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Phil Tinline journeys back to 1984 to find out what the re-election of Ronald Reagan, an entertainer turned President, can tell us about a second Trump term in the White House.

Reagan cruised to victory 40 years ago with his now famous 'Morning in America' campaign, defined by its sunny optimism. Author and broadcaster Phil Tinline tells the story of that campaign and considers why it was successful. He compares the hopeful tone of 1984 to 2024 US Presidential election and the success of Donald Trump, asking whether brightness has been replaced by a darker tone.

The two Presidents are both former screen stars in their 70s, who gained the nomination by criticising the establishment and offering to be a fresh voice for change. Phil looks at the similarities, and also the differences, between the two Administrations, the leadership styles of the two, and their policy approaches.

Phil was in his early teens in the 1980s, watching the bizarre world of American Politics from the TV screen. He speaks to his daughter Polly who is now growing up with Washington dramas on social media, comparing their two experiences.

Featuring archive from the campaign trail and the defining moments around 1984, Phil considers the legacy of that victory today, comparing the two Presidents. He speaks to Washington insiders from the Trump and Reagan campaigns and also of Walter Mondale, Reagan's opponent.

Contributors:

KT MacFarland, former Deputy National Security Advisor to Donald Trump and speechwriter for the Reagan Administration
Jeffrey Lord, political commentator and former Reagan Administration staff member.
William Galston, Fellow of the Brookings Institution, Wall St Journal Columnist and Democratic Advisor
Max Boot, historian and author of 'Reagan: His Life and Legend'
Sarah Vogel, author of 'The Farmers Lawyer'
And Polly Tinline

Thanks to J Hoberman, author of 'Make My Day: Movie Culture in the Age of Reagan', part of Found Illusions, a trilogy of books on Cold War Hollywood.

Archive credits:

The Reagan Library
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute
CBS News
NBC News
The Miller Center
The New York Historical
KNBC News
Analog Zero
Kansas Politics
Heathsory

Presenter: Phil Tinline
Producer: Sam Peach

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