The moment that Ronald Reagan gained hero status in the conservative movement.

When the Gipper Became a Conservative Hero

When the Gipper Became a Conservative Hero

Slate
Whistlestop
Bite-sized stories from presidential campaign history.
May 13 2015 5:36 PM

Ford, Reagan, and the Halloween Massacre

Slate's podcast about campaign history revisits the Republican primary election of 1976.

Ronald Reagan
Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan speaks at a rally for Senator Durenberger February 8, 1982.

Photo by Michael Evans/The White House/Getty Images

Listen to Episode 9 of Whistlestop:

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In this episode of Slate's bite-sized podcast about presidential campaign history, chief political correspondent John Dickerson brings us the story of Ronald Reagan’s audacious bid to challenge a sitting president, Gerald Ford, for the GOP presidential nomination in 1976.

Dickerson gives the background of the Gipper’s ascendency to hero status in the conservative movement. The first installment of a two-part series. Recommended for fans of Slate’s Political Gabfest and American political history.

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John Dickerson is a co-anchor of CBS This Morning, co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest, host of the Whistlestop podcast, and author of Whistlestop and On Her Trail.