Did Ronald Reagan Usher in Hate Politics?

By. A. Govea alberto@holatexas.us

August 24, 2026

My short answer Yes. Pero, how and why did we get there and who were the players that got us there?

As was reading the book Evil Geniuses-The Unmaking of America by Kurt Anderson, really prompted my interest in finding out more. The book focuses a lot on when this country went from the Fair Deal politics to all government is bad and must be stopped.

Ive not finished reading the book, which as most people know is not an easy thing to do for most of us nowadays. Pero, what caused me to put the book down and start doing research on the media as part of the role that Ronald Reagen played in that.

Pero before I get into the role that former president Reagen played into this I want to share some media history. From the 1950s to the 60s a focus of early conservative media focus was on the Cold War and Communism. The stand was of course anti; the coverage back then was mostly in print magazines. The National Review, Human Events, along with early Right-Wing foundations.

In addition, some fire and brimstone radio preachers start sprinkling in partisan messages along with there God message. There was no national show that engaged the masses, you might have a better chance of Right Wing talk at your golf club, of course if you’re White.

Then came the 1970s and things started going in the Right direction. Conservative activists start criticizing media as being liberally biased. Rupert Murdock begins buying newspapers and begins to position himself as a political disrupter.

Rupert got his start in businesses much like the current resident on Pennsylvania Avenue, he inherited his first newspaper from his dad. The newspaper was titled The News and was published in South Australia. Why Australia, because that is where Rupert was from before he came to America to create an Entetriment News Empire in America. More on Rupert later.

Now to Ronald Reagen he was the benefactor of Barry Goldwater, earlier run for the presidency that he supported. For those that don’t know much about the Arizona Senator   among the many things that were bad about Mr. Goldwater is his fierce opposition to the Civil Rights Act and anything connected with that.

At the 1964 Republican National Convention as part of his acceptance speech he was quoted as saying “Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue”

This is the guy that Ronald Regan endorsed and adopted many of his polices although in a more disguised manner. Reagen became the perfect vehicle for the far right to get behind, because he proved to be very likable. And had a way of coming across as the common man when he was showed in blue jeans and working his ranch. Pero underneath that public act (he was a real actor, not top tier but an actor) he was a stanch ultra conservative that was aware of the power of media.

He immediately befriends Rupert Murdock and together with others start mapping out a way to control the airwaves with conservative talk. The first thing they must do is get rid of that pesky Fairness Doctrine which orders balanced viewpoints.

This was accomplished in 1987 that led to an explosion of conservative talk radio. Which led to Rush Limbaugh launching his show nationally in 1988. Rush ties his listeners together, blending politics with entertainment and who or what to hate. He called his listeners Ditto heads, meaning they thought like him. He also told his listeners half jokily or maybe not “Don’t worry about what to think, Ill tell you what to think”

Then Rupert Murdock started buying up television stations thanks to his pal Ronald Reagen that fast tracked his U.S. Citizenship. This was crucial because of the federal law forbidding foreigners from owning T.V. stations. And he did not stop there, Reagen further helped his buddy by waving the federal law that prevented anyone from owning both a TV and newspaper in the same city.

All this was the forerunner for Fox News that was created by Rupert Murdock and Rodger Ailes. Which we will get to next week.