Goldwater may have run as a classical liberal, but it’s a mistake to underestimate the “social issue” dimension of his campaign for voters. Crime, welfare, discontent with the “East Coast liberal establishment,” and, it must be said, civil rights all had something to do with Goldwater’s support.

About the Author
Ramesh Ponnuru is the editor of National Review, a columnist for the Washington Post, and a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.
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