Sid Hart, senior historian at NPG, discusses Ronald Reagan. When ex-California governor Ronald Reagan began his presidency in 1981, his warmth and skill in handling the media had already planted the seeds of his reputation as the "great communicator." More significant, however, was how those traits were made to work on behalf of his conservative agenda. By the end of his second term, despite widespread concern over budget deficits and several administration scandals, Reagan's presidency had wrought many significant changes. Under his leadership, the nation had undergone major tax reforms, witnessed a significant easing of relations with the Communist world, and experienced a sharp upturn in prosperity. Reagan left office enjoying a popularity that only a few of his outgoing predecessors had ever experienced. This 1989 portrait of Ronald Reagan by Nelson Shanks is on view in the "America's Presidents" exhibition at National Portrait Gallery, on the museum's first floor. Recorded at NPG, April 16, 2009. Image info: Ronald Reagan / Nelson Shanks, 1989 / Oil on canvas / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the James Dicke Family / Copyright Nelson Shanks