The Gray Area with Sean Illing Today's Republicans were made in the 1990s
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Nov 7, 2022 Nicole Hemmer, a history professor at Vanderbilt University and author of "Partisans," delves into the transformation of the Republican Party in the 1990s. She discusses the significant shifts in conservative ideology from Reagan's tenure to the rise of figures like Pat Buchanan and the impact of talk radio, particularly Rush Limbaugh. Hemmer highlights how Buchanan's campaign and Limbaugh's media innovation reshaped political engagement. The conversation also touches on the party's increasing embrace of extremism and the implications for American democracy.
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Reagan's Rise
- Reagan appealed to a sense of liberal fatigue and harnessed domestic movements against feminism and desegregation.
- He positioned himself as a voice for the people rising up against the liberal order.
Conservative Factions
- Movement conservatives largely liked Reagan.
- However, the New Right, influenced by figures like George Wallace, saw Reagan as too pragmatic and not sufficiently aggressive on social issues.
Buchanan's Influence
- Pat Buchanan's 1992 campaign, though unsuccessful, introduced themes like anti-immigration and cultural warfare.
- His "Buchanan fence" proposal foreshadowed later border wall discussions.
