In the Room with Reagan and Nixon

·57 min·5 clips

Ken Kachigian exposes how Watergate prosecutors and Judge Sirica rigged the entire legal process against Nixon.

Steve Hayward hosts this special bonus episode of The Ricochet Podcast, joined by Peter Robinson and guest Ken Kachigian. Kachigian worked in the Nixon White House and later served Ronald Reagan at key moments throughout his presidency. He explains why he waited decades to write his memoir, citing his busy law practice and political campaigns. Kachigian presents revisionist perspectives on Watergate, citing Jeff Shepard's research about judicial corruption involving Judge Sirica and prosecutors Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski. He strongly refutes claims about Ronald Reagan's cognitive decline during his presidency, providing eyewitness testimony from his work with Reagan in 1988. The discussion explores Pat Buchanan's political foresight and his role as Kachigian's mentor. Kachigian compares Nixon and Reagan's different approaches to politics, with Nixon being more tactical and Reagan more philosophical. He reveals his secret role as a conduit between Nixon and Reagan during the 1980 campaign, involving clandestine meetings and coded communications. Kachigian discusses his unique relationship with both Reagans, including tense moments caught between their disagreements. The conversation covers speechwriting dynamics, including how neither Nixon nor Reagan used teleprompters. Kachigian analyzes contemporary politics, comparing Trump's challenges to those faced by Nixon and Reagan. The episode concludes with discussion about California's political problems and whether national renewal is possible today.

As heard by us

A memoir conversation traces Kachigian's go-between role for Nixon and Reagan when the political risks were hard to ignore.

The Ricochet Podcast bonus hour uses Ken Kachigian's memoir to revisit the private channel between Richard Nixon and Reagan. Steve Hayward begins with the long delay behind the book, then steers toward its more distinctive material: a memoir shaped partly by diary entries and by…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want the concealed political channel between Nixon, Reagan, and the 1980 campaign?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from The Ricochet Podcast