Craig Shirley

NY Times Dismisses Letters to the Editor Challenging Theory of Reagan Senility In Office
By Tim Graham | April 7, 2015 | 10:34 AM EDT

A favorite historical claim of Ronald Reagan-bashers is that he showed signs of senility in office. The New York Times is still fiddling around on this with the latest “scientific” proof in a March 30 article headlined “Parsing Ronald Reagan’s Words for Early Signs of Alzheimer’s.” The author, Dr. Lawrence K. Altman, was a Times medical correspondent for 40 years.

Craig Shirley, a longtime friend of the MRC, has written two historical books on Reagan and is finishing a third, titled Last Act: The Final Years and Enduring Legacy of Ronald Reagan. He wrote a letter to the editor strongly protesting this article and was refused. In fact, the Times stiffly wrote in return he would not be published, and "We received a couple of personal accounts (a caregiver's story) but did not choose to publish them."

Chutzpah: Reagan-Bashing Author Sued for Plagiarism Praises Plaintiff's Book In NY Times
By Tim Graham | August 31, 2014 | 7:51 AM EDT

The New York Times is not blind to the lawsuit that conservative publicist and historian Craig Shirley has filed against left-wing author Rick Perlstein, claiming he purloined chunks of his 2004 book "Reagan's Revolution." They not only reported a story on it, the public editor Margaret Sullivan then strangely apologized for advancing a conservative “swift-boating” agenda.

In Sunday’s Times Book Review, they interview Perlstein, and they let Perlstein claim he’s spellbound by Shirley’s latest book on Reagan (from 2009), with no acknowledgement of the controversy:

Media Defenders of the Liberal Faith Claim Objectivity As They Knock Reagan And His 'Wing Nuts'
By Jeffrey Lord | August 16, 2014 | 9:23 AM EDT

Within the space of a week, the Public Editor of The New York Times, Margaret Sullivan, and Sarah Durand, a senior editor of publisher Simon & Schuster subsidiary Atria Books, have vividly illustrated how the game of liberal media bias works.

Let’s start with the Times.

Bill Press: Reagan Removed Solar Panels from White House Because He was Climate Change Skeptic
By Jack Coleman | May 15, 2014 | 8:20 PM EDT

Don't you love it when liberals look back through history? Who knows what novel interpretations will follow!

Radio host and former California Democratic Party chief Bill Press provided a stellar example of this while talking about the decades-long alleged imminent threat posed by climate change, previously known as global warming until the climate characteristically refused to cooperate. (Audio after the jump)

Reagan Biographer Craig Shirley Schools Mika Brzezinski Over Questions About Reagan’s Health
By Jeffrey Meyer | May 15, 2014 | 11:09 AM EDT

During a discussion about what role that Hillary Clinton’s age might play in her potential presidential run, MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski attempted to claim that President Reagan suffered the effects of old age during his second term. 

Appearing on Morning Joe on Thursday, May 15, the Reagan biographer slapped down the MSNBC co-host’s claim and pointed out that Reagan“was as sharp as the day he left as the day he went in office.” [See video below.] 

Reagan Historian Says New Chris Matthews Book Is Like a Diary of an 'Unimaginative Teenager'
By Tim Graham | October 30, 2013 | 8:57 AM EDT

Craig Shirley, author of several large tomes on Ronald Reagan's political history, is merciless on Real Clear Politics toward MSNBC star Chris Matthews and his new book on "Tip and the Gipper."

This isn't a book about Reagan or Tip O'Neill, he writes. "It is the history of Chris Matthews before he became the Chris Matthews we see on cable television today. It falls into the category of micro personal history, but is so elfin as to be inconsequential." You can't find Matthews even mentioned in the index of Tip O'Neill's memoir, he reports.

Support NewsBusters and Get a Reagan Book Signed by the Author!
By NB Staff | December 7, 2009 | 2:06 PM EST

UPDATE: Offer extended until 9 AM EST Wednesday morning.

The Media Research Center has come into possession of a limited number of copies of an exciting new book by Craig Shirley: Rendezvous with Destiny: Ronald Reagan and the Campaign that Changed America.

For a donation of $100 or more to the Media Research Center, we'll send you a complimentary copy of the 650-page book. For a contribution of $250 or more, you can receive a personalized autographed copy. Donations are what make the MRC and NewsBusters possible, so if you enjoy our free sites, here's a chance to keep them going while getting a nice gift in return.

Mark Levin hailed: “An unbelievable book....I was part of the Reagan Revolution and I didn’t know 80 percent of this stuff!...It’s worth reading, and reading right now.”

We have only 175 copies, so don't delay. So that we can assure delivery before Christmas, this is a 30 hour offer. You must make your donation by 8 PM EST tomorrow (Tuesday). Now: By Wednesday at 9 AM EST. 

Go to this page to donate via Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Type “Reagan book” into the “Dedication” box. If you are contributing $250 or more, also list the name you want Shirley to use in providing the personalized autograph. (You can also donate with PayPal via this page. Put “Reagan book” and your name in the “Description” field.)

Conservative Activist, Author Talks to Bloggers About New Book on 1980 Reagan Campaign
By Ken Shepherd | November 10, 2009 | 3:31 PM EST

<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933859555/ref=s9_simz_gw_s1_p14_t1?pf_... target="_blank"><img src="http://media.eyeblast.org/newsbusters/static/2009/11/rendezvousdestinyco... vspace="3" width="164" align="right" border="0" height="239" hspace="3" /></a>Earlier today I had the pleasure of attending the weekly <a href="http://thebloggersbriefing.com/" target="_blank">blogger's briefing hosted by the Heritage Foundation</a>. Conservative activist and public relations consultant Craig Shirley was the featured guest, and he spoke about his new book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933859555/ref=s9_simz_gw_s1_p14_t1?pf_... target="_blank">&quot;Rendezvous with Destiny: Ronald Reagan and the Campaign That Changed America.&quot;</a></p><p>Shirley noted the remarkable parallels between the Republican Party that Reagan and the conservative movement revitalized in the late 1970s and early 1980s with the situation facing conservatives today. </p><p>Then as now liberal Democrats claimed the presidency and liberal ideology seemed ascendant following the tenure of Republican presidents who expanded the size and scope of government (Nixon) and/or were inept (Ford). Now as in the late 1970s, it is conservatives standing outside the establishment who can be the revitalizing and reforming force for the GOP and more importantly the country. </p><p>During a roughly 30-minute Q&amp;A session, Shirley answered a series of questions from bloggers in attendance, and shared among other things the following observations:</p>

Politico.com Mistaken on McCain Advisor 'Ouster'
By Ken Shepherd | May 16, 2008 | 12:27 PM EDT

Conservative activist, author, and political consultant Craig Shirley, contrary to Politico.com's reporting, was not "ousted" from his job advising the McCain campaign. In fact, he's not been on retainer since March. That according to Townhall.com's Matt Lewis today: