nor a fire-eater but an articulate, even eloquent, spokesman for the conservative cause. Reagan had a vision for where he wanted to go. He developed the skills that allowed him to lead. And these abilities produced a string of successes and a record on which he could run for president. Governor Reagan is an important if not altogether original book. It not only identifies the ingredients that made Reagan's success possible; it also offers a window onto the fascinating world of civic life in California -- a window that, in turn, offers an expansive view on the ferments behind our politics at large.
— Matthew Dallek
Hollywood Reporter
Cannon's book could not be timelier, now that another actor has
conquered Sacramento.
Ed Meese -
National Review
"Lou Cannon's insightful knowledge of his subject, his entertaining writing style, and his excellent research make Governor Reagan an invaluable book about a remarkable man."
San Francisco Chronicle
...it's amazing how much fresh detail he breathes into a story that
many Californians probably think they know by heart...
Boston Globe
A welcome contribution to the political bookshelf.
New York Times Book Review
A lucid account...Governor Reagan is a welcome
achievement...
Baltimore Sun
For anyone wishing to understand the Reagan phenomenon,
Governor Reagan is factual, objective, and ultimately,
indispensable.
New York Observer
In Governor Reagan, Mr. Cannon demonstrates...why he's so
consistently lauded - and why his subject is so consistently
underestimated.
Washington Post Book World
"This is a well-written book. It tells a fascinating story, and, most of all, it goes a long way to explain the secrets of Reagan's success."
Los Angeles Times Book Review
"Cannon, who began covering Reagan before he became California's governor in 1966, manages to unwrap the riddle-cum-enigma as well as anybody ever has."
Christian Science Monitor
Mr. Cannon - arguably Reagan's most thorough biographer - paints a
many dimensional picture of the ex-actor's Sacramento years.
Los Angeles Times Book Review
The Reagan riddle may never permit...a definitive biography, but
this is... thoughtful enough to be worth the argument.
Publishers Weekly
Author of President Reagan: Role of a Lifetime, journalist Cannon is considered by many to be the leading contemporary Reagan biographer. Here he does a stellar job of recounting Reagan's first two terms in higher office as governor of California. In 1966, during his campaign against Democratic incumbent Edmund G. Brown Sr., Reagan spoke out against campus radicals and welfare cheaters, and won the governorship by a margin of nearly one million votes. Throughout the first six of Reagan's eight years in Sacramento, he was confronted by an unfriendly Democratic legislature, but nevertheless made inroads when it came to reforming welfare and expanding higher education. In fact, Cannon points to welfare reform as a capstone of Reagan's governorship. Alarmed at the rapid escalation of welfare costs, Reagan in 1971-near the start of his second term-proposed a comprehensive welfare and Medi-Cal reform package, the latter a more liberal version of the federal Medicaid program. Reagan's recipe proved a huge success. In practice, it dropped the number of welfare recipients overall, increased benefits for those still covered by more than 40% and saved the state of California millions. Cannon also details Reagan's victories with regard to higher education. By the end of Reagan's second term, support for the University of California system had more than doubled over what it had been when the former actor assumed office. Cannon recounts all this-together with the tangled tale of Reagan's doomed, quixotic 1968 bid for the presidency-with skill and grace, painting a vivid portrait of a formidable politician in the process of becoming. Illus. not seen by PW. (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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