Reagan Speaks For Himself was first published on Sub Pop's fifth compilation cassette in 1981. Kahn duplicated copies of his work and sold them at an inflated price to partially fund the distribution of free copies of the work to community and college radio stations throughout the United States, leading it to become a hit on underground radio at the time. The work was also "performed" at poetry readings and art talks in Seattle, with one taking place alongside comics artist Lynda Barry and her poodle named "Mohawk."
