Tip and the Gipper

The New York Times bestseller about the historic dealings between Ronald Reagan and Tip ONeillA superb tribute to the neglected art of compromise (Daily News (New York)).Tip and the Gipper is an entertaining and insightful (The Wall Street Journal) 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 top aide to Speaker of the House Tip ONeill, who waged a principled war of political ideals with President Ronald Reagan from 1980 to 1986. Together, the two men became one of historys most celebrated political pairingsthe epitome of how ideological opposites can get things done. When Reagan was elected to the presidency in a landslide victory over Jimmy Carter, Speaker ONeill was thrust into the national spotlight as the highest-ranking leader of the Democratic Partythe most visible and respected challenger to President Reagans agenda of cutting the size of government programs and lowering tax rates. Together, the two leaders fought over the major issues of the daywelfare, taxes, covert military operations, and social securitybut found their way to agreements that reformed taxes, saved Social Security, and, their common cause, set a course toward peace in Northern Ireland. Through it all they maintained respect for each others positions and worked to advance the country rather than obstruct progress. At the time of congressional gridlock, Tip and the Gipper stands as model behavior worthy of study by journalists, academics, and students of the political process for years to come. This book is an invitation to join Tip and the Gipper in tall tales about how grand it was in the old country (The Washington Post).