About this title: This is an intimate portrait of Ronald Reagan, from his political mentor, ally and friend, William F. Buckley Jr. William F. Buckley Jr. first met Ronald Reagan in 1960, when Reagan, then a well-known actor, was assigned to introduce Buckley to an audience of Californian doctors. On discovering that the microphone couldn't be turned on without breaking into a locked control room, Reagan climbed out of a window in his tuxedo, cat-walked some thirty yards to the correct window, broke a pane with his elbow, let himself in and turned on the mic. He then proceeded to deliver a warm and flawless ...
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"Fantastic and heartfelt; the correspondence between WFB and RR/NR dating back to the 1960s is endearing and witty splashed with elements of historical note."
"Ronald Wilson Reagan was once described as an "amiable dunce," but those who knew him best, including someone who probably WAS the smartest man in every room he entered, William F. Buckley, thought differently. In fact, WFB esteemed RWR as one of the smartest, most gifted leaders America has ever known, a man who always kept his eyes on the prize: the ascendency of America and the defeat of Communism. RR once said, "A leader is someone who takes the people where they know they should go, but are afraid."
Their meeting was fated. The New Conservatism of WFB and "National Review" gave philosphical underpinnings to RR's "Morning in America," but it was RR who deftly handled Gorbachev in Iceland to ensure the demise of the USSR. (He boldly walked out of their summit.) Yet shortly thereafter, he secured a visit from Gorby to the US and made his own appearance in the USSR. And within a year after his presidency, Soviet Communism was indeed on the "ash heap of history," as he had predicted.
WFB's memoir of his and RR's apparently deep but sparse (in terms of regularity) relationship shows the value of humor while facing the onerous burden of literally changing the world. I was a keen observer of the RR spectacle myself at the time (I was in grad school and had plenty of time to read papers, watch news, etc.) and was constantly amazed how he managaged to keep all the balls in the air. From this book one realizes that the Presidency, for RR, was nothing more than a continuation of his entire life: a young, energetic man becomes a lifeguard and continues in that mode for the next 70 years. The only thing that changed was the size of the pool.
While not a great biography of either RR or WFB, still this insight into the friendship of great men is worth reading and leaves the reader a little jealous of their connection. And don't be fooled, great minds do not always think alike: ample time is given in the book to their dispute over giving the Panama Canal to Panama (WFB pro, RR con). The fact that RR could so forcefully and powerfully debate someone as educated and erudite as WFB -- and do it on live television without a prompter -- should be enough to put the "amiable dunce" canard to rest once and for all.
RR's great strength was that he made it look easy, and that requires twice the intelligence to simply make an argument."
""I am a voracious reader. My idea of Hades is to find myself in a hotel room without a book to read." - Ronald Reagan
Will we ever again see two such great communicators of conservatism?
This was a personal and intimate peek into their friendship, and I feel privileged to have been allowed the look.
I did not, unfortunately and to my detriment, embraced Mr. Buckley during his lifetime as I was not aware of his amazing intellect. I have remedied that situation in recent years. However, I vividly remember President Reagan, having voted for him, and the inspiration and prosperity he brought to our country when it was sorely needed. To read the letters exchanged and memories recanted between the two was a treat!"
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