The Reagan Library Significance
Reagan Library Discussion
Last week I went to the Reagan Library to visit the time of Ronald Reagan’s presidency. It was a really amazing place to see with all sorts of cool exhibits and showcase rooms to see as well. It was an incredible experience to see sow many exhibits showing what he did during his administration. Today I plan on talking about some of the exhibits there and what there significance was to me. There were so many that choosing which ones I’d be discussing was really quite troublesome but totally worth it. I’ll also give my own personal opinions on the subject. This was one of the greatest presidencies of all time for me and hopefully it will be for you as well.
First, I want to discuss about the vehicles that Reagan used during his time to get from place to place. The model car used during his administration was a 1972 Lincoln Continental that was reinforced with bullet proof glass on all the windows. Some areas of the car were bulletproof as well in order to secure the president’s safety at all times. It was considered one of the most fashionable models at the time and usually well guarded as well. A surprising fact about this particular model was that it wasn’t used by just Reagan in that the model had been continually used since Lyndon B. Johnson’s as a sort of tradition. Though it did end with Reagan’s presidency it was also involved with both his and Ford’s assassination attempts which would seem to suggest why they discontinued that tradition. To this day it still sits proudly in the museum’s exhibit next to Air Force One.
Secondly, is the most famously known object that everyone knows about the president of the United States… Air Force One. It’s the most common thing about presidents since planes were first invented. Air Force One is a private jet or plane exclusively for the president to anywhere in the country. Whether it’s to reach important meetings like the State of the Union Address to Congress or simply taking it for a much needed vacation when they have the time. Reagan’s plane is a lot smaller compared to the ones flown today like Barack Obama’s with much more confined space. A fun about this plane is that Ronald loved eating chocolate cake and would always want to eat it but his wife wouldn’t let him. So he came up with a plan to always have a chocolate cake onboard in case it was someone’s birthday. That way he could eat the cake and his wife didn’t realize that fact. Air Force One has always been a symbol for the President and will do so for years to come, you can see it for yourself at the library in the wing made especially to house it along with a few other pieces.
Third, is the suit that Ronald Reagan was shot in on his assassination attempt decades ago. The attempt happened on March 30, 1981 while leaving the Washington Hilton Hotel in D.C. He was shot twice one in the chest and the other in the arm and besides him three other people were injured in the shooting. The perpetrator, John Hinckley Jr. was found not guilty by reason of insanity. One interesting fact about this incident was him motive for doing this and according to him he tried to gain favor Jodie Foster, an actress/producer during this time was still fairly young. Reagan’s suit is currently on display at the library also with the live footage from news crews as the shooting took place.
Another important exhibit is the replica of the Oval Office during Reagan’s presidency. The room is exactly alike in both height and length making it the closest replica of the oval office ever made to scale before. It included many other things such as a mid century tower clock and his official desk is set there. One rarely gets to see the oval office from photos or videos but this is a one of a kind exhibit to feature the entire Oval Office of a given President. One fact about this is the desk which every president calls the Resolute desk is that it was sent by Queen Victoria to President Hayes as a gift and was fashioned by remains of the British Artic Exploration ship Resolute. The Oval Office is a symbol of the President’s power and will be for many years to come from those who came before them.
The last of them is also related to Air Force One in a way but just a bit different and that is Marine One. Marine One is a helicopter that is used to transport the President of the United States the same way Air Force One does only over a much shorter distance. It usually landed in the White House South Lawn since ample room was available and is the only authorized aircraft to fly in a no-fly zone. An interesting fact about Marine One is that it isn’t only a helicopter but a call sign as well for the Marine Corps. Sometimes the Army took turns escorting the President and when they did they called it Army One. The helicopter that flew Reagan sits proudly next Air Force One in the same exhibit to show off it’s time during the Reagan Administration.
The one to me that was the most fascinating is definitely the suit during his assassination attempt because it evokes feelings of realization. Before this I always thought the President of the United States couldn’t be killed but this proved me wrong because it has happened before and may happen again when we least expect it. This is a testament o that truth and helped me understand that not everything is at we seems with the people near the President. This represents one of the well presented facts of Reagan’s legacy because it shows that everything is possible when it seems implausible. This a truly accurate representation in Reagan’s history though not the best one in most people’s eyes and that most wish that this never happened.
