Carson1975: Difference between revisions

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Carson: My first guest tonight is, uh, rather a phenomenon on a political scene as a citizen politician. Making his first try for public office, he was elected California's 33rd governor in 1966 by a majority of something around over a million votes. And he held that office, as you know, for eight years. And he used to joke that in his earlier profession he used to ride off in a sunset with the words "The End" on his back. But there are those who would say that Ronald Reagan... that 1975 may only be the beginning. Would you all complete the former governor of California, Ronald Reagan.
Carson: My first guest tonight is, uh, rather a phenomenon on a political scene as a citizen politician. Making his first try for public office, he was elected California's 33rd governor in 1966 by a majority of something around over a million votes. And he held that office, as you know, for eight years. And he used to joke that in his earlier profession he used to ride off in a sunset with the words "The End" on his back. But there are those who would say that Ronald Reagan... that 1975 may only be the beginning. Would you all complete the former governor of California, Ronald Reagan.<BR />
 
<BR />
''(Applause)''
''(Applause)''<BR />
 
<BR />
Nice to see you.
Nice to see you.


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Carson: Somebody else takes over. Did you have any major disappointments? What would you like to have done, your biggest disappointment, maybe your biggest highlight in office as you look back on it.
Carson: Somebody else takes over. Did you have any major disappointments? What would you like to have done, your biggest disappointment, maybe your biggest highlight in office as you look back on it.


well uh I'll start with the biggest highlight. the first of all was proving that some
Reagan: Well, uh, I'll start with the biggest highlight. The first of all... was proving that some things I'd long believed as a citizen would work. That you could introduce common sense in government and after the first traumatic shock you kind of made some of it work. We, um, we came into quite a... a mess and at the end of eight years... You know government, in the United States, federal, state and local, has been growing for 20 years, in size, about two and a half times as fast as the increase in population... except for the last eight years in California.<BR />
things I'd long believed as a citizen
We turned over a government that was the same size as the one we inherited eight years ago. There'd been no growth and in some departments this meant an increase of as much as 66 percent in the workload. But, um, part of that was the welfare reforms.
would work that you could introduce
 
common sense in government and after the
Carson: Right.
first traumatic shock
 
you kind of made some of it work we
Reagan: Welfare was increasing here in California 40,000 cases a month and we left with about 400,000 fewer
we came into quite a a mess and at the
people on welfare than there were four years ago. This saved the taxpayers about a billion dollars but what was equally important we were spread so thin we couldn't do what we should have done for, uh, the really needy, the really deserving and we were able to increase their grants by way of those reforms 43 percent.<BR />
end of eight years
Now you asked for what was the greatest disappointment the people handed it to us when, I think they were deceived, but when they voted down the tax limitation plan. I still say that the answer to our problems in this country even at the National level is to have a law that says there is a percentage limit of the people's earnings that government cannot go beyond without the consent of the people.<BR />
you know government in the united states
<BR />
federal state and local has been growing
''(Applause)''<BR />
for 20 years
 
in size about two and a half times as
Carson: you're talking about whether you're talking about the gross income of the country and how much they can appropriate for us that's right for federal policy.
fast as the
 
increase in population except for the
Reagan: when um when you and I were boys back in
last eight years in California
we turned over a government that was the
same size as the one we inherited eight
years ago
there'd been no growth and in some
departments this meant an increase of as
much as 66 percent
in the workload but um part of that was
the welfare reforms
right welfare was increasing here in
California 40 000 cases a month
and we left with about 400 000 fewer
people on welfare than there were four
years ago
this saved the taxpayers about a billion
dollars but what was
equally important we were spread so thin
we couldn't do what we should have done
for uh the really needy they really
deserve and we were able to increase
their grants by way of those reforms percent
now you asked for what was the greatest
disappointment
the people handed it to us when I think
they were deceived
but when they voted down the tax
limitation plan I still say that the
answer to our problems in this country
even at the national level
is to have a law that says there is a
percentage limit
of the people's earnings that government
cannot go beyond without the consent of
the people
you're talking about whether you're
talking about the gross income of the
country and how much
they can appropriate for us that's right
for federal policy
when um when you and I were boys back in
the midwest
the midwest
right governments federal state and
right governments federal state and

Revision as of 01:51, 21 March 2026

Ronald Reagan's Interview on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

On December 24, 2024, Elon Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter) a short video of Ronald Reagan talking to Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show, adding only "Very Wise Words." The 7:43 clip went viral.
(The portions of the full video that are included in the clip will be emphasized in the transcript below.)

This clip was a portion of a 20+ minute Interview on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Reagan had just recently ended his terms as governor of California and would have just started recording his short-form radio show, as well as writing a syndicated newspaper column.

There seems to be some confusion in the Youtube video as to when this occurred. The video from the Reagan Foundation claims it was January 3, 1975, but sources such as Wikipedia, IMDB and the Johnny Carson Youtube channel, indicate the video is from March 13, 1975. This fits the early discussion, in which Reagan jokes about having been "unemployed" for a couple months.

Transcript

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