Ronald Reagan In Private

Description for RONALD REGAN IN PRIVATE: A MEMOIR OF MY YEARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE by Jim Kuhn:

Like Paul Burrell's A ROYAL DUTY, this is the intimate memoir of a long-time behind-the-scenes aide to a beloved national leader. As we've seen since his death on June 5th, Ronald Reagan remains one of the most popular American figures, and this book will reveal a side of him we haven't seen.

During President Reagan's second term, Jim Kuhn had a unique perspective on what the President was really like when the cameras were turned off. He has written a very personal book that offers new insights into the man and his administration. No matter how much you already know about the late president, this book will help you understand why he was so effective as a leader, and so beloved by millions of Americans.

Kuhn, who grew up as a Democrat, became a fan of Ronald Reagan and worked for his first Presidential campaign in 1976. He also served in the first Reagan White House as one of the President's senior advance representatives, nationwide and around the world. In 1985 he took on the critical position of executive assistant to the President, responsible for helping the most powerful man in the world manage his time and the immense flow of information to him.

During those eventful years -- when the struggle against communism entered its final phase, when the economy boomed and the stock market crashed, when the Iran-Contra scandal broke -- Kuhn was at the President's side nearly every waking hour, from the Oval Office, to Camp David, to Air Force One. And because the President trusted him, Kuhn was privy to his private thoughts about matters great and small, some of which will be surprising.

Kuhn shares never-before-told stories of how genuine President Reagan was with the cameras off towards his staff, the First Lady, visiting dignitaries, and ordinary Americans. He reveals how the President dealt with criticism while effectively executing his policy agenda, and what he really thought of world leaders such as Mikhail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher, among others. Through his first-hand experiences with President Reagan, Kuhn also demonstrates that the President was of strong mind and thoroughly engaged throughout his years in office.

For example, Kuhn recounts with vivid detail a day in 1988 when President Reagan -- a hero to anti-abortion activists -- was preparing to give the final address of his administration to participants in the March for Life on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. His encouragement of their pro-life activities defined so much of his presidency that many Americans felt he was a captive of the Religious Right on this issue.

On the way to the speech, Reagan looked worried and sad, Kuhn recalls. "What's the matter," he asked his boss, "Are you worried about the speech? You've already vetted it. And the technical equipment has been checked 1,000 times. Is there anything I can do?"

"No, Jim," Reagan replied. "It just really bothers me to tell women what they can do with their bodies. I know it's a very personal thing."

This acknowledgment, coming from a President revered by the Right as being steadfastly pro-life, is the kind of surprising detail and insight only Jim Kuhn can provide. Kuhn promises many more stories such as these, which will appeal to both ideological conservatives and "Reagan Democrats."