Nofziger

This is a behind the scenes look at politics during the Nixon and Reagan administrations. Serving President Reagan since 1966, Mr. Nofziger's account is unique. (Most Reagan authors never knew the President before his days as California's governor). In addition to giving you lots of Reagan info, this book is loaded with tips that campaign professionals ought to know. He talks a lot about "handling" the candidate. For example, anyone who has run a campaign knows it's difficult to convince the candidate to stay on message and "spin" their way out of tough interviews. Nofziger addresses this common lament: "Most candidates have a compulsive urge to answer a question. It was my job...to keep the candidate and the campaign on track. Otherwise, the other guy wins."

Lyn Nofziger was part of Ronald Reagan's hard-core conservative inner-circle since before the time Reagan was governor of California. In this book, Nofziger provides historical insights that help us understand the Reagan we knew; as well as to reveal to us a side of Reagan we never knew. Nofziger writes about the good times as well as the bad and shows how the Reagan Team bonded and evolved over the years. It's a fascinating recollection from a man who not only was there, but who knew Reagan intimately. Nofziger's memoirs provide the reader with a greater insight and appreciation for the man we called The Gipper. The end of the book is somewhat disheartening as it reveals the demise of the inner-circle during Reagan's second term as President. As someone with a romantic view of the Reagan Era, it was eye-opening to discover how badly the Reagan Revolution was undermined from within. But, you have to be willing to accept the good with the bad. And this book will most definitely give you both. A must read for all Reagan fans. Oh, and Nofziger is as funny as hell.

Nofziger is not the hilarious donnybrook that Ed Rollins' book covering the same eras is, but it's more circumspect, more low-key, and less emotional. But it's emotional enough, and it's occasionally very funny too. Especially valuable is the inside information on Reagan's unsuccessful 1976 run. Like Rollins, Nofziger believes that Reagan's executive style of management (i.e. knowing his place) was a great strength, but his remoteness and inattention to detail also led to the appointment of the people (Baker in particular) who undermined his conservative philosophy and shunted his key advisers (e.g. Meese). This directly led to the ineffective second term and the Bush years. Thus the "revolution" was largely DOA. Nofziger is one of the good guys in politics. Honest and not self-aggrandizing. If only there were more of him in Washington. He maintains a site out at lynnofziger.com.