Barry Goldwater, Presidential Contender

Overview

Rick Perlstein, Bill McCune, and Darcy Olsen talked about the life and career of 1964 Republican presidential nominee Barry M. Goldwater (1909-1998). They responded to telephone calls and electronic communications and to questions from members of the studio audience at the Goldwater Institute. The senator from Arizona, who was called “Mr. Conservative,” lost in a landslide to President Lyndon B. Johnson, but paved the way for younger conservatives. After the election he resumed his senate career. Topics included Senator Goldwater’s libertarian philosophy. Video clips were shown of interviews, news conferences, and speeches. Also shown were campaign ads, including the “Daisy Ad,” and a clip from Ronald Reagan’s 1964 “A Time for Choosing” speech.