Recently, I was talking with a relative about popular movies and TV shows that debuted at the years of our birth. It got me to thinking about the general backdrop images and public figures from early childhood, and how they affected me. This includes the presidency of the time.
A little music to set the mood:
I was born during Ronald Reagan’s first term. If you’re curious, E.T. the Extraterrestrial, Family Ties and Thriller all made their debut the same year. Ronald Reagan was, of course, the 40th President of the United States. Although I was too young to be seriously following politics, I do remember Regan as a semi-regular presence on my TV screen. He seemed like a nice enough old guy to me (being oblivious to his routine squeezing of the middle class), though I would quickly get bored if he talked for too long. I don’t recall anyone around me having an opinion of him either way, though I’m sure he was a topic of intense debate when we kids weren’t around to distract the adults from having their "grown-folk conversations."
My clearest memory of Reagan was his addressing the nation after the Challenger tragedy in 1986.
* * "Just Say No" was also a motto I learned during that time. * *
My first politically-charged memory was actually the 1988 presidential election. All I cared about was seeing Michael Dukakis win, because that’s who my parents, both big-D Democrats, wanted to win. When he lost, I was devastated. I can still remember staring at the small, black and white TV in my bedroom, in disbelief, while George H.W. Bush made his victory speech.
Ironically, I wouldn’t be old enough to vote until the 2000 election... * * By the time I was nine years old, I made sure to have at least a cursory knowledge of world events and politics. I watched the news and asked adults about what they thought. I didn't follow politics day to day, but I did know the names of all my state and local leaders. Pelosi, Boxer and (Barbara) Lee were all familiar names in my household growing up throughout the 90's.
I was taught at an early age to "vote for the Democrat", and while this is a generalization that does not take into account the policies of each individual candidate, I can't say that a Republican's policies have ever, in my lifetime, been more positively effective for me, my family, or my community than a Democrat's. I'm not an ideologue; in fact, I don't think that I've ever referred to myself as a "Democrat," even though I've always voted Democratic, and will continue to do so. To be honest, the 2008 election was the first time that I felt that I was voting for something/someone rather than simply voting against something/someone else. Despite the terrible shape of American political discourse, I am still hopeful that it can and will change for the better. The Dems will have to continue to earn my vote, but I've also come to believe that we as citizens need to take a much more active role in the shaping of our own destinies, politically, socially, and personally. * *
So here’s a simple survey for a Sunday afternoon:
Who was the President of the US in the year you were born?
How did the presence (or policies) of the president shape your early childhood, if at all?
What, if anything, do you remember most about this President?
Did your earliest exposure to presidential politics affect your future political views? * * *
UPDATE: Poll added. Thanks for all the great replies. It's interesting to read the perspective of the different generations of kids. BTW, I was just reminded of one of the reasons I became a Bill Clinton supporter early on: I'm still not sure how or why I was allowed to watch Arsenio every night. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that my mom worked a swing shift back then. As long as the lights were out by the time she got home, there were no problems. ;) Update II: WHOOPS! I left some names off the poll. No Ford, Carter or Reagan! Not sure how that happened. And it looks like I can't edit the poll.