HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_017460.jpg

4.2.12
WC: 191694

Ronald Reagan slept on my shoulder

I was flying back from Washington, DC on Eastern Airlines. I was seated in first class and the aisle seat next to me was empty. A minute before the door closed, Ronald Regan was escorted onto the plane and seated next to me. He had just completed his terms as governor of CA and had not yet announced his candidacy for President of the US. His security people seated him and then left him to fly alone to Boston where he was to be met by other security people.

As soon as he sat down, he introduced himself and asked me if I lived in Boston. I introduced myself and told him yes. He then asked me if I was a friend of Senator Ted Kennedy. I told him I was. He said, “great American. Nice man.”

We spent the next 15 minutes or so chatting about Boston politics. I told him I knew Jerry Brown from law school and he said, “Great American.” We continued the talk until the plane reached its flying altitude. At that point, practically in mid sentence, Regan simply dozed off and his head landed on my shoulder, where it remained for the rest of the trip. When the pilot announced that we were approaching Boston, Regan immediately woke up and continued the conversation as if there had been no interruption. He offered me a ride downtown, to the hotel where he was speaking, but I told him I had my car at the airport. He was absolutely charming, but I had absolutely no thought that he might someday become the President of the United States.

373
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_017460