Author and speechwriter Ken Khachigian joined guest host Richard Syrett (Twitter) to discuss his days working with former Presidents Reagan and Nixon. Khachigian recounted the intense emotions he felt after hearing the audio recording Richard played of the 1981 assassination attempt on Reagan, describing it as sending tingles down his spine. He explained how his day began with a senior staff meeting, during which he assigned a speech to a rookie writer due to his heavy workload. Reagan, deeply involved in the speech's preparation, called him multiple times to verify details before heading to the event. Khachigian, exhausted, decided to take a break and delegated the event attendance to the rookie writer. This decision proved to be life-altering, as he would have otherwise been in the motorcade where White House Press Secretary Jim Brady was shot.
Khachigian revealed how the assassination attempt affected Reagan personally and politically. Reagan later revealed that he felt an angel was watching over him and that whatever time he had left belonged to God. This near-death experience shifted his perspective, prompting him to write a letter to the Soviet Premier urging for changes in their relationship. Khachigian shed light on Reagan's humor during his recovery, emphasizing that his iconic quips in the hospital—such as "Honey, I forgot to duck" and jokingly asking the doctors if they were Republicans—were entirely genuine and not scripted by his team. However, when Reagan later addressed Congress, Khachigian admitted that they deliberately infused humor into the speech to capitalize on public sentiment and reinforce Reagan's image of resilience.
Khachigian provided his insider's view of Reagan's 1980 campaign, revealing that contrary to popular belief, it was not an easy victory. The campaign faced significant struggles in early October due to constant protests over the Equal Rights Amendment and a controversial remark Reagan made about trees causing pollution. Khachigian detailed how, behind the scenes, Nixon secretly advised Reagan, cautioning that economic issues, not foreign policy, should be the campaign's primary focus. He also reflected on one of the hardest speeches he had to write—the remarks at Bergen-Belsen following the Bitburg controversy. With Reagan wrongly accused of insensitivity towards the Holocaust, Khachigian had to craft a speech that was both powerful and redemptive. He credited his Armenian heritage and his father's experience as a genocide survivor as an emotional source of inspiration. The speech later considered one of Reagan's finest, lifted a massive burden from the president's shoulders and restored his image.
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Open Lines followed in the latter half of the program. Bill from Florida argued that the moon produces its own "cold light" rather than simply reflecting sunlight. He claimed that an experiment with a thermometer shows temperature differences between direct moonlight and shaded areas, suggesting that moonlight cools rather than warms. Bill insisted that repeated tests confirm this phenomenon and referenced scripture to support the idea that the moon generates its distinct light. Despite pushback from Richard, Bill maintained that moonlight is fundamentally different from sunlight, reinforcing his belief that it emits its cold illumination.
Natalia in Pennsylvania recounted a fascinating story about her mother's black cat, which has started vocalizing words like "hello" and "I love you." She described the unusual behavior of her pets, including a dog that frequently barks at seemingly empty corners and a highly intuitive second cat. Natalia speculated that the talking cat might be more than just an ordinary pet, possibly even part alien. Despite initially being startled by the bizarre feline behavior, Natalia said she finds the experience intriguing and continues to interact with the cat.
Kathy from New York shared her long history of experiencing shadow figures, which she has encountered since the 1980s. Kathy described seeing black shadows and transparent silhouettes, including an instance in a church where she saw ghostly legs running by. She also noted that her gray and white cat often reacts to unseen entities, sometimes alerting her to their presence. While she can usually see these figures herself, she feels uneasy when her cat senses something that she cannot perceive. Kathy acknowledged that others may dismiss her experiences but finds comfort in her pet's awareness and protection.