in refusal to release tax returns, 298
and RR’s 1980 presidential campaign, 205
Stone’s friendship with, 205
Trump, Fred, 205
Tucker, Sophie, 77
Turmoil and Triumph (Shultz), 440
Turner, Carlton, as NR’s ally in antidrug crusade, 322–24, 329
Tuttle, Holmes, 163, 237, 509–10
in firing of Battaglia, 157–58
RR’s 1976 presidential bid opposed by, 185
in RR’s gubernatorial campaign, 127, 129
Twenty-Fifth Amendment, 398
Ullmann, Owen, 512
United Nations:
AIDS crisis and, 425
NR’s drug problem speech to, 326–27
United States Information Agency (USIA), 131
Universal Pictures, 108
University School for Girls, 30
Unruh, Jesse, 34
in 1970 gubernatorial loss to RR, 164
RR accused of corruption by, 163–64
US-Soviet relations:
conservative unhappiness with, 456–57
Geneva summit in, 448–51, 453
INF treaty in, 456
mutual disarmament as RR’s goal in, 435–36
1987 Washington summit in, 456–57, 501
1988 Moscow summit in, 460–62, 501
NR’s role in, 448–49
preliminary Geneva talks in, 446–47
Reykjavik summit in, 453–54
RR’s anti-Communist rhetoric as sticking point in, 434, 436, 438–39, 460
RR’s desire for meeting with Soviet leaders in, 2, 197, 295, 436, 440–41
RR’s letter to Brezhnev in, 436–37
RR’s lifting of grain embargo in, 436
RR’s “peace through strength” mantra in, 438
RR’s “tear down this wall” declaration in, 456, 516–17
SDI as sticking point in, 434, 450, 455–56
see alsoCold War
Vanderbilt, Gloria, 419
Vanity Fair, 519
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 345
Vietnam War:
NR’s visits with veterans and POWs of, 168–69
protests against, 138, 151
von Damm, Helene, 153, 177, 252
as ambassador to Austria, 308–9
NR’s dislike of, 307–9
Von Drehle, David, 563
Waffen SS, 391
Walesa, Lech, 517
Walker, Robert, NR’s relationship with, 95–96, 97
Walking Tall (TV series), 280
Wallace, Chris, 240, 297, 396, 484
Regan’s rudeness to NR reported by, 484–85
Wallace, George, 236
in 1968 presidential race, 174
Wallace, Henry A., 49
Wallace, Inez, 67, 73
Wallace, Mike, 240
Edie’s friendship with, 44–45
Wallison, Peter, 474, 486, 534
as White House counsel, 297–98
Wall Street Journal, 241, 342, 382, 488, 568
Walters, Barbara, 540
Warner, John, 226
Warner Brothers Pictures, 108
RR’s contract with, 86
war on drugs, 321, 330
War on Poverty, 167–68
Warren, Earl, 138
Washington, D.C.:
1987 summit in, 456–57, 501
social scene in, 239–40
Washington Evening Star,10–11
Washington National Cathedral, 561, 563, 576
Washington Post, 230, 239, 246, 262–63, 283, 295, 325, 327, 331, 334, 336, 376, 381, 424, 456, 474, 478, 486, 496, 520, 524, 525, 563
Washington Times, 363, 506
Wasserman, Lew, 77
as last Hollywood mogul, 108
as RR’s agent, 89, 90, 108
Wasserman, Lynne, 77–78
Watergate scandal, 170, 182, 183, 186
Watkins Commission, 425–26, 428, 429
Watkins, James, 426
Watt, James, 444
public relations blunders of, 304–5
WAVES, at Smith, 58
Wayne, John, 164
WBBM, 44
Weinberg, Mark, 291, 358, 359, 416–17, 430, 537
Weinberger, Caspar, 434, 438, 444, 466, 483
Iran-contra deal opposed by, 473
on NR’s influence on Soviet policy, 433
as RR’s California finance director, 149
Weinrott, Lester, 24, 25, 44
Weir, Robin, 414
Wescott, Jean:
as NR’s college roommate, 55
on NR’s high school years, 30–31
West Hollywood, Calif., RR’s parents’ home in, 87
Wexford (Arlington estate), as Reagans’ home during 1980 campaign, 226, 227
Weyrich, Paul, 456
What Does Joan Say? (Quigley), 520–21
What I Saw at the Revolution (Noonan), 521
White, James Platt:
homosexuality of, 61
illness and death of, 61–62
NR’s brief engagement to, 60–61
White, Ryan, 424–25
White House:
beauty salon at, 261–62
Jackie Kennedy’s redecoration of, 253–54
NR on dreariness of, 242–43
NR’s renovation of, 253–55, 261–62, 282
Whitmore, James, 96, 97
Wick, Charles Z., 131, 250, 257–58, 279, 481, 485
Reagans’ friendship with, 131, 237
as USIA head, 131
Wick, Douglas, 431
in Elizabeth Glaser’s meeting with Reagans, 428–29
in last visit with NR, 575
on NR as shrewd judge of people, 131
NR at wedding of, 413
on NR’s emotional reticence, 19–20
Reagans’ friendship with, 426–28
stem-cell research advocacy of, 557–58
Wick, Mary Jane, 131, 250, 258, 279, 347
Reagans’ friendship with, 131, 237
Wick, Tessa, 558, 559
Wiesel, Elie, 392
RR’s Bitburg visit opposed by, 391
Wiessner, Charlotte, 277
Wilder, Billy, 90
Wilkie, Jane, 331
Will, George F., 41, 115, 240, 484
in attack on G.H.W. Bush, 310–11
on J. Baker’s relationship with NR, 234
NR’s close friendship with, 232–33, 310
in RR’s 1980 campaign, 232
Williams, Hosea, 228
Willkie, Wendell, 41
Wills, Garry, 383
Wilson, Betty, 132, 250, 536
Wilson, Brian, 181
Wilson, Edith, 4, 496
Wilson, Pete, 360, 570–71
Wilson, William, 132, 250, 311, 536
Wilson, Woodrow, 4
Winchell, Walter, 73
Winston, Harry, 247
Wirthlin, Richard, 223, 227
Iran-contra opinion polls of, 491, 493
1980 campaign polls of, 214
1984 campaign polls of, 376, 381
and NR’s campaign against Sears, 218–19
NR’s consultations with, 298
Women’s Faculty Club, 45
Woodruff, Judy, 53, 64
Works Progress Administration, 290
World War II:
Edie’s charity work in, 45, 50–51
home front in, 58
Loyal’s army service in, 43–44, 50
onset of, 55–56
RR in, 89–90
US entry into, 54
Wright, Harold Bell, 84
Wright, Jim, 342
Wyman, Ernest, 88
Wyman, Jane, 557
childhood of, 87–88
children’s distance from, 121–22
custody of Maureen and Michael awarded to, 94
film career of, 87, 90
mutual dislike of NR and, 99
NR compared to, 94
RR’s divorce from, 78, 93–94, 100
RR’s political career supported by, 136–37
RR’s thank you note to, 248–49
Wyman, Jane, Reagan’s marriage to:
death of infant Christine in, 92
disparate film careers in, 89, 90
Maureen’s birth in, 89, 92
Michael’s adoption in, 92
protracted dissolution of, 92–93
RR’s political interests as issue in, 90–91, 93
wedding of, 88
Yearling, The (film), 90
Young, Kathleen, 18–19
Young America’s Foundation, Reagan ranch bought by, 552–53
Zieman, Yuri, 461
Zipkin, Jerry, 61–62, 317, 563
NR’s friendship with, 133, 413
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
Copyright © 2021 by Karen Tumulty
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Simon & Schuster Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition April 2021
SIMON & SCHUSTER and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or [email protected].
The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event. For more information or to book an event, contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.
Interior design by Kyle Kabel
Jacket design by Jackie Seow
Jacket photographs © John Engstead/MPTV Images
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Tumulty, Karen, 1955– author.
Title: The Triumph of Nancy Reagan / Karen Tumulty.
Description: New York : Simon & Schuster, [2021] | Includes bibliographical references and index. | Summary: “The definitive biography of the fiercely vigilant and politically astute First Lady who shaped one of the most consequential presidencies of the 20th century: Nancy Reagan”—Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020031177 | ISBN 9781501165191 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781501165214 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Reagan, Nancy, 1921-2016. | Reagan, Nancy, 1921-2016—Family. | Presidents’ spouses—United States—Biography. | Reagan, Ronald. | Regan family. | United States—Politics and government—1981-1989. | Washington (D.C.)—Biography. |