--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we can borrow from Ronald Reagan…" description: "\"What we can borrow from Ronald Reagan... is that great sense of optimism. He led by building on the strengths of America, not running America down.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/rudy-giuliani-958_america_what-we-can-borrow-from-ronald-reagan-is_479963.jpg" --- # What we can borrow from Ronald Reagan... is that great… ![“What we can borrow from Ronald Reagan... is that great sense of optimism. He led by building on the strengths of America, not running America down.” quote by Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/rudy-giuliani-958_america_what-we-can-borrow-from-ronald-reagan-is_479963.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/rudy-giuliani-958_america_what-we-can-borrow-from-ronald-reagan-is_479963.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c93/rudy-giuliani-958_america_what-we-can-borrow-from-ronald-reagan-is_479963.jpg) > “What we can borrow from Ronald Reagan... is that great sense of optimism. He led by building on the strengths of America, not running America down.” [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism fuels leadership; building on strengths strengthens a nation. **In simple terms:** Optimism drives progress. Key Takeaway Cultivate hope, leverage strengths. Themes optimism leadership strengths Mood hopeful critical Type inspirational analytical When to use this quote - campaigns - policy making - community building - crisis response Key Concepts politics psychology national identity Questions to Reflect On - How can optimism be balanced with realism? - What strengths can be amplified today? A Different Perspective Over-optimism may overlook real challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) ## Related quotes > [Whether history will view Ronald Reagan as a great president depends, more than anything else, on one question: how much credit does he deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beschloss/whether-history-will-view-ronald-reagan-as-a-great-president-depends/) [Michael Beschloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beschloss/) > [Ronald Reagan was one of our great foreign policy Presidents. He did not come from the Senate. He did not come from the foreign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/ronald-reagan-was-one-of-our-great-foreign-policy-presidents-he-did/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [I think Ronald Reagan was one of the great presidents, period, not just recently. I thought he had the demeanor. I thought he had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-think-ronald-reagan-was-one-of-the-great-presidents-period-not-just/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Ronald Reagan was a great role model for Respublicans party, and I think for most people. But he was a fellow that the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/ronald-reagan-was-a-great-role-model-for-respublicans-party-and-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I was an assistant U.S. attorney. I was the associate attorney general of the United States, third-ranking official under Ronald Reagan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-was-an-assistant-u-s-attorney-i-was-the-associate-attorney-general/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [ I see a comparison between the two \[Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump\]. Peace through strength. What Chris Matthews don't grasp is that day Donald… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-see-a-comparison-between-the-two-ronald-reagan-and-donald-trump/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [I'm looking for a president that'll be like a Ronald Reagan to a Jimmy Carter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-m-looking-for-a-president-that-ll-be-like-a-ronald-reagan-to-a/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [Half a century ago, Ronald Reagan, the man whose relentless optimism inspired me to enter politics, famously said that he didn't leave the Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-crist/half-a-century-ago-ronald-reagan-the-man-whose-relentless-optimism/) [Charlie Crist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-crist/) > [Ronald Reagan had a kind of shallow movie-star charisma - a combination of makeup and the skill of a good actor - but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/ronald-reagan-had-a-kind-of-shallow-movie-star-charisma-a-combination/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [The legacy of Ronald Reagan will live on forever. I, of course, had the wonderful opportunity of working with him and getting to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brady/the-legacy-of-ronald-reagan-will-live-on-forever-i-of-course-had-the/) [Sarah Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brady/) > [ \[Ronald\] Reagan seems to be a man of some basic convictions and on the other hand willing to let others do the ground homework,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-schmidt/ronald-reagan-seems-to-be-a-man-of-some-basic-convictions-and-on-the/) [Helmut Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-schmidt/) > [Dwight Eisenhower presented a face of America that was heroic and resolute; Ronald Reagan represented a return to confidence and glamour after the weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-reid/dwight-eisenhower-presented-a-face-of-america-that-was-heroic-and/) [Joy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-reid/) > [ Everything \[Ronald Reagan\] got, the tax cuts, he had Democrats outnumbering him in the House and Senate everywhere. There were certain realities that he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/everything-ronald-reagan-got-the-tax-cuts-he-had-democrats/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Ronald Reagan just signed the new tax law. But I think he was in Hollywood too long. He signed it, 'Best wishes, Ronald Reagan.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/ronald-reagan-just-signed-the-new-tax-law-but-i-think-he-was-in/) [Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/) > [Ronald Reagan's biographer wrote of the former president's final days: "for all the intimate familiarity of that face and body, I did not feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-morris/ronald-reagan-s-biographer-wrote-of-the-former-president-s-final-days/) Edwin Morris ## More by Rudy Giuliani > [On the one hand, you don't want to disrupt the nation with what might look like a vindictive prosecution, even though it might not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/on-the-one-hand-you-don-t-want-to-disrupt-the-nation-with-what-might/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [We want everyone to prepare themselves for the reality that we are not going to be able to recover significant numbers of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/we-want-everyone-to-prepare-themselves-for-the-reality-that-we-are/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [I'd rather have a genius like Donald Trump running America than someone like Hillary Clinton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-d-rather-have-a-genius-like-donald-trump-running-america-than/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [The rule is, you can protest all you want. Make all the noise you want. Carry all the signs you want. The minute you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/the-rule-is-you-can-protest-all-you-want-make-all-the-noise-you-want/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [The way you get through tragedy is to look at the good things in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/the-way-you-get-through-tragedy-is-to-look-at-the-good-things-in-life/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [I'm looking for a president that'll be like a Ronald Reagan to a Jimmy Carter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-m-looking-for-a-president-that-ll-be-like-a-ronald-reagan-to-a/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [There are terrible, terrible memories of September 11th, things that I saw, people that I lost, the devastation, the identification of bodies. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/there-are-terrible-terrible-memories-of-september-11th-things-that-i/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [You've got to be who you are. You've got to be honest with people. If your views change on something, you've got to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/you-ve-got-to-be-who-you-are-you-ve-got-to-be-honest-with-people-if/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/what-children-need-most-are-the-essentials-that-grandparents-provide/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [A lot of the people that are poor take advantage of loopholes and pay no taxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/a-lot-of-the-people-that-are-poor-take-advantage-of-loopholes-and-pay/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [The most visible symbol in New York is the spirit of a free people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/the-most-visible-symbol-in-new-york-is-the-spirit-of-a-free-people/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [God bless every soul that we lost. God bless the families who have to endure that loss, and God guide us to our reunion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/god-bless-every-soul-that-we-lost-god-bless-the-families-who-have-to/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [ I know both Secretary \[Hillary\] Clinton and President \[Barack\] Obama were very gracious and I respect that a lot in the way they handled… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/i-know-both-secretary-hillary-clinton-and-president-barack-obama-were/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [ My advice would be the same advice that I gave President \[George W.\] Bush when he won in '04, and, kind of, wasn't followed.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/my-advice-would-be-the-same-advice-that-i-gave-president-george-w/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [Now, people have a hard time understanding how taxes work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/now-people-have-a-hard-time-understanding-how-taxes-work/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) [Explore all 320 Rudy Giuliani quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What we can borrow from Ronald Reagan... is that great sense of optimism. 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