There are quite a few books that either focus completely, or have at least one chapter, on the dichotomy of 80s action stars and the leadership of American presidents. The backlash of a soft Jimmy Carter, in sweaters and negotiating with terrorists, came in the form of a 'macho' Reagan, often shown at photo ops doing manual labor, and famously demanding the Berlin wall be torn down. Movies were reflective of this change in leadership style, or even predicted it, depending on your viewpoint. They were a throwback to a tough, moral America. In fact, I'm surprised we don't see more of that shit now, what with Bush romping around his ranch in his cowboy boots and constant terrorist threats.
