Posted by
Karen Spencer on Saturday, November 04, 2006 9:58:22 PM
In 1990, President Reagan decided he wanted to help Pete Wilson win the California Governorship. I was asked by his office to plan the events and escort the President. Little did we know that 1990 would be President Reagan’s last trip on the campaign trail. I wanted to share a couple of the experiences here.
My Dad, Stu Spencer, and I visited President Reagan in his Century City office to make plans. I remember two points vividly. The first point, President Reagan was showing me paintings of his ranch. One painting showed the split rail fencing that he had split himself. The President was quite irritated with the painting because they had painted the rails in the wrong order. He made quite a point as how exactly those rails fit together. The second point was when I asked President Reagan how he enjoyed living in California again. The President paused and looked at me as though I had lost my mind. I waited and watched him search for just the right words. And they were the right words. He said: Karen, One does not live in California, California is a way of life.
We went onto the campaign trail. To Garden Grove, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, and Mission Viego. In Rancho Cucamonga we went into a small restaurant where I thought the waiters would faint at the sight of President Reagan. We waited one hour for our food. The food arrived on platters, not plates. During that time, President Reagan and I talked about the importance of voting. He was going to a phone bank from that restaurant. And he was very exciting about making phone calls. President Reagan just did not understand why anyone would not exercise their right to vote. It was their responsibility. It gave them freedom. It gave them opportunity. It was a wonderful discussion.
When we arrived at Mission Viejo, he landed by helicopter next to a middle school. When that helicopter landed, those kids broke loose from that school and mobbed President Reagan. I thought the Secret Service was going to faint this time. However, I never saw so much love from young people towards a man in his late 70s. Those kids just loved President Reagan. They just wanted to touch him. And President Reagan was so touched.
When I left Mission Viejo, I never saw President Reagan again. However, these memories, among so many others, are wonderful. I wanted to share them at this election time.