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A Serious White House

Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2024
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by AMAC, Robert B. Charles
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15 Comments
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Average Americans, like me, tend to know little about the White House – or that was me, before Reagan and GHW Bush. Here is what they do not tell you. Serious people change the White House, they change everything.

In 1981, 1982, and 1983, later in 1992 and 1993, I had the unexpected fortune of working in serious White Houses. As we watch the Great Wheel turn, a new president arrives, a few thoughts…

Readers come from all over but indulge me. I was a kid from rural Maine, simple. I went to public school, cut and split wood – how we heated our home. I worked hard, the expectation.

In my spare time, I liked to ski and ice fish. I never heard a big plane go over and knew everyone by first name. In a town of 500, I went to work early (12), got comfortable with it, trusted people, no hurry.

As a high school runner, the only “white shoes” I saw were sneakers. Asked about three-letter agencies, I might have sounded out the letters, and given up. We used guns, no constitutional talk.

Almost no one put signs in their yards, opinions private. We started days with the Pledge of Allegiance, Boy Scouts on Monday nights, and church school on Wednesday afternoons.

That was my world. Mom was a schoolteacher, raising four kids, determined we should learn, get ahead, and go do things, so we worked hard, tried to get our grades up, and did not want to disappoint her.

Fast forward, I finished college – which my father did not – and lightning strikes, a chance to work in the Reagan White House. My eyes were saucers. I knew how to think, read, write, do math, work hard – and was a commonsense conservative, but had no idea that was what I was.

Real Americans, those up early, glad for a job, hard work, grateful for purpose, the real thing populated Reagan’s  – and GHW Bush’s – White Houses. Some had white shoes, and “wing tips.” In time, I got black ones. I earned my own money, but they lasted, worn until worn out.

People worked hard back then, although few knew Reagan would be as iconic as he became. We were just grateful to be walking through those gates. I said to myself, “Do not forget this.” I did not.

To be honest, nothing I did was important, but I did everything the way I did it back home, like when cleaning toilets, studding up walls, building houses, mowing lawns, feeding animals – reliably.

And so did the other Reagan and Bush 41 people. They tried to do the right thing, even when wrong, pressure was high. In serious White Houses, people stay late, sometimes all night. The mission matters. It did to them, so it did to me.

I learned that people in those White Houses knew themselves, and the mission and that they had limited time to change the world, so they worked hard. They were not serving themselves.

The honor was huge and made me feel good – having worked back home for WWII vets. The attempt on Reagan’s life impaired James Brady, his press secretary, changed Reagan. His faith was obvious, focus tighter. Reagan insisted Brady retain the title, even as Larry Speakes took over.

A rube in the city does not begin to describe me, stunned but watching the kindness, decency, and integrity of both Ronald Reagan and GHW Bush, both WWII vets, gentlemen, honorable.

One day, seeing guys with skis on their shoulders come through security, as I might be headed for slopes in Maine, I remarked on this to a friend. He just looked at me, the Maine kid.

He looked at me as if crazy. “What?” I said, it was nice to see stuff I grew up with, people who liked skiing, just the way I did, who had skis over a shoulder, in a bag, obviously planning for time later.

“Bobby,” he told me, “those are not skis.” “What?” “Those are snipers, for the White House, EOB, and Treasury … Those are sniper rifles in those bags.”  Knock me over with a feather. They looked like ski bags.

On another day, I watched President Reagan help a reporter and saw him treating young people kindly. What did I learn? Honorable people do populate the White House, and do honorable things for us.

Having spent many years there later, as part of investigations, National Security Council meetings, helping Secretary Powell, talking about intelligence, honor is what it is about – for the serious.

Whether you cut wood, teach kids, fix toilets – something I did for five years – or are asked to brief a president, do it right, as you expect others to, only better. These days, also be glad we are about to get serious people back in the White House. We are there again. Thank goodness.

Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC. Robert Charles has also just released an uplifting new book, “Cherish America: Stories of Courage, Character, and Kindness” (Tower Publishing, 2024).

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Max
Max
18 days ago

RBC, it was good to read a little of your life history, how it shaped you to be who you are today. Maybe with this upcoming administration that some healing will come to the country. It will not be an easy road, but we must all get involve in our communities to bring that healing.

Leslie
Leslie
17 days ago

At least with Trump, we will know exactly who is running the country. I’m still waiting for the democrats to come up with a name of the man behind the curtain of Oz for the past 4 years. Which deep state unelected bureaucrat has been running our country into the ground?

Greasemaker~~
Greasemaker~~
17 days ago

All I have to say is it is about time.We sure gave Presikdent Trump a huge amount of work to do and a BIG ness besides! I hope he can make it and off to a good start as well!

Melinda
Melinda
17 days ago

Thank goodness is right, and not a minute too soon! I think many of us readers grew up as you did, Robert, and are grateful for having done so. I hope there’s a future generation with the same work and moral ethic. Growing up now is a whole different ball game.

Merritt
Merritt
17 days ago

As always, Mr Charles, an excellent article. Integrity and discipline would make a vast difference in our policies both foreign and domestic.

Linda
Linda
17 days ago

Thanks for sharing your story, RBC! We need more people to share their stories that are similar to yours. We grew up in a different time, where truth was valued, our word was our bond, and we always put in a full days work- honestly. I believe we will see this lifestyle and mores return. It will be rocky getting there, but we can do it! Donald J Trump is our President- Father God is the one who will save this country and turn it around. And not just the USA, but the entire world.

uncleferd
uncleferd
17 days ago

Wonderful article… with memorable observations on where we get our values.

David Millikan
David Millikan
16 days ago

Well told. There is nothing like Honorable Men. On January 20, 2025, we will have another Honorable Man back in the White House. We must teach our boys how to become Honorable Men.

Paul
Paul
17 days ago

Thank you, Robert. It is really good to remember decency, and hope (dare I say, expect) for its quick return.

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