Killing Reagan by Bill O'Reilly Page A

those names, even if it means firing men who have long been loyal to him. Just today, he accepted the resignations of three key members of his administration for their role in the Watergate fiasco and fired another. 5
    The phone rings.
    â€œGovernor Reagan on the line,” a White House operator tells Nixon.
    â€œHello,” Nixon responds coldly. Nixon has a famously low tolerance for alcohol and gets drunk quickly. Tonight is no exception.
    â€œMr. President?” says Reagan.
    â€œHello, Ron. How are you?” Nixon replies in a booming voice.
    Reagan’s is a courtesy call, one Republican to another. But in truth, the two men are battling for control of their party. Nixon is threatened by Reagan’s popularity and his brand of staunch conservatism. He is vehemently opposed to the idea of Reagan succeeding him as president and has hand-picked former Texas governor John Connally as the man he will back for the Republican presidential nomination in 1976. Knowing this, Connally is preparing to switch over from the Democratic Party.
    â€œJust fine and how are you?” Reagan responds. His words ring hollow because both men know that Nixon is in trouble. Earlier this evening, Nixon went on national television and lied to the American public, telling the country that he had nothing to do with Watergate. Furthermore, Nixon insisted he would be relentless in finding who was responsible.
    â€œCouldn’t be better,” Richard Nixon says bitterly, then he immediately changes the subject. “You must have—the time is so far different. You’re about only seven o’clock, or eight o’clock there.”
    â€œYes. Yes,” Reagan says.
    â€œHow nice of you to call.” Again Nixon’s voice is tinged with sarcasm. In his drunken state, he has a hard time hiding his loathing for Reagan.
    â€œWell, I want you to know we watched,” Reagan tells Nixon. “And my heart was with you. I know what this must have been, and all these days and what you’ve been through, and I just wanted you to know that, uh, for whatever it’s worth, I’m still behind you. You can count on us. We’re still behind you out here, and I want you to know you’re in our prayers.”
    â€œHow nice of you to say that,” Nixon answers. He is determined to change the subject again. “Well, let me tell you this. That we can be—each of us has a different religion, you know, but goddammit, Ron, we have got to build peace in the world and that’s what I’m working on. I want you to know I so appreciate your calling and give my love to Nancy. How—how’d you ever marry such a pretty girl? My God!”
    Nixon is being disingenuous. He has confided to his staff that “Nancy Reagan’s a bitch. A demanding one. And he listens to her.”
    Ronald Reagan knows none of this. “Well, I’m just lucky,” he says, chuckling.
    â€œYou’re lucky. Well, I was lucky.”
    â€œYes. Yes. You were.”
    â€œHow nice of you to call. You, you thought it was the right speech though?”
    â€œI did. Very much so. Yes.”
    â€œHad to say it. Had to say it.”
    â€œYeah. I know how difficult it was. And I know what it must be with the fellas having to do what they did. And they—”
    Nixon cuts him off. “That’s right. They had to get out.”
    â€œAnd I can understand—”
    Again, Nixon interrupts to change the subject. “Right? Where are you at now? Are you in Sacramento?”
    â€œNo. Los Angeles.”
    â€œHa, ha. Good for you to get out of that miserable city.”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œRight. Rod,” Nixon says, unintentionally mangling Reagan’s name. “Damn nice of you to call.”
    â€œWell—”
    â€œOK.”
    â€œThis too shall pass,” Reagan says, trying to console the president.
    â€œEverything passes. Thank you.”
    â€œYou bet. Give our best