“You would have liked it. People missed you”:… Barbara Bush, Barbara Bush: A Memoir” (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1994), 211.
“Oh, that’s all right”: ibid, 212.
“She was a very strong woman… she would be right there to prop him up.” Nancy Reagan, interview by James Mann, July 29, 2005. Transcript provided to the author by Mann.
“Part of the problem… such things”: Roosevelt, Keeper, 355.
Barbara noted that she had been impressed… seamstress was working overtime at the Soviet embassy: Barbara Bush, A Memoir, 211–13.
“Was this a bluff?… of the implied agreement”: Nancy Reagan with Novak, My Turn, 303.
“It would have been a shame to go home without seeing it”: ibid., 311.
“I will miss you and your husband… to help bring about the relationship that our two countries now have”: ibid., 311–12.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
twenty-four thousand miles… $33 million for GOP candidates: Cannon, President Reagan, 595–96.
“She was very concerned about losing the Senate… he just went”: Jane Mayer and Doyle McManus, Landslide: The Unmaking of the President 1984–1988 (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1988), 280.
One poll showed that nearly a third of those… Democratic contenders for the Senate: E. J. Dionne, “Democrats Gain Control of Senate, Drawing Votes of Reagan’s Backers; Cuomo and D’Amato Are Easy Victors,” New York Times online, November 9, 1986, https://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/05/us/elections-democrats-gain-control-senate-drawing-votes-reagan-s-backers-cuomo-d.html.
“Not again! Not after Watergate!”: David Abshire, Saving the Reagan Presidency: Trust Is the Coin of the Realm (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2005), 3.
Nancy’s normally warm relationship with Shultz… whether one of her closest allies should be ousted: Walter Pincus and George Lardner Jr., “Shultz Sought Nancy Reagan as Iran-Contra Ally,” Washington Post online, February 20, 1993, https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1993/02/20/shultz-sought-nancy-reagan-as-iran-contra-ally/fded83e0-b442-474e-87c2-d2054248c1b3.
“This is particularly damaging to President Reagan… character, integrity, and sincerity”: Louis Harris, “Reagan Rating on Inspiring Confidence Plummets,” news release, Harris Survey, December 1, 1986, https://theharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Harris-Interactive-Poll-Research-reagan-rating-on-inspiring-confidence-plummets-1986-12.pdf.
“North didn’t tell me… This may call for resignations”: Reagan diary entry, Monday, November 24, 1986.
“Not funny, sonny”: Speakes with Pack, Speaking Out, 285–86.
“I called Don Regan… He should practically be able smell what is going on”: Nancy Reagan with Novak, My Turn, 272.
“Some of us are like a shovel brigade… cleaning up”: Bernard Weinraub, “Criticism on Iran and Other Issues Put Reagan’s Aides on Defensive,” New York Times online, November 16, 1986, https://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/16/world/criticism-on-iran-and-other-issues-put-reagan-s-aides-on-defensive.html.
acted as though he were still a chief executive.… own introduction at the president’s speeches: Lou Cannon, “Too Big for his Britches?” Washington Post online, September 9, 1985, https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1985/09/09/too-big-for-his-britches/ced7678e-a7ae-45b9-a78a-f3b7f2e778f6.
“He liked the word ‘chief’… words ‘of staff’ ”: Nancy Reagan with Novak, My Turn, 268.
“Don thought he was the president… Those were hard times”: Nancy Reagan, interview by Mann, July 29, 2005.
“When I need something… any need for an intermediary”: Regan, For the Record, 292.
“I’m not the chief of staff”… “and walked off”: Rollins, author interview, January 26, 2018.
said later that he heard no mention of swapping arms for hostages: Regan, For the Record, 20–21.
no recollection at all of McFarlane’s visit: “Reagan’s Iran-Contra Deposition,” Washington Post online, June 20, 1999, https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/daily/june99/reagan20.htm.
“getting our 7 kidnap victims back”: Reagan diary entry, Wednesday, July 17, 1985.
“Okay… Proceed. Make the contact”: Cannon, President Reagan, 551.
dropped another ten pounds: Nancy Reagan with Novak, My Turn, 272.
20 percentage points in just a month: Adam Clymer, “Analyzing the Drop in Reagan’s Ratings,” New York Times online, December 7, 1986. https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/07/weekinreview/analyzing-the-drop-in-reagan-s-ratings.html.
“I was right about Stockman… Why won’t you listen to me about Don Regan?”: Nancy Reagan with Novak, My Turn, 275.
“Get off my back!”: Peter Wallison, interview by author, Washington, DC, January 18, 2018.
“I grabbed my papers and folder… I got out of there”: Kuhn, author interview, October 7, 2018.
likely source of the story: Meacham, Destiny and Power, 308.
“a pain in the ass”: Nancy Reagan with Novak, My Turn, 279.
“Nancy came home from New York… a barn for about 36 hours”: Reagan diary entry, Wednesday, November 19, 1986.
“I’ll be goddamned… always thought of the country”: Abshire, Saving the Reagan Presidency, 39.
Deaver led the two men… Ronnie sat back and listened: Deaver, Nancy, 100–101.
“Mr. President,” he began, “let me tell you”… until he got his facts straight: Cannon, President Reagan, 641–43.
“He has to have his mind opened… see what’s happening to him”: ibid., 645.
“Are you still here, Don?”: Regan, For the Record, 69.
“Nancy, I’ve got some hang-ups”… “it is important that you do it”: Meacham, Destiny and Power, 307.
“You’re more interested in protecting Bill Casey… his credibility is gone on the Hill”: Regan, For the Record, 67.
“Is this how they repay… brought us back from Watergate?”: Pat Buchanan, “No One Gave the Order to Abandon Reagan’s Ship,” Washington Post online, December 8, 1986. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/1986/12/08/no-one-gave-the-order-to-abandon-reagans-ship/97b5dd4b-e66a-47b6-ac21-24ba1d12bb24.
“too long, and it’s not appropriate… shown to be in charge”: Regan, For the Record, 77.
December 12 memo to Regan… direct access to the president: Abshire, Saving the Reagan Presidency, 19–20.
“Behind the desk… seen at the NATO heads-of-government summit”: ibid., 87.
“She—along with many others in Washington… quickly understood that important difference”: David Abshire, “Don Regan’s Real ‘Record’ Looking Out for Number 1,” Washington Post online, May 15, 1988. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/1988/05/15/don-regans-real-record-looking-out-for-number-1/d99a9baa-12bb-4d25-abfe-fae5c21b6486.
“To undertake such a campaign… could now answer”: Abshire, Saving the Reagan Presidency, 104.
“Don’t you let Don Regan in the room”: ibid., 104–7.
“I’m right in the middle of something here”: Ryan, author interview, January 22, 2020.
“In my judgment… larger foreign policy goals”: Reagan Library files. Abshire memo, “Beyond the Tower Board Report,” Series VI: The Independent Counsel Investigation Re: Iran/Contra, 1987–1989 Cf1169., https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/sites/default/files/archives/textual/smof/coinvest.pdf.
“Nancy blamed me for ruining his birthday party”… hung up on her: Chris Wallace, interview by author, Washington, DC, July 9, 2017.
“Was that Nancy Reagan you were talking to in that tone of voice?”: Regan, For the Record, 90–91.
“I feel like I’m going through a nightmare.… God, I hope not”: Nancy Reagan with Novak, My Turn, 280.
“George, I’m going to have to do something about Don… A certain honor is at stake”: Meacham, Destiny and Power, 308.
She wanted him out before the next round of Sunday shows: ibid., 309.
As the New York Times reported the next day… “ ‘embarrassment abroad’ ”: Steven V. Roberts, “Inquiry Finds Reagan and Chief Advisers Responsible for ‘Chaos’ in Iran Arms Deals; Reagan Also Blamed,” New York
