GoldwaterGoldwater 5050 yearsyears laterlater RemembrancesRemembrances byby Lee Edwards Richard ViguerieViguerie Barry Goldwater Jr. Matt SchlappSchlapp AlfredAlfred RegneryRegnery LyushunLyushun ShenShen DavidDavid KeeneKeene Michael R. LongLong A Special Report Prepared By The Washington Times Advocacy Department The father of American conservatism By Barry Goldwater Jr. line while conservatives think we should be equal at the starting line. That is the war, the classic struggle, half-century ago, Sen. going on in Congress and in America Barry Goldwater strode as we gather tonight. to the podium of the Re- I might also note that his belief that publican National Con- America and the free world will re- vention in San Francisco main free only with a strong commit- to accept his party’s ment to national defense. Clearly, with presidential nomination. the record of the current president, He declared, “Extremism in the we need a change in defense policy as defense of liberty is no vise.” Let me well. remindA you further: “Moderation in The conservative movement has the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” been on a tortuous trail. It suff ered My dad set the stage for the resur- defeat many times but came roaring rection of a passionate belief in liberty back. With the overall huge victory and redefi ned the Republican brand. in 2010 and 2014, I believe we are on It is interesting these same words the right path because we stuck to the could be used to describe another message. eff ort to ensure the civil rights of all Now we look ahead to the 2016 Americans regardless of race. Unfor- presidential election. With 70 percent tunately, those words were distorted of the state legislatures in Republican by the media and his critics. hands and 36 Republican governors In his book “Conscience of a Con- and control of the Senate and House, servative,” published in 1960, Goldwa- conservatives have an incredible re- ter noted: sponsibility to provide the leadership “The root diff erence between the so lacking at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Conservatives and the Liberals of In considering the challenges fac- today is that Conservatives take into ing the new Republican majority in account of the whole man, while Lib- Congress, it is important to review erals tend to look only at the material my father’s observation that conserva- side of man’s nature. The Conserva- tives must present positive answers to tive believes that man is in part, an national problems, not just condemn economic, an animal creature; but the answers provided by the left. He he is also a spiritual creature with ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOGRAPHS observed: “Our failure is the failure of spiritual needs and spiritual desires. Sen. Barry Goldwater rallied a new conservative generation during his presidential cam- Conservative demonstration. Though … Conservatism therefore looks upon paign in 1964. Although he lost that contest, his landmark philosophies of conservatism we Conservatives are deeply per- the enhancement of man’s spiritual still echo a half-century later. As Goldwater’s son, Barry Goldwater Jr., reminds us, conser- suaded that our society is ailing and nature as the primary concern of vatives must present positive answers to national problems, not just condemn them. know that Conservatism holds the political philosophy. Liberals, on the key to national salvation … we seem other hand, — in the name of concern unable to demonstrate the practical for “human beings” — regard the relevance of Conservation principles satisfaction of economic wants as the to the needs of the day.” dominant mission of society.” We have come together tonight to It is interesting that my father’s celebrate a powerful idea: liberty. We good friend Jack Kennedy echoed my came tonight to recognize a move- dad in his own speeches. While my ment: conservatism rooted in prin- dad lost the 1964 presidential race, he ciples. We came together tonight as launched a movement that has domi- brothers and sisters to remember a nated and infl uenced the body politic man who had such a powerful infl u- and government for the past 40 years. ence on the two-party system and us. I can still hear my dad explain his With fond memories of battles we philosophy “Let me remind you a fought, friends we made and a phi- conservative is one who fi ghts to ex- losophy we love, we salute our leader, pand individual liberty and resist the Sen. Barry Goldwater. accumulation of power by those who Goldwater changed America for claim they know best.” the better. He gave America a choice, THE WASHINGTON TIMES WASHINGTON THE | It was Madison versus Jeff erson as not an echo. In our hearts, we know to the balance of power. Who should he was right. Goldwater was a man control? Who should dominate? of principle, integrity and honesty. It is a struggle that has dominated His ideas, his courage and his candor the history of our country. John May- helped shape our national character, nard Keynes versus Milton Friedman, and I hope that his work will continue The New York Times versus The to be lived through the lives and dedi- Wall Street Journal, the right versus cations of the generations to come. the left, conservative versus liberal, ⦁ Barry Goldwater Jr. served in the MSNBC versus Fox, Republican ver- U.S. House of Representatives as a sus Democrat. As fi rst lady, Nancy Reagan congratulated Sen. Barry Goldwater and West Point football member representing California from TUESDAY • NOVEMBER 18 • 2014 2014 • 18 NOVEMBER • TUESDAY The diff erence between a liberal coach Earl H. “Red” Blaik aft er they received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the 1969 to 1983, and currently serves as and a conservative is that the liberal White House on May 12, 1986. Goldwater inspired Ronald Reagan, a New Deal Demo- chairman and president of The Gold- 2 think we should be equal at the fi nish crat, to become a conservative Republican who would go on to become president. water Taplin Group. In the beginning there was Goldwater. It’s as simple as that. battle with the liberals and Demo- National Republican Senatorial stage, they welcomed him in a The ensuing campaign was crats who dominated everything. Committee, authored a book that way that told the world he was one of the most vicious and nega- The growing conservative move- students and others devoured and their man. Richard Viguerie, who tive in history, and that is say- ment had Bill Buckley, of course, became an instant hero to conser- was there and helped organize the ing something today. Goldwater but was largely composed of writ- vatives young and old. rally, remembers it as the moment was pictured as a foaming-at- ers, intellectuals and students. In 1960, a reluctant Goldwater when the political conservative the-mouth madman who would There were a few old Taft con- was nominated for vice presi- movement really began. destroy the world, who had secret servatives around as well, but dent at the Republican National Goldwater himself had always ties to German neo-Nazis, would the new conservative movement Convention and in withdrawing been reluctant about running for end Social Security and plunge linking believers in free-market gave a speech that ignited his fol- president, but was a close friend America into depression. He lost, economics with Cold Warriors lowers and led almost directly to of the incumbent Democrat, John of course, by a huge margin. And and those who are today called his nomination four years later. F. Kennedy, and the two had dis- the establishment thought the social conservatives was in its in- He stood before the assembled cussed and looked forward to conservative movement he led fancy and could count few elected delegates who had just nominated a campaign unlike any other in had been destroyed once and BY DAVID KEENE offi cials within its ranks. Richard M. Nixon and challenged modern American history. They for all. THE WASHINGTON TIMES Goldwater was something his fellow conservatives. “Let’s even talked about touring the Things would return to nor- else. He said what he thought and grow up conservatives,” he said, country together on the same mal with Democrats and “re- n a very real sense, the mod- had the courage to stand up for “If we want to take this party back plane and engaging in a series spectable” Republicans diff ering ern conservative political his beliefs. He had been elected — and I think we can someday — of Lincoln-Douglas style debates on the margins, but agreeing on movement began with Barry by upsetting the Senate’s majority let’s get to work.” that would give voters a chance major issues. The intellectual elite Goldwater. Had it not been leader and could often be found They did just that, building to choose between Kennedy’s lib- that had so hated Goldwater and Ifor the Arizona senator it might standing and voting alone on the the political infrastructure that eralism and Goldwater’s conser- his advisers (like the eccentric have taken years or even decades Senate floor regardless of the would vanquish those who had vatism. It would have been quite Milton Friedman) who they felt for conservative ideas to break odds or orders from his party’s dominated the party for most of a campaign, but it was not to be. gave the senator crazy economic into the political mainstream, leaders. He seemed to embody their lives and hand their hero Kennedy’s death put Lyndon B. advice would vanish and the Ronald Reagan would be remem- Buckley’s defi nition of the conser- the nomination. The sign that Johnson in the White House and world would go on as it had.