it’s just like Mad Men but with Roanld Reagan instead of Don Draper!

Because on this episode of This is the President, we delve into an entirely new collection of presidential recordings - the Ronald Reagan Dictaphone Library. For the kids out there, a dictaphone was a device that you’d use to record letters so your secretary would type them while you were drinking highballs with the newest steno pool employee on your lap. Except not in Reagan’s case. Maybe while Emmanuel Lewis was sitting in Nancy’s lap.

But we digress….

On the morning of March 3, 1981, a newly inagurated Ronald Reagan was recording a number of letters to supporters and well-wishers. One of these well wishers was Buddy Ebsen, better known as Jed Clampett from The Beverly Hillbillies - and a long time Republican.

But Buddy wasn’t just wishing his pal Ronald Reagan have a great presidency - no there was more on Jed Clampett’s agenda. You see, Mr. Ebsen had just produced his first big time play, “Turn to the Left.” And was inviting the President and Nancy to the opening in California.

So, what starts out as a normal letter dictated by Roanld Reagan on March 3, 1981, soon takes a turn, as we discover that shortly after writing ths letter, Reagan tried to pull a few strings for his old friend Jed.