General Discussion

The famous phrase, often called the "Eleventh Commandment" in Republican politics, is "Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican." It's widely attributed to Ronald Reagan, who used it during his 1966 campaign for Governor of California.

However, the phrase was actually coined by Gaylord Parkinson, the state chairman of the California Republican Party at the time. Parkinson introduced the phrase to address the divisiveness within the party and encourage unity.

Reagan embraced and popularized the sentiment, explaining that it was a rule he followed during that campaign and throughout his political career. The aim was to discourage public attacks among Republicans and foster a united front against their political opponents.