He was a professional politician: he spoke a language that Nixon understood. As Secretary of Defense, Laird knew his subject thoroughly before he took office. Remaining influential in the Congress, Laird could be ignored by the President only at serious risk. While his maneuvers were often as byzantine as those of Nixon, he accomplished with verve and surprising good will what Nixon performed with grim determination and inward resentment. Laird liked to win, but unlike Nixon, derived no great pleasure from seeing someone else lose. There was about him a buoyancy and a rascally good humor that made working with him...
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