Reagan: Well, He Survived

The reassuring part was not what Reagan said but how he said it

The buildup was intense, the suspense high. After four months of hiding in the White House from the storm of questions raised by Iranscam, Ronald Reagan was at last ready to brave the inquisitorial rigor of a full-scale news conference. As the hour drew close, one TV commentator likened the atmosphere to the tension before a Super Bowl kickoff. Then the President strode into the East Room of the White House and put on the kind of performance that is common enough in a real Super Bowl but quite rare for Reagan. He triumphed, as Republican Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming...

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