Reagan and the Iran-Contra Affair: The Politics of Presidential Recovery

The Iran-Contra affair proved to be the deathknell for the Teflon Presidency of Ronald Reagan. Not only did the President suffer politically, his popular standing also plummeted as details of controversial covert operations in the Middle East and Central America trickled out in 1986 and 1987. Having explored the nature of American political scandal and the comparative experiences of a number of presidential administrations, Roger Busby examines the efforts of the Reagan administration to recover its standing in the twelve months following the initial exposure in Iran-Contra. The President had to concoct a plan to establish renewed political credibility in the eyes of the public and his political opponents which proved to be a difficult, dramatic and eventful process.