by H. W. Brands
13. “As I speak to you tonight”: Reagan address, Dec. 23, 1981.
CHAPTER 52
1. “We who were going to balance”: Diary entry for Dec. 8, 1981.
2. “While one or two”: Diary entry for Dec. 10, 1981.
3. “I’m not sure he sees”: Diary entry for Dec. 14, 1981.
4. “Met with Senate leaders”: Diary entry for Dec. 18, 1981.
5. “They’re so used to spending”: Diary entry for Dec. 22, 1981.
6. “Except for Jack Kemp”: Diary entry for Jan. 11, 1981.
7. “In other words”: Regan, For the Record, 193–95.
8. “Downplay deficits”: Undated memo, Baker Papers, Princeton.
9. “Both parties in Congress”: Baker, Work Hard, 187.
10. “I told our guys”: Diary entry for Jan. 22, 1982.
11. “The press has done a job”: Diary entry for Feb. 22, 1982.
12. Gallup showed: ropercenter.uconn.edu.
13. “It reflects the constant media”: Diary entry for April 2, 1982.
14. “We met at Blair House”: Regan, For the Record, 202–3.
15. “There will be blood”: Diary entry for April 23, 1982.
16. “The D’s are playing games”: Diary entry for April 26, 1982.
17. He made a last offer: Diary entry for April 28, 1982.
18. “The philosophical difference”: Reagan address, April 29, 1982.
19. “People are confused”: Diary entry for May 4, 1982.
20. “The president listened”: Baker, Work Hard, 187.
21. “I thought they were going to break”: Baker interview with author.
22. “A compromise is never”: Diary entry for May 20, 1982.
23. “The tax increase”: Diary entry for Aug. 4, 1982.
CHAPTER 53
1. “I suspect bureaucratic sabotage”: Diary entry for Nov. 16, 1981.
2. “The press is not going to let up”: Diary entry for Jan. 4, 1982.
3. “We are now at a watershed”: Minutes of NSC meeting, Feb. 10, 1982, Reagan Library.
CHAPTER 54
1. “Central America is really”: Diary entry for Oct. 16, 1981.
2. “There is no question”: Diary entry for Nov. 16, 1981.
3. “We have decided”: Ibid.
4. “We have problems”: Diary entry for Feb. 3, 1982.
5. “The guerrillas have a really”: Diary entry for Feb. 15, 1982.
6. Walters had orders: Haig, Caveat, 136.
7. “Maybe we’ll be sending”: Diary entry for March 9, 1982.
8. “They are uptight”: Diary entry for March 11, 1982.
9. “In the commitment to freedom”: Reagan address, Feb. 24, 1982.
10. “If he had just given”: Washington Post, Feb. 25, 1982.
11. “As in Vietnam”: New York Times, Feb. 25, 1982.
12. “It was extremely well received”: Diary entry for Feb. 24, 1982.
13. “Met with National Security Council Planning Group”: Diary entry for April 5, 1982.
14. “Within a relatively short period”: Minutes of NSC meeting, Nov. 3, 1982, Reagan Library.
CHAPTER 55
1. “I’m disturbed by the reaction”: Diary entry for April 23, 1981.
2. “I am convinced”: Reagan letter to congressional leaders, Aug. 5, 1981.
3. “I have proposed this sale”: Reagan news conference, Oct. 1, 1981.
4. “We did some getting acquainted”: Diary entry for Sept. 9, 1981.
5. “He told me he wouldn’t”: Diary entry for Sept. 15, 1981.
6. “Frankly, I’m gratified”: Reagan exchange with reporters, Oct. 15, 1981.
7. “The president was our chief negotiator”: Reagan-Baker exchange with reporters, Oct. 28, 1981.
8. “Are we a vassal state”: New York Times, Dec. 21, 1981.
9. “No, it’s just friends”: Reagan interview, Dec. 23, 1981.
10. “Sharon is a brawny man”: Haig, Caveat, 329.
11. “He fears they may”: Diary entry for Jan. 30, 1982.
12. “We are trying to persuade”: Diary entry for Feb. 6, 1982.
13. “Many of his people resisted”: Diary entry for April 25, 1982.
14. “I’m afraid we are faced”: Diary entry for June 2–11, 1982.
CHAPTER 56
1. the Argentine regime was funding: Inman interview.
2. “Our only hope”: Margaret Thatcher, The Downing Street Years (1993), 179.
3. “Talked for forty minutes”: Diary entry for April 5, 1982.
4. “There could be no question”: Thatcher, Downing Street Years, 181.
5. “The United States Secretary of State”: Minutes of cabinet subcommittee meeting, April 7, 1982, Cabinet Files, British National Archives, nationalarchives.gov.uk.
6. “She rapped sharply”: Haig, Caveat, 272.
7. “We cannot sacrifice our honor”: Ibid., 277–78.
8. “Both sides want our help”: Diary entry for April 6, 1982.
9. “We’re friends with both”: Question-and-answer session with reporters, April 5, 1982.
10. “senior administration officials”: Washington Post, April 14, 1982.
11. “a most irresponsible act”: Diary entry for April 14, 1982.
12. “The safest thing”: Question-and-answer session with reporters, April 14, 1982.
13. “That would only be in keeping”: Reagan remarks and question-and-answer session, April 30, 1982.
14. “Spent half an hour”: Diary entry for April 15, 1982.
15. “It was not Britain”: Thatcher, Downing Street Years, 202.
16. “As of noon”: Diary entry for April 17, 1982.
17. “The shooting could start”: Diary entry for April 23, 1982.
18. “Mr. President, was the British attack”: Exchange with reporters in Washington, May 1, 1982.
19. “It was the only time”: Inman interview.
20. “Mr. President, how could you”: Exchange with reporters in Knoxville, May 1, 1982.
21. “Our intelligence community confirmed”: American Life, 359.
22. “Whether or not such attacks”: Thatcher, Downing Street Years, 221.
23. “I talked to Margaret”: Diary entry for May 13, 1982.
24. “Hundreds have been killed”: Haig, Caveat, 294.
25. “The prime minister is adamant”: Diary entry for May 31, 1982.
26. “The Prime Minister said”: Memo of conversation, June 4, 1982, Prime Minister’s Files, British National Archives, nationalarchives.gov.uk.
27. “On distant islands”: Address to Parliament, June 8, 1982.
28. “The speed with which the end”: Thatcher, Downing Street Years, 235.
CHAPTER 57
1. “She believed absolutely”: American Life, 360.
2. on the hook for the two thousand contras: Inman interview.
3. “He had grandiose ideas”: Baker interview with author.
4. “He was a swashbuckler”: Inman interview.
5. “He was somewhat contemptuous”: Anderson, Revolution, 307.
6. “To me, the White House”: Haig, Caveat, 85–94.
7. “Sit down and work it out”: Baker interview with author.
8. “Al thinks his turf”: Diary entry for March 24, 1981.
9. “Of course he wouldn’t reveal”: Diary entry for Nov. 1, 1981.
10. “I think we can get a lid”: Diary entry for May 31, 1982.
11. “I was startled to hear reports”: Haig, Caveat, 299–301.
12. “You can say Haig needs a win”: New York Times, April 15, 1982.
13. “Shortly after my return”: Haig, Caveat, 302.
14. “He was suspicious of everybody”: Baker interview with author.
15. “Mr. President”: Haig, Caveat, 312.
16. “The Al H. situation”: Diary entry for June 14, 1982.
17. “Dear Al”: Haig, Caveat, 314.
18. “He gave me the most intense grilling�
�: George Shultz interview with author.
19. “Al Haig has resigned”: George P. Shultz, Turmoil and Triumph (1993), 3–4.
20. “The only disagreement”: Diary entry for June 25, 1982.
CHAPTER 58
1. “President Reagan and I”: Shultz, Turmoil and Triumph, 9.
2. “We’re walking on a tightrope”: Diary entry for June 16, 1982.
3. “I was pretty blunt”: Diary entry for June 21, 1982.
4. “Habib never ceased”: Shultz, Turmoil and Triumph, 45.
5. “Let me say I’ll be firm”: Reagan exchange with reporters, Aug. 1, 1982.
6. “all out assault”: Minutes of NSC meeting, Aug. 4, 1982, Reagan Library.
7. “Menachem, this is a holocaust”: Geoffrey Kemp interview in Deborah Hart Strober and Gerald S. Strober, eds., Reagan: The Man and His Presidency (1998), 207.
8. “Our purpose will be to assist”: Remarks to reporters, Aug. 20, 1982.
9. “Today has been a day”: Reagan address, Sept. 1, 1982.
10. “What some call the West Bank”: American Life, 433–34.
11. “I was horrified”: Reagan statement, Sept. 18, 1982.
12. “I finally told our group”: Diary entry for Sept. 19, 1982.
CHAPTER 59
1. “The big day!”: Diary entry for Oct. 22, 1982.
2. “I really like him”: Diary entry for Dec. 21, 1982.
3. “We had good meetings”: Diary entry for Jan. 27, 1983.
4. “Still Israel dragging their feet”: Diary entry for March 18, 1983.
5. “D--n them”: Diary entry for April 18, 1983.
6. “Lord forgive me”: Diary entry for April 19, 1983.
7. “There can be no sadder duty”: Reagan remarks, April 23, 1983.
8. “Mr. President”: Reagan news conference, Sept. 28, 1982.
9. “Israel is pursuing”: Brezhnev to Reagan, June 9, 1982, Reagan Library.
10. “Your expressions of concern”: Reagan to Brezhnev, July 1, 1982, Reagan Library.
11. “Armageddon in the prophecies”: Diary entry for May 4, 1983.
12. “The world must have been simpler”: Diary entry for Aug. 10, 1983.
13. “This could be seen”: Diary entry for Sept. 11, 1983.
14. “The president’s face turned ashen”: Robert C. McFarlane, Special Trust (1994), 263.
15. “There are no words”: Reagan remarks to reporters, Oct. 23, 1983.
CHAPTER 60
1. “This must not be allowed”: Diary entry for Jan. 4, 1983.
2. “Based on the President’s directives”: Sapia-Bosch and North to William Clark, April 5, 1983, Reagan Library.
3. “The CIA sent briefers”: Shultz, Turmoil and Triumph, 296–97.
4. “Our message”: Clark interview, Miller Center.
5. “Venezuela couldn’t go along”: Diary entry for April 11, 1983.
6. “On the small island of Grenada”: Reagan address, March 23, 1983.
7. “I had never really gotten along”: Nancy Reagan, My Turn, 242–43.
8. “We both had the searing memory”: Shultz, Turmoil and Triumph, 328.
9. “I asked McFarlane”: American Life, 450–51.
10. “I believe Maggie Thatcher”: Howard Baker interview, Miller Center.
11. “Early this morning”: Reagan remarks, with Eugenia Charles, Oct. 25, 1983.
12. “I can’t say enough”: Reagan address, Oct. 27, 1983.
13. “It didn’t upset my breakfast”: Reagan comments, Nov. 3, 1983.
CHAPTER 61
1. “Nancy is very depressed”: Diary entry for May 19, 1982.
2. “He got a lot of sustenance”: Meese interview.
3. “I can’t help feeling”: Ron Reagan, My Father at 100, 86, 104.
4. “He was not a real Bible thumper”: Ron Reagan interview.
5. “It bothers me”: Diary entry for Oct. 4, 1981.
6. “Thank you for your prayers”: Reagan address, March 8, 1983.
CHAPTER 62
1. “Back to Washington”: Diary entry for Sept. 28, 1981.
2. “It is absolutely essential”: National Security Decision Directive 35, May 17, 1982, Reagan Library.
3. “We’re going to have trouble”: Diary entry for Nov. 15, 1982.
4. “The United States wants deep cuts”: Reagan address, Nov. 22, 1982.
5. “Tip O’Neill has mounted”: Diary entry for May 15, 1984.
CHAPTER 63
1. “The United States does not start fights”: Reagan address, March 23, 1983.
2. “When he was governor”: Weinberger, Fighting for Peace, 296.
3. “Several years earlier”: Ron Reagan, My Father at 100, 207.
4. “To those who traipse”: Weinberger, Fighting for Peace, 291.
5. “R&D on Ballistic Missile Defense”: National Security Decision Directive 35.
6. “Would it not be better”: Weinberger, Fighting for Peace, 304.
7. “Much of it”: Diary entry for March 22, 1983.
8. “I guess it was O.K.”: Diary entry for March 23, 1983.
9. “Ron, it will make you look”: Robert McFarlane interview with author.
10. “The reports are in”: American Life, 572.
CHAPTER 64
1. “He looked more like a cadaver”: Shultz, Turmoil and Triumph, 126.
2. “No bureaucracy involved”: Diary entry for Feb. 15, 1983.
3. “We both share”: American Life, 576.
4. “I have considered its contents”: Ibid., 576–78.
5. “Their only function”: Ibid., 580–81.
6. “I speak for all Americans”: Reagan statement, Sept. 1, 1983.
7. “Our first emotions”: Reagan remarks, Sept. 2, 1983.
8. The CIA and military intelligence: David E. Hoffman, The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy (2009), 82; Robert Gates, From the Shadows, 267.
9. “This Soviet attack”: National Security Decision Directive 102, Sept. 5, 1983, Reagan Library.
10. “Despite the savagery”: Reagan address, Sept. 5, 1983.
CHAPTER 65
1. “Each of us recognizes”: Reagan statement, Jan. 15, 1983.
2. “The National Commission considered”: Report of the National Commission on Social Security Reform, Jan. 1983.
3. “After months of debate”: Reagan State of the Union address, Jan. 25, 1983.
4. “Today we reaffirm”: Reagan remarks, April 20, 1983.
CHAPTER 66
1. “There is renewed energy”: Reagan State of the Union address, Jan. 25, 1984.
2. “From my seat”: Regan, For the Record, 225–26.
3. “I want to speak”: Reagan State of the Union address, Jan. 25, 1984.
4. “Three years had taught me”: American Life, 588–89.
5. “I’d like to talk to him”: Diary entry for Feb. 22, 1984.
6. “They are utterly stonewalling us”: Diary entry for May 11, 1984.
7. “What would I think”: American Life, 601–2.
CHAPTER 67
1. “In the last fifteen years”: Reagan address, May 9, 1984.
2. “Dear Bill”: New York Times, April 11, 1984. The Times bowdlerized “pissed” for publication.
3. “Says he was never briefed”: Diary entry for April 10, 1984.
4. “Central America is a region”: Reagan address, May 9, 1984.
5. “We’ve got to find a way”: McFarlane, Special Trust, 68.
6. “The purpose of this meeting”: Minutes of National Security Planning Group meeting, June 25, 1984, National Security Archive.
CHAPTER 68
1. “Barry is upset”: Diary entry for April 24, 1984.
2. “Our first go”: Diary entry for April 26, 1984.
3. “We get along very well”: Diary entry for April 27, 1984.
4. “This was Big Casino day”: Diary entry for April 28, 1984.
5. “We believe in
the dignity”: Reagan remarks at Fudan University, April 30, 1984.
6. “It was a darn good speech”: Diary entry for April 30, 1984.
7. “I think they have”: Reagan question-and-answer session with reporters, May 1, 1984.
8. “We stand on a lonely, windswept point”: Reagan remarks at Pointe du Hoc, June 6, 1984.
9. “Every man who set foot”: Reagan remarks at Omaha Beach, June 6, 1984.
10. “Believe me”: Reagan message to officers and men of USS Eisenhower, June 6, 1984.
CHAPTER 69
1. “I do not know”: New York Times, Aug. 22, 1981.
2. “I never use the words”: New York Times, Oct. 10, 1983.
3. “environmental extremism”: Reagan interview, Jan. 20, 1982.
4. “He’s the best thing”: New York Times, Oct. 10, 1983.
5. “I think that’s a decision”: Reagan interview, Sept. 26, 1983.
6. “Here is the truth”: Mondale acceptance speech, July 19, 1984, American Presidency Project.
7. “One of the key tests”: Reagan-Mondale debate, Oct. 7, 1984, American Presidency Project.
8. “I have to say”: Diary entry for Oct. 6–7, 1984.
9. “We left Louisville”: Diary entry for Oct. 8, 1984.
10. “It was the worst night”: Nancy Reagan, My Turn, 266.
11. “I never had one difference”: Baker interview with author.
12. “Jesus, Nancy Reagan”: Paul Laxalt interview, Miller Center.
13. “Fitness Issue”: Wall Street Journal, Oct. 9, 1984.
14. “The president’s advisers”: Washington Post, Oct. 12, 1984.
15. “Age may have been a factor”: New York Times, Oct. 10, 1984.
16. “Mr. Reagan is a mentally alert”: New York Times, Oct. 11, 1984.
17. “It was the same old stuff”: Baker interview with author.
18. “Let Ronnie be Ronnie”: Nancy Reagan, My Turn, 267.
19. “Mr. President, I want to raise”: Reagan-Mondale debate, Oct. 21, 1984, American Presidency Project.