Remembering Lyn Nofziger

It is hard to believe it is almost five years (March 27, 2006) since Ronald Reagan aide Lyn Nofziger passed away.

Matt Lewis & The News posted a tribute to Nofziger today in commemoration.

In it, Lewis wrote:

Nofziger, the rumpled old reporter turned Reagan aide, was the man who addressed the press – and kept Americans calm – after the assassination attempt on President Reagan (Reagan’s press secretary, James Brady, was shot in the attempt).

I remember those times. I also sent Nofziger a letter thanking him for the job he did during those hectic hours following the shooting of President Reagan. Somewhere in my file cabinet, I have the reply letter from Nofziger (on White House stationery) thanking me for mine.

Lewis posted a collection (or, "greatest hits" as Lewis called them) of Nofziger's quotes in his article.

There is one Nofziger "greatest hit" that I witnessed and remember with fondness.

It happened during the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri when former Governor Reagan challenged President Gerald Ford for the GOP presidential nomination. Every morning during the convention, the California Delegation (I was a California Delegate at age 22) would hold a delegation meeting for strategy and information from the officials of the Citizens For Reagan campaign as we were the home delegation for Reagan.

Above, Ronald Reagan with the California Delegation at the 1976 Republican National Convention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At one meeting, Nofziger was addressing the delegation and during the question and answer portion, he was asked, "What should our demeanor be towards the Ford people?"

Without missing a beat, Nofziger replied, "Da meaner, da better!" The whole delegation broke out in laughter.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2011/03/25/lyn-nofziger-a-reagan-aide-remembered/#ixzz1HeeIb7a7