Carson1975: Difference between revisions

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Nice to be here John. Nice of you to have me here after a little more than two months unemployment.
Nice to be here John. Nice of you to have me here after a little more than two months unemployment.


That's right uh how does it feel to be uh well you're not really unemployed now because i know you're doing a syndicated column and um for many who's been around 120 papers i think in the radio show and on the lecture tour but how does it feel to be, i don't know they use the word, temporarily out of politics or not but we'll get into that later uh how's it feel to be away from Sacramento?
That's right uh how does it feel to be uh well you're not really unemployed now because I know you're doing a syndicated column and um for many who's been around 120 papers I think in the radio show and on the lecture tour but how does it feel to be, I don't know they use the word, temporarily out of politics or not but we'll get into that later uh how's it feel to be away from Sacramento?


well it's
well it's doing what I'm doing I wanted to for a long time. it's very exciting and um there's mixed emotions when you step down there's always things that you had left undone that you'd like to have done but then uh all of a sudden the curtain's pulled and that chapter's over and uh somebody else takes over.
doing what i'm doing i wanted to for a
yeah did you have any major disappointments? what would you like to have done or your biggest disappointment maybe your biggest
long time it's very exciting
highlight in office as you look back on it.
and um there's mixed emotions when you
 
step down there's always things that you
well uh I'll start with the biggest highlight. the first of all was proving that some
had left undone that you'd like to have
things I'd long believed as a citizen
done but then uh
all of a sudden the curtain's pulled and
that chapter's over and uh
somebody else takes over yeah did you
have any major disappointments what
would you
like to have done or 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
things i'd long believed as a citizen
would work that you could introduce
would work that you could introduce
common sense in government and after the
common sense in government and after the
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fast as the
fast as the
increase in population except for the
increase in population except for the
last eight years in california
last eight years in California
we turned over a government that was the
we turned over a government that was the
same size as the one we inherited eight
same size as the one we inherited eight
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the welfare reforms
the welfare reforms
right welfare was increasing here in
right welfare was increasing here in
california 40 000 cases a month
California 40 000 cases a month
and we left with about 400 000 fewer
and we left with about 400 000 fewer
people on welfare than there were four
people on welfare than there were four
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now you asked for what was the greatest
now you asked for what was the greatest
disappointment
disappointment
the people handed it to us when i think
the people handed it to us when I think
they were deceived
they were deceived
but when they voted down the tax
but when they voted down the tax
limitation plan i still say that the
limitation plan I still say that the
answer to our problems in this country
answer to our problems in this country
even at the national level
even at the national level
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they can appropriate for us that's right
they can appropriate for us that's right
for federal policy
for federal policy
when um when you and i were boys back in
when um when you and I were boys back in
the midwest
the midwest
right governments federal state and
right governments federal state and
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you might be right why do you think
you might be right why do you think
people are so they seem to be so
people are so they seem to be so
disheartened now i i know
disheartened now I i know
let's not get into the watergate thing
let's not get into the watergate thing
but that certainly had something to do
but that certainly had something to do
with the
with the
uh the antipathy i think of a lot of
uh the antipathy I think of a lot of
people toward government no we we
people toward government no we we
see these revelations of whether their
see these revelations of whether their
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we're not going to do this anymore and
we're not going to do this anymore and
every day you see more of these things
every day you see more of these things
and i think people withdraw further and
and I think people withdraw further and
further and that's too bad
further and that's too bad
i know and i think part of it is because
i know and I think part of it is because
we're being bludgeoned every day it's
we're being bludgeoned every day it's
news
news
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used to accepting the accusation as
used to accepting the accusation as
proof of guilt
proof of guilt
now i'm on the cia commission so i'm
now I'm on the cia commission so I'm
rather limited i cannot talk
rather limited I cannot talk
at this stage true but i think
at this stage true but I think
one of the sad things is that the
one of the sad things is that the
american people
american people
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they'd throw data out the window and
they'd throw data out the window and
regenerate a few fellows with it
regenerate a few fellows with it
well obviously i agree that that has to
well obviously I agree that that has to
go on internationally to protect your
go on internationally to protect your
national security but
national security but
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that's going a little over the line
that's going a little over the line
isn't it no because
isn't it no because
well again as i say we oh you're with me
well again as I say we oh you're with me
we can't
we can't
we can't give any progress for you you
we can't give any progress for you you
want to speak into this right here and
want to speak into this right here and
tell me privately
tell me privately
all i'd say to the people is wait until
all I'd say to the people is wait until
the report comes in
the report comes in
and i think when a report comes in uh um
and I think when a report comes in uh um
maybe they might be greatly reassured i
maybe they might be greatly reassured i
didn't mean to put you behind the eight
didn't mean to put you behind the eight
ball there i realize of course you're on
ball there I realize of course you're on
that commission and you
that commission and you
couldn't expand on that let's take a
couldn't expand on that let's take a
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we're talking with uh former governor
we're talking with uh former governor
reagan and uh during the break we were
reagan and uh during the break we were
discussing what i mentioned uh
discussing what I mentioned uh
that i thought most people uh were not
that I thought most people uh were not
apathetic i think they're confused
apathetic I think they're confused
basically because you hear intelligent
basically because you hear intelligent
people from
people from
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the thing what how are we going to get
the thing what how are we going to get
out of this
out of this
well johnny i think that one of the
well johnny I think that one of the
things is that people keep looking to
things is that people keep looking to
government for the answer and
government for the answer and
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if the people anybody had in mind
if the people anybody had in mind
particularly
particularly
no i said this while i was in government
no I said this while I was in government
okay our biggest problem is
okay our biggest problem is
that we have built a permanent structure
that we have built a permanent structure
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you can find out the answer to that no
you can find out the answer to that no
we laugh at those things but they do
we laugh at those things but they do
happen i guess
happen I guess
oh listen there you had you had some
oh listen there you had you had some
beauties and there's some others
beauties and there's some others
what would you say if i told you about
what would you say if I told you about
one a study in which
one a study in which
this was called the the demography of
this was called the the demography of
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social security pension or a pension
social security pension or a pension
they're trying to live on a month you know they have to look to
they're trying to live on a month you know they have to look to
somebody i guess yeah they're saying hey
somebody I guess yeah they're saying hey
we can't make it we can't afford to go
we can't make it we can't afford to go
to a doctor
to a doctor
well 62 of the people can't stay home in
well 62 of the people can't stay home in
an election and cure things
an election and cure things
as we did in the last election i just
as we did in the last election I just
read this the week on i heard this week
read this the week on I heard this week
on the radio they dropped 300 000 voters
on the radio they dropped 300 000 voters
from the los angeles rule because they
from the los angeles rule because they
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business interests are something that
business interests are something that
are going to persuade government to do
are going to persuade government to do
things as a matter of fact i don't know
things as a matter of fact I don't know
anyone with less influence today in
anyone with less influence today in
government
government
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you can't have a power plant because it
you can't have a power plant because it
might interfere with
might interfere with
the seagulls now i think i'm an
the seagulls now I think I'm an
environmentalist
environmentalist
and i do not agree with those people way
and I do not agree with those people way
over the edge who paved the whole
over the edge who paved the whole
country over in the name of progress
country over in the name of progress
but also i don't like those on the other
but also I don't like those on the other
extreme that won't let you build a house
extreme that won't let you build a house
unless it looks like a bird's nest
unless it looks like a bird's nest
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to the air or not yeah what do you think
to the air or not yeah what do you think
is going to happen now you've been asked
is going to happen now you've been asked
this question i'm sure you knew that i
this question I'm sure you knew that i
was
was
would might possibly bring it up tonight
would might possibly bring it up tonight
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there's an election coming up you're uh
there's an election coming up you're uh
you're out of politics now but
you're out of politics now but
you're speaking and as i say you're
you're speaking and as I say you're
going around the country
going around the country
you envision a possibility say in 76 if
you envision a possibility say in 76 if
the
the
convention say was deadlocked i'm giving
convention say was deadlocked I'm giving
you all the theories and so forth and
you all the theories and so forth and
the conservatives took over possibly and
the conservatives took over possibly and
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um would you like to uh would you like
um would you like to uh would you like
to go to the white house
to go to the white house
uh you remember that answer i gave you
uh you remember that answer I gave you
about the cia yeah
about the cia yeah
come on i know i hope i'm not gonna buy
come on I know I hope I'm not gonna buy
them
them
now i can understand the cia now but uh
now I can understand the cia now but uh
no i thought that was delicately phrased
no I thought that was delicately phrased
yes
yes
verbose but delicate yeah verbose but
verbose but delicate yeah verbose but
that one i um
that one I um
no i think it's an unanswerable question
no I think it's an unanswerable question
i don't think anyone in view of the
i don't think anyone in view of the
things that are going on the last few
things that are going on the last few
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right with the rest of us uh
right with the rest of us uh
do you think they're doing their job
do you think they're doing their job
well well i agree with some things and
well well I agree with some things and
disagree with others
disagree with others
when they when they give me a when they
when they when they give me a when they
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dollar deficit in the budget and an billion dollar deficit
dollar deficit in the budget and an billion dollar deficit
when budget deficits are what's causing
when budget deficits are what's causing
inflation i don't see that there's any
inflation I don't see that there's any
room
room
to be on either side of that argument i
to be on either side of that argument i
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curing inflation is a balanced budget
curing inflation is a balanced budget
now
now
how do you do that i mean how do you
how do you do that I mean how do you
balance the budget
balance the budget
well balancing the budget is like
well balancing the budget is like
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hellers and the gall breaths and all the
hellers and the gall breaths and all the
so-called economists
so-called economists
and i had i have a degree in economics
and I had I have a degree in economics
so i can say this
so I can say this
i think an economist is someone who has
i think an economist is someone who has
a phi beta kappa key on one end of his
a phi beta kappa key on one end of his
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you uh now you took
you uh now you took
they took a poll of the american people
they took a poll of the american people
the past week and i think or something around 75 percent were
the past week and I think or something around 75 percent were
opposed to more military
opposed to more military
aid to vietnam and cambodia and
aid to vietnam and cambodia and
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that the government might make it and uh
that the government might make it and uh
how do you feel you think that that is a
how do you feel you think that that is a
lost cause in a way i think people can
lost cause in a way I think people can
see humanitarian
see humanitarian
you know for children hospitals etc and
you know for children hospitals etc and
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since it was instituted and we brought
since it was instituted and we brought
our men home
our men home
and i think for the united states to
and I think for the united states to
break its word
break its word
we're in that agreement we pledge
we're in that agreement we pledge
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the domino theory is is still a viable
the domino theory is is still a viable
theory
theory
and yes it is and i i could see the
and yes it is and I i could see the
united states
united states
one day being very very lonely
one day being very very lonely
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and every time it doesn't work they just
and every time it doesn't work they just
impose a more expensive program on top
impose a more expensive program on top
of it i think the american people if
of it I think the american people if
they
they
really look at all the facts uh yes we
really look at all the facts uh yes we
want fiscal responsibility
want fiscal responsibility
but i think we also want a country that
but I think we also want a country that
is strong enough at all times that we
is strong enough at all times that we
can say to any adventurous guys over
can say to any adventurous guys over
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statement that would probably get mixed
statement that would probably get mixed
with your
with your
uh uh reaction i can understand that
uh uh reaction I can understand that
people aren't
people aren't
and it's hard to understand how maybe
and it's hard to understand how maybe
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major
major
type of uh alternate to what we have
type of uh alternate to what we have
well i'd still prefer to see a
well I'd still prefer to see a
revitalization of the two
revitalization of the two
major parties we have because the
major parties we have because the
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party ought to broaden its base the
party ought to broaden its base the
other day that uh
other day that uh
when i switched parties i didn't do it
when I switched parties I didn't do it
because the two parties were alike
because the two parties were alike
i did it because they were different and
i did it because they were different and
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feel the same way and then the other
feel the same way and then the other
fellow
fellow
sneaks in and then i'd it it could
sneaks in and then I'd it it could
happen that the
happen that the
that neither party would would represent
that neither party would would represent
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people would take some action do
people would take some action do
something about it but
something about it but
i'd i'd rather devote our effort to see
i'd I'd rather devote our effort to see
and if we can't
and if we can't
find out what the present two parties
find out what the present two parties
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yourself as maybe as a part of that
yourself as maybe as a part of that
actively
actively
active politically again uh i certainly
active politically again uh I certainly
don't give up do i
don't give up do i
uh yeah you you you sure sure don't i
uh yeah you you you sure sure don't i
wish i could think of a good get offline
wish I could think of a good get offline
i have lauren spivak's old questions you
i have lauren spivak's old questions you
know for that nancy
know for that nancy
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she thought it was great that we're both
she thought it was great that we're both
in town at the same time
in town at the same time
you too i get that thanks for being with
you too I get that thanks for being with
us tonight really
us tonight really
it's a pleasure to see you again
it's a pleasure to see you again
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Revision as of 20:09, 20 March 2026

Ronald Reagan's Interview on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, 3/1/1975

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.

This clip was a portion of a 20+ minute Interview on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, 3/1/1975. Reagan had just recently ended his terms as governor of California (January 6, 1975) and would have just started recording his short-form radio show, as well as writing a newspaper column.


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