Ron Reagan
The son of a conservative president who forged his own path as a forthleft and unapologetic voice for liberal causes in American media.
Born 1958 (age 68)·American progressive political commentator·Birthday: May 20·Baby Boomers
Biography
Ron Reagan has spent a lifetime in the public eye, but never in his father's shadow. The son of President Ronald Reagan, he consciously stepped away from the political dynasty, building a career defined by intellectual independence. He found his calling not on the campaign trail but in the broadcast booth, becoming a sharp, articulate commentator from the left. His voice became familiar to listeners on Air America Radio, where he hosted a daily show, and later as a contributor to MSNBC. An atheist and a progressive, he has been a consistent advocate for stem cell research, LGBTQ+ rights, and separation of church and state, often using his unique platform to challenge the political legacy he inherited with reasoned, firm opposition.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Ron was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Ron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as a primary political analyst and host on the liberal Air America Radio network.
- Worked as a contributor and frequent guest on MSNBC, providing progressive commentary.
- Has been a vocal public advocate for embryonic stem cell research, testifying before Congress on the issue.
- Authored the memoir 'My Father at 100', reflecting on his father's life and legacy.
- Pursued a early career in ballet and performed with the Joffrey Ballet workshop.
Did You Know?
He is a trained ballet dancer and performed professionally in his twenties.
He publicly identifies as an atheist, a stark contrast to his father's image.
He married his wife, Doria Palmieri, in a civil ceremony in 1980, and they have no children.
He hosted a television series on scientific mysteries called 'The Next Step with Ron Reagan' on the Syfy channel.
“I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to speak my mind.”
