Simon & Schuster
October 2013
On Sale: October 1, 2013
450 pages ISBN: 1451695993 EAN: 9781451695991 Kindle: B00BSB2DBO Hardcover / e-Book Add to Wish List
TIP AND THE GIPPER is a magnificent personal history of a time when two great political opponents served together for the benefit of the country. Chris Matthews was an eyewitness to this story as a top aide to Speaker of the House Tip OโNeill, who waged a principled war of political ideals with President Reagan from 1980 to 1986. Together, the two men forged compromises that shaped Americaโs future and became one of historyโs most celebrated political pairingsโthe epitome of how ideological opposites can get things done.
When Ronald Reagan was elected to the presidency in a landslide victory over Jimmy Carter (for whom Matthews had worked as a speechwriter), Speaker OโNeill realized Americans had voted for a change. For the first time in his career, OโNeill also found himself thrust into the national spotlight as the highest-ranking leader of the Democratic Partyโthe most visible and respected challenger to President Reaganโs agenda of shrinking the government and lowering taxes.
At first, OโNeill doubted his ability to compete on the public stage with the charming Hollywood actor, whose polished speeches played well on TV, a medium OโNeill had never mastered. Over time, the burly Irishman learned how to fight the popular president on his key issues, relying on legislative craftiness, strong rhetoric, and even guerrilla theater. โAn old dog can learn new tricks,โ Tip told his staff. Of OโNeill, one of his colleagues said, โIf Martians came into the House chamber, theyโd know instantly who the leader was.โ
Meanwhile, President Reagan proved to be a much more effective and savvy leader than his rivals had ever expected, achieving major legislative victories on taxes and the federal budget. Reagan and his allies knew how to work the levers of power in Washington. After showing remarkable personal fortitude in the wake of the assassination attempt against him, Reagan never let his political differences with Democrats become personal. He was fond of the veteran Speakerโs motto that political battles ended at 6 p.m. So when he would phone OโNeill, he would say, โHello, Tip, is it after six oโclock?โ
Together, the two leaders fought over the major issues of the dayโwelfare, taxes, covert military operations, and Social Securityโbut found their way to agreements that reformed taxes, saved Social Security, and achieved their common cause of bringing peace to Northern Ireland. OโNeillโs quiet behind-the-scenes support helped Reagan forge his historic Cold Warโending bond with Mikhail Gorยญbachev. They each won some and lost some, and through it all they maintained respect for each otherโs positions and worked to advance the country rather than obstruct progress.
As Matthews notes, โThere is more than one sort of heroic behavior, and they donโt all look the same.โ Tip and the Gipper is the story of the kind of heroism we need today.
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