Possibly the fact that I was physically quite feeble, a relatively short little fellow, attracted me to that idea of a very authoritative and aggressive version of Conservative politics.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
There are people who are surprised at my politics and being a conservative and the rest of it. But the truth of the matter is, to my knowledge, I have never been overlooked or turned down for anything that I wanted to do that was being offered to me.
My authoritarian and quick manner of making decisions led me to have serious problems and to be accused of being ultraconservative. I have never been a right-winger. It was my authoritarian way of making decisions that created problems.
I had a reputation of being somewhat moderate, partly, I think, because I wasn't a 'bomb thrower' like some of my conservative colleagues, and partly because I got along with people all across the political spectrum.
The whole culture of my background was deeply Conservative.
I would describe myself as a 'total conservative, a conscientious one.'
I didn't knowingly meet a conservative until, to my shame, I was 60 years old and sat down and said, 'Wow, I don't understand what this guy's talking about, but he has a great civility about him. Perhaps I better investigate this thing.'
I'm a conservative. I was an avid supporter of Ronald Reagan; I thought he was fabulous.
I didn't know I was a conservative when it didn't matter to me growing up.
The first thing that I really understood politically and was old enough to get was the failed assassination attempt on Reagan.
I was never a very convincing social conservative, and always avoided associating myself with that part of the broader conservative movement.