--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe the most interesting find in my…" description: "\"Maybe the most interesting find in my research is that it is clear that Ronald Reagan, among all modern presidents, plainly rediscovered the founders.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/paul-kengor-14302_clear_maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-re_103288.jpg" --- # Maybe the most interesting find in my research is that it… ![“Maybe the most interesting find in my research is that it is clear that Ronald Reagan, among all modern presidents, plainly rediscovered the founders.” quote by Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/paul-kengor-14302_clear_maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-re_103288.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/paul-kengor-14302_clear_maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-re_103288.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/paul-kengor-14302_clear_maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-re_103288.jpg) > “Maybe the most interesting find in my research is that it is clear that Ronald Reagan, among all modern presidents, plainly rediscovered the founders.” [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author claims Reagan uniquely revived the founding principles of the United States more than any other modern president. **In simple terms:** Reagan is seen as the most faithful to the founders. Key Takeaway Reagan’s policies echo original American ideals. Themes political history American founding presidential legacy Mood analytical critical Type political commentary historical observation When to use this quote - academic debates on presidential impact - policy analysis courses Key Concepts interpretation of constitutional intent modern vs. originalist governance Practical Applications - use in political science curricula - reference in comparative leadership studies Questions to Reflect On - What criteria define “rediscovering” founders? - How do we measure fidelity to original principles? A Different Perspective Other scholars argue many presidents have drawn on founding ideas; Reagan’s claim may be overstated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Entrepreneurship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurship/) [Founders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founders/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) ## Related quotes > [Ronald Reagan is the first modern President whose contempt for the facts is treated as a charming idiosyncrasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-david-barber/ronald-reagan-is-the-first-modern-president-whose-contempt-for-the/) James David Barber > [ \[Ronald Reagan\] called the image of \[George\] Washington praying on his knees in Valley Forge "the most sublime image in American history." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/ronald-reagan-called-the-image-of-george-washington-praying-on-his/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ Speaking of \[Ronald\] Reagan on the faith of the founders, he was particularly fond of George Washington, who he cited nearly 200 times, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/speaking-of-ronald-reagan-on-the-faith-of-the-founders-he-was/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ There's the unique case of Ronald Reagan, who cited \[founders\] some 850 times, and in a way that was absolutely fundamental to understanding Reagan's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/there-s-the-unique-case-of-ronald-reagan-who-cited-founders-some-850/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ Ronald Reagan \[ cite the founders\] on behalf of emphasizing the faith of our founders, of limited government, of the uniqueness and exceptionalism of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/ronald-reagan-cite-the-founders-on-behalf-of-emphasizing-the-faith-of/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ I was a child or didn't live through those presidents prior to \[Ronald\] Reagan, and thus didn't realize how little attention they had paid… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/i-was-a-child-or-didn-t-live-through-those-presidents-prior-to-ronald/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“I have just finished "All the Colors of Darkness" 090209”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-robinson/i-have-just-finished-all-the-colors-of-darkness-090209/) [Peter Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-robinson/) > [I think subjectivity plays into everything. It's unavoidable; you couldn't avoid it if you tried. I think, potentially, a lot more commercial movies, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-cole/i-think-subjectivity-plays-into-everything-it-s-unavoidable-you/) [Lily Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-cole/) > [It's the cable shows that are really the most interesting - 'Mad Men,' 'Breaking Bad,' those shows are really the premiere shows on television…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-mcdermott/it-s-the-cable-shows-that-are-really-the-most-interesting-mad-men/) [Dylan McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-mcdermott/) > [The most interesting character to me is someone who is stuck in the no man's land between Belief and Unbelief, Faith and Faithlessness. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dooling/the-most-interesting-character-to-me-is-someone-who-is-stuck-in-the/) [Richard Dooling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dooling/) > [I am the most interesting book of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-bashkirtseff/i-am-the-most-interesting-book-of-all/) [Marie Bashkirtseff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-bashkirtseff/) > [One of the most interesting things for me in playing another species is that you want to make them different enough to be alien…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-murray/one-of-the-most-interesting-things-for-me-in-playing-another-species/) [Jaime Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-murray/) > [Too many things are possible in a dream. It's most interesting when you don't know which space you're in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiro-murai/too-many-things-are-possible-in-a-dream-it-s-most-interesting-when/) [Hiro Murai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiro-murai/) > [I didn't read about it for school. It was just for myself. I was interested in cults in general but Jonestown was the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danzy-senna/i-didn-t-read-about-it-for-school-it-was-just-for-myself-i-was/) [Danzy Senna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danzy-senna/) > [The karma that is most interesting is the mental karma because ultimately it generates physical action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-karma-that-is-most-interesting-is-the-mental-karma-because/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## More by Paul Kengor > [The American founding is not just about a group of people, a group of men. It is about an ideal: Both a vision and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/the-american-founding-is-not-just-about-a-group-of-people-a-group-of/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“Only when people are free to worship, create, and build, only when they can decide their destiny and benefit from their own risks—only then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/only-when-people-are-free-to-worship-create-and-build-only-when-they/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [As has been reported, and is unmistakably evident to all but the most naïve, federal employees have been ordered to exploit this crisis, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/as-has-been-reported-and-is-unmistakably-evident-to-all-but-the-most/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ It is quite sad, to me, that that ideal, that vision and understanding \[of American founding \], doesn't seem to be a part of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/it-is-quite-sad-to-me-that-that-ideal-that-vision-and-understanding/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ The presidents varied in the degree to which they cited the founders. Some, like JFK, LBJ, \[Richard\] Nixon, and \[Bill\] Clinton, cited them somewhat… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/the-presidents-varied-in-the-degree-to-which-they-cited-the-founders/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ I was a child or didn't live through those presidents prior to \[Ronald\] Reagan, and thus didn't realize how little attention they had paid… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/i-was-a-child-or-didn-t-live-through-those-presidents-prior-to-ronald/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [In the middle of Hillary Clinton's push for national healthcare in 1993, Bill Clinton cited Thomas Jefferson's concern for health issues as, somehow, apparently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/in-the-middle-of-hillary-clinton-s-push-for-national-healthcare-in/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ If our presidents, or potential presidents, don't know this or don't articulate \[an America ideal\], that's a blown opportunity. The president can teach as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/if-our-presidents-or-potential-presidents-don-t-know-this-or-don-t/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“Only in the detached from reality world of goofy Hollywood and modern academia could a mass murderer like Che Guevara be turned into something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/only-in-the-detached-from-reality-world-of-goofy-hollywood-and-modern/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [Throughout American history our presidents have invoked our nation's founding fathers. This is particularly true of recent presidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/throughout-american-history-our-presidents-have-invoked-our-nation-s/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ Which founders have these presidents cited - and why? What did, say, President \[Ronald\] Reagan's view of George Washington, or President \[Bill\] Clinton's view… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/which-founders-have-these-presidents-cited-and-why-what-did-say/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [Learning is a good thing, but unless it's tempered by faith and a love of freedom, it can be very dangerous indeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/learning-is-a-good-thing-but-unless-it-s-tempered-by-faith-and-a-love/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [“Ultimately, Reagan presided over the largest tax cut in American history, and accomplished it working in tandem with (rather than against) a huge Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/ultimately-reagan-presided-over-the-largest-tax-cut-in-american/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [ Ronald Reagan \[ cite the founders\] on behalf of emphasizing the faith of our founders, of limited government, of the uniqueness and exceptionalism of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/ronald-reagan-cite-the-founders-on-behalf-of-emphasizing-the-faith-of/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) > [In part, it's almost surely a failure of modern education, whether K through 12 or higher education, or really both. Barack Obama went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/in-part-it-s-almost-surely-a-failure-of-modern-education-whether-k/) [Paul Kengor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) [Explore all 47 Paul Kengor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/) ## More Clear quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I try to listen to all music with an open head, a clear head, try not to say just because I don't know it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/i-try-to-listen-to-all-music-with-an-open-head-a-clear-head-try-not/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [God's Word does provide life lessons to teach us how to live. And it gives us beautiful poetry that gives voice to our human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rothschild/god-s-word-does-provide-life-lessons-to-teach-us-how-to-live-and-it/) [Jennifer Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rothschild/) > [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [I've always made it clear that I do not believe that global government is either necessary or feasible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-always-made-it-clear-that-i-do-not-believe-that-global/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [The moment it begins to question itself, the mind becomes so clear that it starts working with itself rather than with the body's identification.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/the-moment-it-begins-to-question-itself-the-mind-becomes-so-clear/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Alec Wilkinson is a spare, clear, and lucid writer who works in stylistic simplicity with material that is not simple at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/alec-wilkinson-is-a-spare-clear-and-lucid-writer-who-works-in/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) Browse all 7,410 Clear quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Maybe the most interesting find in my research is that it is clear that Ronald Reagan, among all modern presidents, plainly rediscovered the founders.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Kengor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-research-is-that-it-is-clear/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clear" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-research-is-that-it-is-clear/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/paul-kengor-14302_clear_maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-re_103288.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/paul-kengor-14302_clear_maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-re_103288.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7a/paul-kengor-14302_clear_maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-re_103288.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Maybe the most interesting find in my research is that it is clear that Ronald Reagan, among all modern…” — Paul Kengor", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Kengor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kengor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Maybe the most interesting find in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-research-is-that-it-is-clear/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kengor/maybe-the-most-interesting-find-in-my-research-is-that-it-is-clear/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```