Communism Hater + Joke Lover = Ronald Reagan

President Ronald Reagan was a strong anti-Communist. He also liked to tell jokes.  

So, he combined those two passions into one pursuit. Telling jokes that mocked and ridiculed Soviet Communism ...

I have a new hobby. I am collecting jokes. And these jokes are jokes that I can absolutely prove are written -- not written -- are invented by the people of the Soviet Union and told among themselves. And they reveal a great sense of humor that we would all find very simpatico with us, but they also reveal a certain cynicism about facets of their system.

That was President Reagan October 1988 ... speaking at the World Affairs Council in Los Angeles...

Why did President Reagan tell jokes about Communism?

And what did Soviet leader Mikhel Gorbachev – Reagan's Cold War adversary and summit partner -- think of those jokes?

Find out in this week's episode of C-SPAN's podcast "Extreme Mortman."

Find "Extreme Mortman" wherever you get podcasts.

What were President Reagan's favorite jokes about Communism?

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