ORLANDO – The Phoenix Network has been invited to broadcast live next month during a weekend-long celebration marking the centennial of President Ronald Reagan’s birthday.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation is sponsoring the year long centennial celebration, to mark the 100th birthday of the nation’s 40th president.
“Ronald Reagan always believed that America’s best days were ahead,” the foundation’s Web site notes. “We are reminded of that spirit of optimism and the principles he championed as our president: courage in the face of oppression, the spirit of patriotism, support for a strong national defense, a belief in economic opportunity, and an unwavering commitment to the cause of freedom.”
Doug Guetzloe, host of “The Guetzloe Report” on ThePhoenixNetwork.US, said it was a great honor to have been chosen to participate in this celebration.
“Only 14 radio stations in the nation were invited,’ Guetzloe said. “And most of the others are big guys.”
On Feb. 3 and 4, Guetzloe will be in Simi Valley, Calif., for the event. The actual ceremony 
is on Sunday, Feb. 6.
Reagan started his political career in 1966, when the former Hollywood actor and star of movies like “King’s Row” was elected governor of California. He was re-elected in 1970, and in 1976 made an unsuccessful bid for president, losing the Republican Party’s presidential nomination to President Gerald Ford, who went on to lose the 1976 race to Democrat Jimmy Carter.
In 1980, though, Reagan captured the GOP nomination and won a landslide victory over Carter, carrying 44 states. In 1984, he won a record re-election victory, taking 59 percent of the vote over former Vice President Walter Mondale and carrying 49 states.
“I’ve been really involved with Reagan since 1980,” Guetzloe said, noting that he worked on Reagan’s behalf that year and in the 1984 presidential campaign as well. In both years, Reagan easily carried the state of Florida.
So it was with great pride that he accepted the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation’s invitation to attention the weekend celebration and do his broadcast there, Guetzloe said.
“This is a situation where you invite different networks and stations to be live at the event,” Guetzloe said. “They’re giving us our own booth for expanded coverage. I was surprised, because I knew it was coming up. It was exciting to be invited. I’ve never been to the Reagan Library, so it all just came together.”
This is just the beginning of an entire year of special events in honor of the late president. As part of that, the U.S Postal Service is coming out with a new “Reagan Forever” stamp.
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