". . . required reading for all presidents and White House aides to 
come . . . "—from the foreword by Richard E. Neustadt

What did the president know, and when did he know it? Once again, 
only a dozen years after Watergate, the nation faced these troubling 
questions. Would we see another president forced to resign or be 
impeached? Could our democracy survive another presidential 
scandal so soon? As the Iran-Contra affair unfolded, the nation 
waited tensely for answers.

    At this crucial moment, advisors to President Ronald Reagan 
called home the Ambassador to NATO, David M. Abshire, to serve 
in the cabinet as Special Counselor. His charge: to assure that a full 
investigation of the sale of arms to Iran in exchange for freeing 
American hostages and the subsequent channeling of those funds 
to Nicaraguan rebels be conducted expeditiously and transparently, 
thereby restoring the confidence of the nation in the shaken Reagan 
presidency.

    In this book, David M. Abshire for the first time reveals the full 
behind-the-scenes story of his private meetings with the president, 
how he and his team conducted this crucial process, his alliance 
with Nancy Reagan, the role of the Tower Board, and how the 
Reagan presidency was saved. Abshire's efforts helped Reagan fill 
the credibility gap created by revelation of the Iran-Contra scandal 
and thus restored the president's power to lead the nation and its 
allies toward the end of the Cold War. His unique recollections show 
the inner workings of the Reagan White House in this critical period: 
the conflicts with the powerful Chief of Staff Donald Regan, the 
politically astute First Lady, the involvement of CIA Director William 
Casey, and Reagan's triumph of personal character to overcome his 
indiscretion, a feat unmatched by Clinton or Nixon.

    Abshire's story casts new light on the episode and draws 
important lessons about how presidents should respond to unfolding 
scandals to limit the threat not only to their own reputations but also 
to national confidence in democratic institutions.

_________________________________________________________

DAVID M. ABSHIRE co-founded in 1962 and headed for many 
years the Center for Strategic and International Studies in 
Washington, D.C. He earned his Ph.D. in American history from 
Georgetown University. His extensive experience, including service 
as Assistant Secretary of State and later as NATO ambassador, 
gives him a perspective that is both unique and insightful. He is 
currently the president of the Center for the Study of the Presidency 
and also president of the Richard Lounsbery Foundation.


The Presidency and Leadership, A Joseph V. Hughes, Jr., and Holly O. 
Hughes Book


What people are saying about this book

"Given the subject matter and the time period studied, the book 
presents compelling historical value that contributes to the practical 
value of the book. Ambassador Abshire is honest about his own 
political and personal impressions, both at the time and contemporarily, 
the actions of others and uniquely, the President whom he admires."
—Political Science Quarterly, Summer 2006

"A fascinating account by an insider, who, with Nancy Reagan, 
helped Ronald Reagan rescue himself from the seminal crisis of his 
presidency."—Lou Cannon, Reagan biographer and former White 
House correspondent for The Washington Post

". . . how a great president dealt with a major challenge to his 
presidency. . .  fresh information and insights on Ronald Reagan, 
his closest advisors, and the handling of Iran-Contra."—Roger 
Porter, Harvard University