Why Ronald Reagan Wanted to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (Max Boot)

About this episode:

Michael Shermer interviews historian and foreign policy analyst Max Boot about his new biography of Ronald Reagan. They discuss Reagan's early life, his political evolution from a liberal to a conservative, his presidency, and the impact of his policies on modern conservatism. Boot provides insights into Reagan's views on social issues, nuclear weapons, and his relationships with key figures like Gorbachev. The discussion also touches on the current state of the Republican Party and the challenges it faces today.

Max Boot is a historian and foreign-policy analyst and a senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. His New York Times bestseller, The Road Not Taken: Edward Lansdale and the American Tragedy in Vietnam, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Biography. His new book is Reagan: His Life and Legend.