Here is an excerpt from an insightful interview that John Wayne gave in 1975. In it, he discusses his aversion to liberals, socialism and John Maynard Keynes. His main criticism of liberals is that they don’t understand human nature. In his day, Wayne was derided for being a redbaiting conservative, even though he considered himself a liberal. Much of what he has to say about Hollywood and the MSM remains as true today as it did then.

I remember watching his movies on television when I was a boy and liking them. I even saw his last picture, The Shootist, in the theater when I was ten or eleven. It’s a good, quiet western about an aging gunfighter on his last legs. Going to college, however, ruined Wayne for me. Many of my professors blamed Wayne for getting us into Vietnam because of his gung-ho war movies. They said he represented the worst of American Imperialism. For a time, I bought into this agitprop. But then a friend took me to see The Searchers at a retrospective cinema and, thankfully, my faith in Wayne was restored. He gives an intensely nuanced performance in a truly great film – one of many in his long career.

Anyway, in this brief excerpt, Wayne discusses several issues regarding liberal hostility toward him and conservatism. There is a delightful anecdote he gives about $20 and human nature. Listen for it around 2:35. Enjoy!