Reagan's legacy discussed

A journalist, an ambassador and an academic discussed former president Ronald Reagan's accomplishments during the Cold War in a panel Wednesday afternoon.

The panel, titled "Ronald Reagan in Perspective," consisted of two people who have written about Reagan: Lou Cannon of the Washington Post, who has written numerous books on Reagan, and Jack Matlock, the former ambassador to the Soviet Union under Reagan's office, who most recently wrote "Reagan and Gorbachev: How the Cold War Ended."

The third member of the panel was University politics professor emeritus Fred Greenstein, who introduced Matlock and Cannon and moderated the question and answer session.

Cannon and Matlock delivered speeches praising Reagan and his diplomatic successes in the Soviet Union. "I believe that Reagan's accomplishments in the Soviet Union were the transcendent ones," Cannon said.

The two speakers also refuted the public opinion of Reagan's lack of intelligence. Both men asserted that Reagan was a man who was passionate about his interests.

"He knew where he wanted to go and he got there," Cannon said.

Matlock acknowledged the tendency of Reagan's "eyes to glass over" during political briefings, but he said in his defense that it was not for a lack of intelligence but rather just a product of the specificity of Reagan's interests.

The panel was graced with a touch of humor through a recounting of the infamous meeting in which Reagan fell asleep in the Vatican in the presence of the Pope.

Support nonprofit student journalism. Donate to the ‘Prince’. Donate now »

"It was a very warm room," Matlock said. "People couldn't help but fall asleep."

When an audience member noted that the Cold War ended during President George H.W. Bush's presidency, the panelists responded that it was Reagan's administration that laid the groundwork for this accomplishment.

"Let me say that in my opinion ... Reagan and Gorbachev jointly ended the Cold War philosophically," Matlock said.