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The President rates his economic program enacted last year as his best accomplishment so far, this despite the glum statistics that have followed. "We got ahead of inflation far faster than we thought, and then we found it created a problem for us," he says, just a bit wistfully.
The image of saber rattler obviously bothers Reagan. He clouds a bit when it is mentioned. "I realize," he says, "that some have a perception of me as being a threat to peace. But, you know, having to be with the military as much as I do, for example in the ceremonies when heads of state come, you see these young men in uniform. I've said to Nancy, 'How could anyone think that you'd want to send these young men out to be killed?' "
When he spoke of the Falklands and of Lebanon, Reagan frowned and looked toward the distant clouds. "Lebanon, particularly, is such a horrible one because of the loss of civilians. And this I don't think is ever out of my mind. This is what every day begins with—the latest cables from Habib. And, incidentally, I'm going to say in his behalf, if this encouraging situation does bear fruit, he would have been the greatest factor in it—he's tireless."
The old professional actor admits that he can still get nervous before a command performance, such as when he addressed the British Parliament. "Some audiences can do that to you," he declares. "I had that same nervousness in doing a State of the Union address before Congress. You recognize that you face a professional audience that is aware of all the same problems you are going to discuss. It is like a clergyman who is speaking to a convention of ministers. You knew the same about Parliament, that there was a group sitting there kind of saying show me."
In the second-floor family sitting room in the White House, Reagan has set up a corner with a telephone and some old furniture from California; it is his favorite haunt in his new home. There are times when he yearns for real escape. "Once in a great while," Reagan says, "you glance out the window and the people are walking around Pennsylvania Avenue and you say, 'I could never say I am going to run down to the drugstore and get some magazines.' You suddenly look out at what is so commonplace for everyone else and was for you throughout all your life and you say, 'I can't do that any more.' "