Rick Perlstein, Before The Storm: Barry Goldwater And The Unmaking Of The American Consensus Quotes

Almost alone among successful politicians, he took slights personally.

A candidate with no experience they would package as a citizen politician, a lifetime hack as an elder statesman.

Violent crimes had increased from 120 per 100, 000 in 1962 180 per 100, 000 by 1964.

For the first time on Planet Earth (in 1964 America), a nation was made up of more college students than farmers. An unheard-of 42% of high school graduates sought higher education.

Rebelling against the status quo was one of the definitions of conservatism.

(President) Lyndon Johnson still snapped between exultation and insecurity.

Goldwater had never even considered a non-Arizonan. Like a man on his deathbed, he wanted to be surrounded only by friends.

A confused and weak man hides his weakness and uncertainty with fiery speeches.

Goldwater hardly ever mentioned a statistic. He hardly ever used it EXAMPLE. He presumed you already knew what he meant. Reagan SHOWED you.

Goldwater's approach to any political problem invariably derived from the evidence of his own eyes.

Ronald Reagan was just as angry. But he made you want to stand right alongside him and shake your fist at the same things he was shaking his fist at.

Chits knew no ideology.

Fifties advertising was a dogmatic art, to the point of pretending to be a science.

The task of defending capitalism was still important to leave to the capitalists.