The first national race I participated in was in 1979.  Ronald Reagan was governor of California and I had become an avid follower.  It’s never been enough for me to do other than to “get involved” when a philosophical battle is brewing and America was in a perilous time.  In danger worldwide by Communism and weak at home with Democratic liberals in control of Congress; we had to act.  Reagan was the man to do the task of literally, in my mind, saving America.  South Carolina had become a major key battleground state.  Lee Atwater had seen to that.  Our state had become central in the “early” primaries.  If we could win here, we might very well get the nomination.

I was offered the position of Greenville Chairman for Reagan and having just been elected to City Council, it was right up my activist alley.  We set up phone banks each night as the primary drew near.  I worked the phone banks every night and after the volunteers went home, Tim Brett and I would add up the tally for the evening and call them in to Atwater.

I was given the job of putting on a must do mega event at the newly opened Haywood Mall.  It had to be a hit.  And it was.  It was a media blow out.  Carroll Campbell was the master of ceremonies.  Strom Thurmond was front row with Iris Campbell next to him.  Top contributors were on the second row and for my “well done,” I was given the seat directly behind Ronald Reagan.  I believe, that day might be one of the greatest highlights of my life because I had during that primary campaigned night and day for my hero.  And I felt certain that something for the nation of immense proportion was at stake.

We faced formidable opposition,  Governor Connally of Texas and Ambassador Bush, former Nixon Ambassador to China.  I had also been put in charge of the demonstration at the Republican County Convention.  There was an ice storm that day but winning in the Upstate was important enough that Reagan flew in anyway despite the danger.  I’m not making it up when I say that the Upstate of South Carolina was vital to the Reagan game plan.  We had to win and win big to offset other less conservative areas of the state.  The history books contain the rest of the story.

Now there was a “meeting” that took place between Ronald Reagan and me on an occasion when Reagan flew into Greenville’s Downtown Airport.  I had volunteered to drive a limo (one for the media and Reagan staff) and another limo was for Reagan and his top advisers.  The limos were pulled up on the tarmac.  The Lear Jet landed only twenty minutes late.  This was his first campaign appearance in the state and the next day he was scheduled to do news conferences in Greenville and Spartanburg.   The jet pulled up to within fifty feet of the limos.  I was standing at the door of my car.  The door opened to the Jet and the first one out was Governor Ronald Reagan.  A few of our South Carolina politicos met him as he came off the plane followed by three others.  They all stood on the tarmac and got engaged in conversation, apparently leaving “the Boss” out of the conversation.  In about one minute, Reagan turned from them and walked directly to the cars.  He was alone and coming at me!  Only ten feet away, I pointed to his car and he got in the back seat.  He was alone.  No handlers or anyone to otherwise occupy him.  This was my chance!  Alone with Ronald Reagan.  I moved.   There I was in five seconds.

“Hello Governor.  Welcome to South Carolina,” I said.

“Well, thank you,” said Reagan

So far I’d said nothing stupid. Then I went to speak some more.

“Governor, I just want to tell you that you are a hero to me and millions.  I’m completely committed to you.”

“Just remember,” said Reagan, “we’re all fighting for the cause.”

Then I got one last sentence and his famous endearing response.

I asked, “I’ve read Mr. Evans biography of your life.  Do you know of any others that have been written on you?”  That question obviously embarrassed him and evoked out of him that really charming turn of his head.

“Well…well..I don’t really know,” said Reagan.  He was actually a little embarrassed that people were writing biographies about him.

That was it.  The staff descended in an instant.  But I’d had my moment alone.  Alone with  the man who by tenacious confrontation with the evil empire, broke that empire apart.  The same man who was embarrassed at my question about biographies about his life, was the bold President who stood in Berlin and challenged the Soviet Union, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”  The point is:  “We’re fighting for the cause.”