Gary Condit: “Whether you are liberal or conservative, Democratic or Republican, from California or elsewhere in the country--you…”

“Whether you are liberal or conservative, Democratic or Republican, from California or elsewhere in the country--you always knew where Ronald Reagan stood on any important issue. One of his greatest achievements was restoring to our people a sense of the greatness of America. He was honest, he was forthright, he did not quibble and he was bold. I have always been convinced our hostages were freed from Iran as Reagan took the oath of office because the President had described in great detail his contempt for the Ayatollah's regime. The Government of Iran knew, when Reagan described them as Barbarians, our new President would act if the hostages were not freed. They came home within hours of his oath of office. Reagan never suffered from a lack of 'the vision thing.' In large measure, the end of the cold war is the result of his steadfastness and courage in difficult times. In a statement in 1976 on nuclear war, he articulated his goal for all of us: 'Those . . . a hundred years from now will know whether those missiles were fired.'”