The following is an excerpt from the Letter from the Editor for the most recent issue of Red County magazine. It was written upon my return from a trip I took this past summer with Newt and Callista Gingrich and Dave Bossie from Citizens United.
Today, I returned from a trip to Europe with a few of the brightest minds in political communications including, Dave Bossie, founder of Citizens United and former Speaker, Newt Gingrich. The trip allowed them to shoot the final footage for Rendezvous with Destiny, a documentary about the legacy of Ronald Reagan through interviews with world leaders, historians, and former associates.
In France, we walked the shores of Normandy where the graves of 9,387 soldiers offer a moving reminder of the sacrifices made by America on behalf of freedom and where our 40th president marked the 40th anniversary of D-Day with a speech at Pointe du Hoc in the summer of 1984. In Poland, we visited with Lech Walesa, co-founder of Solidarity and in the Czech Republic we met with Vaclav Havel, the former president who embraced democracy in defiance of Communism. Both men recognized the failings of the extreme political left and were influenced during their careers by the optimism best communicated by Ronald Reagan.
So I return from this trip optimistic. Not because the opportunities afforded us by Reagan’s vision have been truly embraced by Republican leaders. And certainly not because I believe the values of the right are best represented in the Republican’s choice of John McCain. The economy is in trouble, the dollar is weak, energy prices are soaring, housing is in a slump, and food prices are on the rise. But I am optimistic nonetheless, perhaps because this trip has highlighted stories of individuals who overcame much tougher challenges and much longer odds than those we face on the political right.
Wed, Dec 3, 2008
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