Coincident with the new movie, "Reagan," is the release of an important new book about the Reagan presidency.
Ken Khachigian, chief speechwriter for Ronald Reagan from his presidential campaign in 1980 to the conclusion of his second term in 1988, has just published his memoirs from those years. The book, "Behind Closed Doors: In the Room with Reagan and Nixon," also includes, as noted in the title, time Khachigian worked with President Richard Nixon.
The book starts with his time in the White House at the end of the Nixon presidency and then includes the four years he worked with Nixon after his resignation.
However, most of the book, 19 of 25 chapters, is about his work with Reagan.
Nixon recommended the young man to the newly launched Reagan campaign, and soon after, Khachigian was sitting one on one with the candidate on LeaderShip 80, the airborne headquarters of the Reagan campaign, wordsmithing text for sound bites, press releases and speeches.
It........