I think Ronald Reagan is what happened....The age of Reagan brought conservatism into the mainstream....It also brought us the beginning of the new media-talk radio, the internet, cable television. Douglas Brinkley More Quotes by Douglas Brinkley More Quotes From Douglas Brinkley I was only 8 years old on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong, 38-year-old commander of 'Apollo 11,' descended the cramped lunar module Eagle's ladder with hefty backpack and bulky spacesuit to become the first human on the moon. Douglas Brinkley eagle old ladder moon It's very important that we keep these special, wild places. It defines the United States. Imagine our country without our national parks and our monuments. Here in California, imagine if you didn't have in Southern Cal the Channel Islands or the great Highway 1, Big Sur up to Point Reyes up to the Redwood country. Douglas Brinkley great you important country Stubbornness is a positive quality of presidential leadership - if you're right about what you're stubborn about. Douglas Brinkley you quality leadership positive It's Nixon who created the Environmental Protection Agency. Clean Air and Water Acts. Endangered Species Act. Promoted affirmative action. One could go on and on with Nixon as a New Deal liberal on domestic policy and a hawk, but one with great geo-political skills. Douglas Brinkley great environmental action water What I was most curious about was why Armstrong, a top U.S. Navy test pilot, flying the most advanced aircraft in the world, would want to join the astronaut corps in 1962, which included chimpanzees and monkeys. Douglas Brinkley pilot flying want world One thing 'not right' on the 50th anniversary of the Selma marches is the sad fact that the Edmund Pettus Bridge hasn't been renamed the John Lewis Bridge. Douglas Brinkley bridge right sad anniversary To Armstrong, constantly speaking about 'Apollo 11' only diminished the magic. That's why he worked overtime to avoid notice, living a quiet life in Indian Hill, Ohio. Douglas Brinkley hill magic quiet life Ever since Willie Nelson brought rednecks into an alliance with hippies back in the psychedelic '70s, Austin has milked its quirky libertarian spirit for a worldwide bonanza of free publicity. Douglas Brinkley free back psychedelic spirit For years, I longed to hear Armstrong describe what it was like to contemplate Earth from 238,900 miles away. Former Space Center director George Abbey once told me that many NASA astronauts felt that looking at Earth was akin to a religious experience. Douglas Brinkley looking me experience space If D-Day - the greatest amphibious operation ever undertaken - failed, there would be no going back to the drawing board for the Allies. Regrouping and attempting another massive invasion of German-occupied France even a few months later in 1944 wasn't an option. Douglas Brinkley greatest going back drawing In Austin, the eco-capital of Texas, residents tend to favor native plants and wildflowers to the sculpted lawns of the Palm Springs variety. Douglas Brinkley palm plants favor texas The world of high-stakes international diplomacy can be rough and tumble, but it's more often than not a procession of suits and summits, protocol sessions and photo ops. Douglas Brinkley more diplomacy suits world I'm not a partisan. Douglas Brinkley partisan Havel oozed democracy and had seen totalitarianism up close, nobody thought Havel, a playwright, could end up being a great world leader, and he did. Douglas Brinkley Entertainers have an edge, because they're able to communicate with people in a time of crisis. That's what you need most. Douglas Brinkley He's not a naturally gifted salesman, in order to be a transformational president, he first has to be a restorational one. Douglas Brinkley Biden has the opportunity to be a restorational president. Douglas Brinkley It has been a long political year, and there is fatigue out there, the relief of having a new president will alleviate a lot of anxiety. Douglas Brinkley The smell of violence was in the air. Douglas Brinkley Trump built a coalition out of white supremacists, conspiracy theorists and bigots. Douglas Brinkley