Young Alex, to the bafflement of his liberal mother and father, had grown up into a staunch conservative, fond of quoting the economist Milton Friedman (a Reagan favorite), wearing tailored suits and carrying his schoolwork in a briefcase. Keaton, the son of two aging hippie parents growing up with his two sisters-and in the final seasons, a brother-in suburban Ohio. Fox, was already well known for playing a precocious Republican teenager on one of their favorite television shows, “Family Ties,” then entering its fourth season. The Reagans were looking forward to seeing Back to the Future, maybe because its star, Michael J.
The lights dimmed, and the movie started. As always, Reagan opened the door at 7:50. It was a typically warm, muggy July evening. as usual, we gathered at the front door of Aspen at 7:45. Even though the “call time” for the movie was 8 p.m. “Yes sir,” we said almost in unison, and that was that. “I’ve been looking forward to this and want you all to come.” None of us wanted to tempt fate or tax Reagan, who was already in his mid-70s, as he continued to recover his surgery. After we landed at Camp David, we traveled in a mini-motorcade to Aspen Lodge, and just before the president entered, someone suggested that he might prefer a quiet evening off instead of inviting the rest of us over for the usual movie showing. On the helicopter with the Reagans were the president’s personal aide, Jim Kuhn, his army aide, a physician, two Secret Service agents-and me. A larger-than-usual press contingent had gathered to witness their departure.Īs Marine One took off, the feeling set in that everything was back to normal. Reagan emerged from the diplomatic entrance, he beamed-clearly happy to be on the way to a place that remained one of his favorites throughout his eight years in office. Navy who had recently been arrested and charged with having operated as a Russian spy for more than 25 years a Cabinet meeting and an interview with Hugh Sidey of Time magazine.īy the time Reagan boarded Marine One on the south grounds of the White House that Friday afternoon, he was tired and ready for a relaxing weekend. There was a state visit by Chinese President Li Xiannian meetings on a variety of topics, including the deficit and budget sanctions against South Africa the case of John Anthony Walker Jr., an officer in the U.S. Before the Camp David retreat, which was scheduled for July 26-28, 1985, the president had endured an exhausting week for someone who was recovering from such a major surgery. Just a couple of weeks earlier, the president had had major surgery to remove a cancerous growth. He thought it was essential that there be a point of contact with the chief executive at all times-someone who could act as Brady’s eyes and ears “just in case.” The idea of having someone from the press office accompany the president to Camp David was White House press secretary Jim Brady’s. The year was 1985, and, as a presidential press aide, I had become the regular companion for the president and first lady on their weekends away. Nor did I expect a mention of the president’s ex-wife, which made for one of the most awkward nights we ever shared together. What I wasn’t expecting was for that movie to yield a little insight into Reagan’s nostalgia, and the force that pulled him out of it and onward. It had been a busy week for President Ronald Reagan, and I was expecting a low-key evening watching a movie at Camp David with him and Nancy Reagan. This essay is adapted from his book Movie Nights with the Reagans, to be published by Simon & Schuster on February 27. He currently works as communications consultant in the private sector. It's such a great show for both kids & adults.Mark Weinberg is a former spokesman, adviser and speechwriter to President Ronald Reagan. I think all '80s sitcoms had those, but Family Ties pulled it off w/o being too cheesy about it. It's really sad to watch how quick and nimble he use to be the way he could jump up onto the kitchen counter in one quick motion and slide all the way across it. He had a lot of funny lines, but I've only recently noticed how much physical comedy he did as well. Micheal J Fox is very funny too, of course. I have no idea how that slipped by me! He is hilarious. (politics/ hippies) I also never realized how FUNNY Michael Gross was until I started watching it again recently. And of course, there are things that I pick up on now that I didn't when I was 10 years old. Family Ties is NOT one of those sitcoms! It's more impressive now than it was then. A lot of times, I'm disappointed because they are not near as good as I remembered, and in some cases they are just plain bad, when seen through my now-adult eyes. I often watch old sitcoms that I use to love as a kid.