Ronald Reagan Describes Himself as a "Crier of Doom"– And Claims Not to Aspire To the Presidency

Reagan’s famous optimism would seemed to have to kicked in shortly after he was elected President, for what he saw before that, politically, was mostly doom. In this letter to an old Hollywood friend and fellow traveler, ex-super agent Phil Berg, Reagan describes himself as a “crier of doom” for whom the only bright spot on the horizon is that Lyndon Johnson looks vulnerable in ’68…

…about the invincibility of L.B.J. Frankly, I do not believe this nation can survive a continuation of this aimlessness for another 4 years. I realize this makes me a crier of doom but these are days unlike any we've known and the world faces a time of decision that will determine man's destiny for generations to come.

Whether for good or for bad, Reagan adds, he is now in a position to influence the Republican party’s choice. “I'll do my best in that role,” he declares, “but I aspire to no more than that.”

Aspirations or no, one year later, at the Republican convention in Miami, Reagan declared himself a candidate for the president of the United States.

Autograph Letter Signed (“Ron”), as Governor, 1 page, oblong quarto, no place, no date [August 4, 1967]. To Phil Berg in Bel-Air [Los Angeles], California. Being a draft to be typewritten.