On the recordFebruary 7, 2011
I rise to join my colleagues from both sides of the aisle today to mark the 100th birthday of former President Ronald Reagan. It is fitting that this is a bipartisan tribute. After all, Reagan had been a Democrat, then a Republican, in his political career, and he transformed the political landscape for both parties by appealing to a broad cross-section of Americans. Much has been written about President Reagan's life. His story is well-known, and is a classic tale of the American dream--a boy from the Nation's heartland makes good. And Ronald Reagan was a surprising man, a man of paradoxes: An actor affectionately remembered by a generation of Americans for his authenticity, a former union leader who fired striking union members, and the oldest president who was most popular among young Americans, many of whom are in leadership positions today, and some of whom are in this very Chamber. But what I would like to focus on in my time here today is the part of Reagan that is still with us today: his legacy. One of the most frequently cited achievements of Ronald Reagan is ending the Cold War. Behind his eloquence and warmth was a steeliness that sent a clear message to Moscow: You cannot hope to compete with us. We will beat you. And so we did. Thanks to Reagan's steadfastness and the rise of a Soviet leader who recognized America's toughness under Reagan's leadership, the Iron Curtain ultimately clanged into a pile of rubble.
