Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater (1909–1998) was an American politician and U.S.
Senator from Arizona who became the Republican presidential nominee in 1964.
His landslide loss to Lyndon Johnson masked his lasting influence: Goldwater's unapologetic conservatism—emphasizing limited government, states' rights, and anti-communism—reshaped the Republican Party and laid groundwork for the Reagan revolution.
His campaign slogan extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice captured his uncompromising stance.
In later years he surprised many by supporting gay rights and criticizing the religious right.
Politically conservative faction
- free-marketUnregulated private exchange
- anti-communismOpposition to Marxist ideology
- individualismDoctrine of personal independence
- states' rightsProvincial governmental autonomy
libertarian · traditionalism · capitalism · deregulation · federalism · laissez-faire · pro-business · New Right
Mid-sixties year
- presidentialOf the highest office
- nomineeOne proposed for position
- RepublicanGOP party member
- conventionAgreed standard of behavior
primaries · Lyndon Johnson · landslide · extremism · defeat · realignment · grassroots · platform
48th state admitted
- RepublicanGOP party member
- legislatorElected maker of laws
- statesmanRespected political leader
- incumbentCurrent position holder
military reform · Pentagon · seniority · Phoenix · reelection · retirement · Congress · Capitol Hill
Attacker of cherished beliefs
- nonconformistRejects prevailing social standards
- outspokenFreely expressing opinions
- independentFree from external control
- contrarianChronic majority-opposer
dissenter · unorthodox · blunt · principled · renegade · outsider · free-thinker · challenger
Aerial military branch
- pilotOne who steers aircraft
- reserveSupply kept back
- generalWidespread, not specialized
- World War IISecond global military conflict
aviation · Pentagon · defense · military reform · national security · hawks · Cold War · preparedness
right-wing
Politically conservative faction
- free-marketUnregulated private exchange
- anti-communismOpposition to Marxist ideology
- individualismDoctrine of personal independence
states' rights · libertarian · traditionalism · capitalism · deregulation · federalism · laissez-faire · pro-business · New Right · ideological
1964
Mid-sixties year
- presidentialOf the highest office
- nomineeOne proposed for position
- RepublicanGOP party member
convention · primaries · Lyndon Johnson · landslide · extremism · defeat · realignment · grassroots · platform · rally
Arizona
48th state admitted
- RepublicanGOP party member
- legislatorElected maker of laws
- statesmanRespected political leader
incumbent · military reform · Pentagon · seniority · Phoenix · reelection · retirement · Congress · Capitol Hill · filibuster
iconoclast
Attacker of cherished beliefs
- nonconformistRejects prevailing social standards
- outspokenFreely expressing opinions
- independentFree from external control
contrarian · dissenter · unorthodox · blunt · principled · renegade · outsider · free-thinker · challenger · plain-spoken
Air Force
Aerial military branch
World War II · aviation · Pentagon · defense · military reform · national security · hawks · Cold War · preparedness · veteran
Barry GoldwaterLyndon B. Johnson
Hubert Humphrey · Ted Kennedy · Franklin D. Roosevelt · Bernie Sanders · Robert F. Kennedy
Barry GoldwaterDwight D. Eisenhower
water, gold, golden, watershed, waterfowl, goldsmith, goldfinch, barreled, waterborne