Ronald Reagan’s Racist Conversation With Richard Nixon - The Atlantic 🔗 🇺🇸 🗣 ☎️ 🎙

In newly unearthed audio, the then–California governor disparaged African delegates to the United Nations.

The day after the United Nations voted to recognize the People’s Republic of China, then–California Governor Ronald Reagan phoned President Richard Nixon at the White House and vented his frustration at the delegates who had sided against the United States. ‘Last night, I tell you, to watch that thing on television as I did,’ Reagan said. ‘Yeah,’ Nixon interjected. Reagan forged ahead with his complaint: ‘To see those, those monkeys from those African countries—damn them, they’re still uncomfortable wearing shoes!’ Nixon gave a huge laugh.

Absolutely disgusting but, sadly, not in any way surprising. To hear them on the recording, however, and think of how Reagan is still venerated by the right — as they concurrently deny any and all charges of racism as vindictive hysteria — it makes my blood boil.