The author deduces the best way James Baker serve Reagan as Chief of Staff was to continually remind him why he wanted to be president.

Staffers tend to mimic their bosses, to take their key from them.

He was making the inevitable pivot from critic to manager.

He was experienced enough to spot the downside of doing the right thing.

Historically, the coupling of president and Speaker has been a tricky one that encourages a choreography both quick-footed and wary

The Russian people were just like us. They were victims of their own government. Ronald Reagan

Shared history was the coin of the realm.

Anecdotes came with his DNA.

In politics there is a large difference between loosing and being defeated.

He'd made a name for himself out there in the world beyond not just in spite of the distinctly unfashionable persona he presented, but, perhaps, BECAUSE of it.

The author, at the time a Carter speechwriter in the 1980 campaign, showed visible distress at his boss's performance and was warned by a friend in the traveling press, lest he become the story.

Freeing oneself from words is liberation.

Conversely, it is correct to say that bringing about peace would be the best way to fight terror.

People want results. I call it 'results oriented conservatism,' R.O.C. because that's what people want out of government.

If you make up your own mind, you can only blame yourself.

When we think of death, we often imagine it as happening in degrees: We think of a sick person becoming less and less alive until finally they are gone.

The fish is swift, small-needing, vague yet clear, A cold, sweet, silver life, wrapped in round waves.

All my hurts my garden spade can heal.

Is Tyson okay?' I asked. The question seemed to take my dad by surprise. 'He's fine. Doing much better than I expected. Though 'peanut butter' is a strange battle cry.

Cornwall has lots of folk and Celtic music and has that kind of surfer vibe as well. That was my kind of upbringing.

Fate is never too generous even to its favorites. Rarely do the gods grant a mortal more than one immortal deed.