Book Details The Real Ronald Reagan (A Fairly Coherent Article From Helen Thomas)

WASHINGTON -- Former President Ronald Reagan wrote a poignant farewell letter to the American people in 1994 after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

"I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life," he said. "I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead."

So it is left to others to tell us what the nation's 40th president was really like, on and off stage.

For an intimate look at Reagan's character, persona and political talents, Michael K. Deaver's book: "A Different Drummer" with the sub title "My Thirty Years With Ronald Reagan" fills that bill.

Deaver was a campaign staffer during Reagan's successful run for governor and was deputy chief of staff at the White House until 1985.

The insights and the nuggets that Deaver reveals add to the realization that Reagan was a very shy and private man. Deaver was called the "image maker" but he clearly makes you understand that Reagan was his own man.

Nancy Reagan who wrote the foreword to Deaver's book, said "there are few people better suited to write about him."

Her husband, Mrs. Reagan said, was "not a complicated man" and from 1967 to 1985 he (Deaver) was by "Ronnie's side for all the good times and of course, many of the tough times too."

It is "sad beyond expression" that Reagan cannot enjoy "this glorious denouement" to his public life, Deaver wrote.

Instead, the former president "lives in a state of confusion, victimized by an illness that robs him of any coherent memory," as Deaver put it.

Reagan never used poll numbers to make up his mind, Deaver said. Whenever staffers gave Reagan statistics showing that the majority opposed his views, he told them they had to work harder to convince people that he was right, Deaver added.

Reporters covering the Reagan White House had no doubt that the president was a deeply committed conservative. And he did indeed turn the country to the right.

President Bush seems to be trying to emulate him, more than following in the footsteps of his own father, former President George H.W. Bush, who was much more moderate in his political views.

Reagan used humor "as a weapon in his campaigns" and he came up with his own zingers. He said Reagan's repetitious taunt of "there you go again" in the 1980 presidential debate with former President Jimmy Carter made Reagan more human to the public and turned the campaign around.

During that same campaign, Reagan irked environmentalists when he said trees contributed to air pollution.

But Deaver said that even Reagan joined in the laughter when on the campaign trail in California they noticed a large sign hammered into a eucalyptus tree that read: "Cut me down before I kill again."

Deaver surprised me when he wrote that Reagan did not like to have his picture taken. I recall the many Reagan photo ops I had covered at the White House.

He was usually smiling. When Deaver asked him to explain his reluctance to have his picture taken, the former movie star replied: "You can never recover from a still shot."

He also repeated the well-known axiom: "The camera never lies." Deaver reminded the reader that former Democratic Senator Eugene McCarthy endorsed Reagan's presidential candidacy in 1980 against Carter, the Democratic incumbent.

It was an astonishing event at the time because McCarthy had led the revolt against President Lyndon B. Johnson's bid for reelection because of the Vietnam war and had been viewed as a liberal Democrat.

Deaver said that McCarthy asked for a meeting with Reagan, which he arranged.

After "some small talk" Reagan expressed his appreciation for McCarthy's support. Later, Deaver walked McCarthy to his car and told him: "I don't get it ... what's the real reason you're endorsing Ronald Reagan?"

Deaver said McCarthy looked him directly in the eye and said: "I'll tell you why. It's because he is the only man since Harry Truman who won't confuse the job with the man."

Deaver said McCarthy knew Reagan understood "the enormity of the office he sought, that it was bigger than one man.

"McCarthy saw something in the former actor that millions of Americans would see on Election Day as they happily handed him the keys to the White House," Deaver wrote.

To Deaver, Reagan epitomized "the American life through and through. A promise that the system works; that any kid can grow up to be president."

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