Book claims real Reagan hot tempered, headstrong

Craig Shirley learned two things when writing his book about Ronald Reagan's unsuccessful 1976 campaign to take the Republican nomination away from Gerald Ford: Mr. Reagan's explosive temper in private, and the depth of his self-confidence — his "utter belief in his abilities."

Unfailingly genial and affable in public, Mr. Reagan had a rarely seen temper that could explode like a volcano. Mr. Shirley describes a conference telephone call in which Mr. Reagan gave Bill Brock, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, "unshirted hell" for refusing to release funds the California governor had raised for the national committee and wanted to use for a Panama Canal "truth squad."
...
Most younger Americans, said Mr. Shirley, who was a college junior in 1976, cannot remember the moribund state of the Republican Party after the Watergate scandal and the resignation of President Nixon. Nearly everyone agreed the party was dying.

"The Republican Party stood for nothing and antagonized everybody," he said. "Even after Nixon resigned, for two years of Gerald Ford's presidency Republican identification continued to go down from 26 percent to 18 percent...."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20050121-114915-2108r.htm

He knew him during his time as Gov of California and said the man was a great actor, and that if the people knew what he was really like they would've been shocked.

I'll never forget the way Gramps went off when Reagan first ran for president. I learned a lot of new words during that campaign :eyes:

Celebrities often craft a careful persona that is the opposite of what they really are. Call it compensation, call it whatever you want.

Not having any idea whether this is true or not, all I can say is that is smacks of accuracy. I'm not the best judge of character, but I'm pretty good with certain types, and have have to assess character on a regular basis. This guy always struck me as a supreme asshole, and in just this way. It's not the least bit surprising that he'd be egocentric, domineering and ruthless; he showed his fangs a couple of times in public.

This was a revolting human being. His legacy proves the facile idiocy of this country: hucksters and "stars" are loved for their lovability itself; life in these Unitey States truly is an endless, dark High School.

Admittedly, he's not odious to the degree of a Tom DeLay, but that's being damned by faint praise...

was the savior of the Republicans and the world.