NYT: The Great Delegator (Reagan book review)

[kskiska]

'President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination,' by Richard Reeves
Review by ADRIAN WOOLDRIDGE

ON the afternoon before the opening of the Group of 7 summit meeting in 1983, James Baker, the White House chief of staff, dropped in on Ronald Reagan to deliver a briefing book. The United States was the host of the conference, the only one held on American soil during the Reagan presidency; the administration had pre-emptively billed the meeting as a triumph; and Baker, worried about his boss's lack of preparation and aware that "Reaganomics" wasn't universally popular, had taken a lot of trouble compiling the briefings, which were both concise and comprehensive. On returning the next morning, Baker was furious to discover that the book lay exactly where he had left it - and confronted his boss with his failure to do his prep. Reagan's unflustered reply: "Well, Jim, 'The Sound of Music' was on last night."

(snip)

Yet the man who presided over such dramatic changes was frequently out to lunch. He was never exactly a Stakhanovite: he started his day with the comics and took frequent time for naps, sometimes in cabinet meetings. But as his presidency wore on, his mind began to fail, the victim, as it turned out, of incipient dementia.

The other reason he is so elusive is the contrast between his geniality and his remoteness. Reagan had the gift of likability, always ready with a smile and a joke. Yet he didn't really need people. He was perfectly content with his own company - reading conservative publications or watching old movies - and he tended to treat people as either hired help or an audience. Martin Anderson, an adviser, described him as "the most warmly ruthless man I've ever seen." "You can get just so far to Ronnie, and then something happens," said Nancy, who was probably the only person who really got close to him.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/books/review/29woolridge.html?_r=2

[HillDem]

1. The sound of music?

I would've thought he was more the rambo type.

[MarinCoUSA]

2. President Reagan: The Triumph of Forgetting.

Reagan made it safe to forget the harsh and sometimes not so pretty lessons this country learned in the 50s and 60s.
I mean, isn't this the man who made his first post convention campaign speech in Philidelphia, Mississippi talkin' code to all dem crakers.

And Oh Sh**! Are we now ever reaping that harvest!


The most pathetic thing I ever saw was a film of Reagan testifying at the Ollie North trial.
to think this jackass was our president.

My the sweet child angels of El Mozote guide your soul to Hell!

[Demeter]

3. Look At The Scum He Delegated To

They're in charge right now---

[goose4739]

4. Exactly. The Repugs were testing the waters...

Reagan. Z-grade actor with no brain. We love him! Check.

Poppy. War criminal. Sure! Elect him -- no problem. Add Dan Quayle to see how far we can go with the stupidity factor. Oooh! Conservative, young and handsome! Check.

Boy King. Didn't really win? No problem. Hello, Diebold? Check.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. It isn't what you know, it's who you know.

Perfect case in point.