Ronald Reagan’s ex-deputy chief of staff, Mike Deaver, flew into London
two weeks ago for an American Chamber of Commerce briefing on the US
elections.
Deaver - now executive vice president of Edelman Public Affairs, USA -
predicted a second term for Bill Clinton with a narrowly-held Republican
Congress. No change there then.
Deaver was unstinting in his (back-handed) praise for Clinton, who he
described as America’s first Zen president: ‘he just keeps repeating the
same message over and over again’.
Asked about Reagan’s success, Deaver said he always made sure of one
thing: ‘that he was lit well’. Sterling advice for ailing Republican
candidate Bob Dole, whose gradual slide in the polls can be traced back
to January and his (unintentional) impersonation of Dr Death in a
televised reply to Clinton’s State of the Union address. Dole’s handlers
blamed poor lighting.
So where was Deaver when they needed him?
edited by Rebecca Dowman
