1. This ignores the political context (Reagan'd won 49 states in 84, approval > 60 Election Dayl 86), Cold War context (Reagan'd had 2 summits w/Gorby, was winning decades-long fight vs Communism, not trying a new direction), & how well North played on TV.https://twitter.com/jbouie/status/1111313414964609027 …
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2. Also "what he saw as the spread of communism in Central America" is quite a touch. (Column also curiously omits a more recent example of brazening through scandal. But you know that one.)
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3. Anyway, the legal fight in Iran-Contra was at bottom a separation of powers fight over control of foreign policy. A very, very different setting from the current controversy. You can't separate the outcome from the contest for public support for Reagan foreign policy.
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Replying to @baseballcrank
Also when the point man in the whole mess is a guy with a chest full of combat ribbons reminding viewers how this about fighting communism, that doesn’t hurt either.
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Replying to @baseballcrank
Ah, missed the north on tv bit. But yeah- definitely helped to have him as the face of it
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Arthur Liman was a tremendous lawyer, but Ollie ate him for lunch. And guys like Hyde & Hatch didn't just say "no scandal," they aggressively defended the policy.
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