With Reagan: The Inside Story
One's reading of this will likely be determined by one's political orientation, for the former attorney general pulls out all the stops here: he contends that President Reagan not only led the longest peacetime period of economic expansion in the history of our nation, but also spearheaded the cause of liberty to an unprecedented victory over the forces of oppression. Meese's stated purpose in writing the book is to counter the "blatant attempt to distort the impact of Reagan's leadership and to derogate or deny his accomplishments." Prominent among the latter, in his view, were fighting inflation, rebuilding America's defenses, reducing taxes, and almost singlehandedly winning the Cold War. Meese presents an arguable explanation of the Iran-Contra affair, maintaining that the administration was guilty of "bad procedure" but not illegality. He reports that Reagan and Vice President Bush were "shocked and surprised" when Meese informed them of the diversion of funds to the Contras. Serious mistakes were made, he allows, by men who in their zeal to advance legitimate national interests took steps that were both unauthorized and unwise. Photos.Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.