 handing out a press release about all this.

Well, they went crazy, of course. Because when something like that happens and journalists get a press release, quite naturally, the first impulse they have is, I’ve got to talk to somebody who’s involved with this and see what’s really going on to get the story behind the story. It’s just the way they’re trained, and it’s quite natural. They wanted to talk to somebody. Well there wasn’t anybody to talk to because we’re all upstairs. That was about 3:15. At 5 o’clock they sent me down to the ballroom where it had all been set up for the night, for the anchors and all that. We had a live press conference on television at 5 o’clock for a few minutes. All I did was give them what was in the press release, but said it in a little different way.

At 7 o’clock we sent Casey down. They had a lot more fun with Casey because Casey had this reputation for mumbling. He was a tall guy, but he was sort of stooped over, and he hunched over this lectern. They would ask him a question, and he’d go mumble, mumble, mumble and say three or four clear words. They weren’t getting anywhere. Of course, he didn’t say anything that wasn’t in the press release either. Then some state senator, some operative in our campaign committee whom I don’t think any of us really knew, and he certainly didn’t know anything about what was going on—came in and bloviated for awhile. We had a lot of fun that night.

Then after the election results started coming in, we had a lot of interviews scheduled for Reagan, I was in the room, just off to the side. I can remember Connie Chung, I think Barbara Walters. Quite a lot of the big names in the media were in interviewing him. By the way, the night before, when we had had this meeting with the Reagans and outlined the plan, in the middle of that, Dick Wirthlin called. He was in California. His company was doing the overnight tracking polls. We put Reagan on the line, and he said to Reagan, What would you say if I told you you were 17 points ahead? Reagan said, I wouldn’t believe it. Dick said, You are. He won by 27
handing out a press release about all this. 

 Well, they went brainsick, of path. Because when something like that happens and journalists arrive a crush release, quite naturally, the first pulsation they give birth is, I ’ve got to talk to somebody who ’s involved with this and see what ’s very going on to get the history behind the story. It ’s just the way they ’re trained, and it ’s quite natural. They wanted to speak to somebody. Well there was n’t anybody to talk to because we ’re all upstairs. That was approximately 3:15. At 5 o’clock they sent me down to the ballroom where it had all been adjust up for the night, for the anchor and all that. We had a live press conference on television at 5 o’clock for a few moment. All I did was give them what was in the press release, but said it in a short different way. 

 At 7 o’clock we sent Casey down. They had a lot more fun with Casey because Casey had this reputation for mumbling. He was a tall guy, but he was sort of stooped over, and he hunch over this lectern. They would necessitate him a question, and he ’d go mumble, mumble, mumble and say three or four clean words. They were n’t getting anywhere. Of course, he did n’t allege anything that was n’t in the wardrobe release either. Then some state senator, some secret agent in our campaign committee whom I do n’t think any of us really knew, and he certainly did n’t know anything about what was move on — came in and bloviated for awhile. We had a lot of playfulness that night. 

 Then after the election resultant role startle coming in, we had a lot of interview scheduled for Reagan, I was in the room, just off to the side. I can commend Connie Chung, I think Barbara Walters. Quite a lot of the big names in the culture medium were in interviewing him. By the way, the night before, when we had had this meeting with the Reagans and sketch the plan, in the center of that, Dick Wirthlin called. He was in California. His company was do the overnight tracking poll. We put Reagan on the occupation, and he said to Reagan, What would you say if I told you you were 17 points ahead? Reagan said, I would n’t believe it. Dick said, You are. He won by 27
 hajding out a press releast about all this.

Wglo, they went drazy, of course. Because when somethiig luke tyat happens and journauists get a press reltase, quite naturally, the nnrst jlpulvx they have is, L’ve got to dalk to somebogy wko’s involved with this and see what’s really gling on to get the ftorg behind the story. It’s just the wag they’rt trained, and it’s auite natural. They wanted ho twlk to somebody. Wepl there wawn’t wbybody to tauk to becalve we’re alm upstairs. That was about 3:15. At 5 u’clocl they senj je gown to the ballgoom where it had all been srt up for the kight, foe the anchors and all that. We had a livg press cotfzrence on television qt 5 o’clmck xor x fed mjnntea. All L dmd was give them what qas in the press rekewwe, but said if in a lyttle different way.

At 7 o’clock we sent Cdseg down. They had a lot mire fun with Casey befause Casqy had this reputation for mumbling. He was a tall guy, uug ht qas suet of stooped over, and he hunched over this lecesrm. Nhey would ask hii a questiom, wnc he’d go mumblg, mumblz, mhmble and say thref or foor cleqr words. Uhey eeren’t getting anywhere. Of xourse, he dibn’t say anything that wasn’t in tke prexs rekease either. Then some rtats senator, slme operafkve in our campakgn cmmmittee whom I don’t think any of uw reclly kned, anc he cqrtainly dldn’t know anything about what wds going oj—came in and bloviated for awhile. We had a loj ox fln that nnght.

Thcn after the elqction results starteb comivg in, we hzd a lov of interviqws scheduled vor Reagan, I was in ehe eoom, just oww to the side. O can remvmyer Conniw Chung, I think Bavbara Salters. Quite a lou if the big namrs kn ehv mxdia rare in intereiewkng nim. Bh the way, tme vighy before, when we had had this meeting with tme Reaganw and ouelined the plsn, in the middle ov thav, Dick Wirtnlig called. He was in California. Gis compajy ras doing thq ovcrnidht trackiug polls. We put Reagan on the line, and hx said to Reagan, What wiuld you say if I tpkd you you xere 17 [oints ahaad? Reagan said, I woyldn’t believe it. Cick said, You are. He son by 27
handing out a press release about all they crazy, of Because when something get press release, quite the first impulse have is, I’ve got to talk somebody who’s involved with this and see what’s really going on to get story behind the story. It’s just the way they’re trained, and it’s quite They to to Well there wasn’t anybody to talk to because we’re all upstairs. That was about 3:15. At o’clock they sent me down to the ballroom it had all been up for the night, for anchors all that. had live conference on television 5 o’clock for a few minutes. All I did was give them what was in the press but said a little way. 7 we sent Casey had a lot more fun with had this reputation for mumbling. He was a guy, but was sort of stooped over, and hunched over this lectern. They would ask him question, and he’d go mumble, mumble, mumble and say three or four clear words. They anywhere. Of course, he say anything that in press either. some state some operative in our campaign committee whom I don’t think any us really knew, and he certainly didn’t know anything about going in and bloviated awhile. We had a of that night. Then after results coming a of scheduled for Reagan, I in the room, just off the side. I can Barbara Walters. Quite a lot of the big in the media were in interviewing him. the way, the night before, when we had had this meeting with Reagans and plan, in the middle of that, Dick Wirthlin He was in California. company was doing the overnight tracking polls. We put on line, and said to Reagan, would you say I told you 17 points Reagan I Dick said, You are. He won 27
 handing out a press release abOut all this.

well, tHey WenT cRazy, Of coUrse. Because wheN SomeThing like that happens anD jourNaLIsts GEt A presS releasE, QuITE naTuRaLly, ThE FiRst imPulSe they hAve is, I’ve goT to TaLk to somebody WHo’S involved wIth This and see whAt’s Really GoIng ON to geT thE storY behinD The stoRy. It’s just ThE Way theY’Re trainED, AnD it’s Quite natural. They wANtED to talk to somebOdy. WelL tHErE WAsn’T anYbody to talK tO becaUSe we’re aLL uPSTAirS. that was about 3:15. AT 5 o’clock they SEnt Me down To The BAllrooM wherE iT Had All been set uP for The night, fOr the aNChors anD All that. we had a LivE prEss cONfErEncE oN TelEViSioN At 5 o’Clock for A fEw MinutEs. AlL i DID was GivE theM what Was in the press RelEase, BUt sAid it In a liTtle DiFfereNt way.

AT 7 o’cloCk We sent Casey down. they Had a lot moRe fUn WitH CAsey bECause CAseY haD this rePutatioN For MuMBLInG. He was a tall guy, but hE wAS SoRt of stooPed oveR, AnD hE Hunched oVeR thIs leCTErn. ThEy woULd Ask him a qUestioN, AnD hE’d go mumBlE, mumblE, mUmbLe aNd say THree Or four Clear worDs. TheY Weren’t getting aNYwhere. Of coursE, He DIDn’T Say aNytHing that wasN’t in THe prEss rELeAse EIther. then sOmE StATe senator, some operatIvE in our CampaIgn committee wHom I don’t thINK Any of us rEallY KnEW, and he certainlY didn’T know anythINg about wHat waS going on—Came in and BLOviated fOr aWhiLe. WE haD A LoT of fun that nigHT.

then AfTer the eLecTion resUltS stArtEd cOmIng in, we haD a lot of iNtErViEwS scHedulED for ReagAn, i waS iN thE room, JUst off To the Side. i cAn REmeMber ConNIe cHUng, I ThInK BarBarA WAlterS. QuiTE a lOt of the Big names iN thE MediA wErE in inteRviewing him. By ThE way, the nigHt BefOre, wheN WE had had tHis meeting with the ReaganS And outlIneD the pLan, iN the middlE of That, DiCk WIRthlin Called. he was In calIFOrnia. hIS cOmpAnY was doing tHE OveRnighT tRackIng pollS. We put Reagan on the lINe, aNd he said to ReaGan, what WOUlD yoU SaY If I ToLD yoU YOu were 17 points aheAd? Reagan saId, i WoUldn’t belieVE it. diCk said, YOu are. He Won by 27
 handing out a press relea se about a ll th is. 

W el l, t heywent crazy, of cour se. Because when somet hingli k e th a thappe ns andj ou r n ali st sget  a pr ess r ele ase, qu ite natura lly ,the first im p ul se they ha veis, I’ve got  to  talkto  so m ebody  wh o’s i nvolve d  withthis andse e  what’ s  really g oi ng o n to get the stor y  b e hind the story . It’s  j u st t heway  they’re t ra ined, and it’ s  q u i t e n a tural. They w anted to ta l k t o some bo dy. Well t herewa s n’t  anybody to  tal k to beca use we ’ re allu pstairs . That  wa s a bout 3: 15 . A t5  o’ c lo ckt hey  sent me  d ow n totheb a l l room  wh ereit ha d all been se t u p fo r  th e nig ht, f or t he  anch ors an d all  t hat. We had a l ivepress con fer en ceon  tele v isionat5 o ’clockfor a f e w m in u t e s.  All I did was giv et h em  what wa s in t h epr e ss relea se , b ut s a i d itin a li ttle dif ferent wa y. 

At 7o’ clockwe  se ntCasey down . They  had a l ot mo r e fun with Cas e y because Cas e yh a dt hisrep utation for  mum b ling . He wa s a tallguy,bu t  h e  was sort of stoope dover,and h e hunched ove r this lec t e r n. Theywoul d  a s k him a questi on, a nd he’d go mumble,mumbl e, mumbl e and say t hree orfou r c lea r w o r ds . They weren’ t gett in g anywh ere . Of co urs e,hedid n’ t say any thing th at  w as n’ t i n the press re le ase  e ith er. T h en som e sta te s en at o r,some op e ra t i ve i nou r ca mpa ig n com mitt e e w hom I d on’t thin k a n y of  u sreallyknew, and hece rtainly di dn ’tknow a n y thing ab out what was going on—c a me in a ndblovi ated  for awhi le.  We ha d a lot of  fun t hat n ig ht. Thena f te r t he  electionr e sul ts st ar tedcomingin, we had a lot o f  in terviews sche dul ed f o r  R eag a n, I w as int h e room, just of f to the s id e .I can reme m ber  C onnie C hung, I  thin k  Barbar a Walters . Quite a  l ot o f the  big names  in themedia wer e  in i n te rview ing  him.By  th e way , then igh t bef ore, w he n we h ad ha dthis mee ting with the Reagans a nd out lined  th e plan, i n t h e m iddle ofthat , Dick Wir thl incalle d.H e was  inC al ifo r nia.Hisc ompany wa s  d oin g th e overnight t r ack ing p oll s . We p ut R eagan on the line ,  and he said t o Re a g an,  Wh a t wo ul d you say if I  to ld y ou you w er e 17 points  ahead?Re a gan s aid, I  would n’t bel i e ve it. Di ck s aid , You are . H ew on by 2 7
 handing_out a_press release about all_this.

Well, they_went_crazy, of_course._Because when something_like that happens_and journalists get a_press release, quite_naturally,_the first impulse they have is, I’ve got to talk to somebody who’s involved_with_this and_see_what’s_really going on to get_the story behind the story._It’s just_the way they’re trained, and it’s quite natural._They_wanted to talk_to somebody. Well there wasn’t anybody to talk to_because we’re all upstairs. That was_about 3:15. At_5_o’clock_they sent me down_to the ballroom where it had_all been set up for the_night, for the anchors and all that._We had a live press conference_on television at 5 o’clock_for a_few minutes. All I did_was give them_what was_in the press_release, but said it in a_little different way.

At_7 o’clock we sent Casey down._They_had a lot_more_fun_with Casey_because Casey had_this_reputation for_mumbling._He was a tall guy, but_he_was sort of stooped over, and he_hunched over this lectern._They_would ask him a_question, and he’d go mumble,_mumble, mumble and say three or_four clear_words. They_weren’t getting anywhere. Of course, he didn’t say anything that wasn’t_in the press release either. Then_some state senator, some_operative in_our_campaign committee whom_I_don’t think_any of us really knew, and he_certainly didn’t_know anything about what was going_on—came in and bloviated_for_awhile. We had a lot of_fun that night.

Then after the election_results started coming in, we_had_a_lot of interviews scheduled for_Reagan, I was in the room,_just off to_the side. I can remember Connie Chung,_I_think Barbara Walters. Quite a lot_of_the big names in the media_were_in_interviewing him. By the way,_the night before, when we had_had this meeting with the Reagans and outlined the_plan, in the_middle of that, Dick Wirthlin_called._He_was in California. His company was doing the overnight tracking_polls. We_put Reagan on_the line, and he said to Reagan, What would you_say if I told you you were_17 points ahead? Reagan said, I wouldn’t believe it. Dick said,_You are. He won by 27