European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 1, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday january 1, t9b6 the stars and stripes Paga 17 official presidential biographer writing about Reagan by Francis x. Clines new York times e Dmund Morris is a write poised iwo ways in paper he has Theodore Roosevelt 10 imagine Well into his second term at the White House with to s decline about to begin and Hie biographer s current Roosevell volume a thai intoxicating Point of moving on its own. And irs reality Morris has Ronald Reagan to witness right Here in his own second term. The pulitzer Prio winning biographer after flirting with the idea for Lour years has just accepted extraordinary Access to watch Reagan at will in the while House for the Nel three years. In our first interview i said to the president 1 wish i had the sort of material on to i m already getting on you " Morris recalled noting that his Access extends beyond personal witness and interviews to archival documents Imd past video Laings of major private meetings. The president said Well. I m not going to ride up san Juan Hill for you " six weeks ago. The writer began studying the president s life from a close Vantage that he could Only fantasize through All the Roosevelt writing. An artfully curious Man Morris is wondering with the rest of us How the Reagan Story will Lurn Oul it s like a writer finally getting to outer space he said in describing his unusual Perch you know How you be always Felt if Only they would Send a writer up into space those other Guys come Back with such incoherent Morris s regular readers will understand How his appetite is being whetted not Only by a Giand theme the personality of Power As he says but also by the Chance to Harvest human detail. I really snarled to want to do it this Spring at the Lime of Law Zuburg episode Morr Lisaida recalling the president s controversial visit to a German cemetery to remember when the president Wai Here making that speech i got this Sharp Pang. I thought of i wish i was there. I want to see his face. I want to hear those Birds in the Trees in the cemetery and i want to see the Elf it of tha holocaust memorial on him " Morris Book win not be encumbered by any editing censorship or clearance by Reagan. He will not begin to write it. In Long hand until tha Reagan Admani stration ends. One of the dramatic things in american politics is the instant dispersal of Power at Iha moment a president leaves of tace said Morris. With each visit to the living subject Morris has been penning copious diary notes 10 hours alone As Reagan was returning from the Geneva Summit meeting. There s so much comedy and so much grotesque re at a to said hoarding the specifics with a polite smite. He likes to mix his vantages sensing that the closing Summit dinner was time Lor a stroll out from Iha Reagan inner Sanctum i Fust wanted to stand out in the tailing Snow. I love atmospherics.1 a Ufama he already has witnessed i to classic tableau of Heagin tha old radio announcer giving a presidential radio address with the precision timing of an actor. I watched his fool beating Oul the countdown 3,2, 1. The old pro ran Only two seconds Over inn 10 minutes " Morris seems Well aware of How the Reagan entourage has advanced the Art form of staging Public imagery. This is an enticement not a i real to she biographer tie Levels quoting a Henry James description of elusive Beauty a jewel Bright and hard twinkling and trembling whal seemed All depth one moment seemed All surface the i love that quote and to me it s the essence of an attractive biographical he said. The teasing Dyne la of surface and depth is served not blurred he said by such Anam lies As Reagan s reported private re endorsement Only 10 Days before the Summell meeting of his evil Empire View of the soviet Union it shows that he s not a monochromatic personality which makes him All the More interesting. Morris plans to roam the life of Ronald Reagan or the next three years from crisis Center to Hick Airport from his most private moments chopping Wood to the endless anecdotes that the writer suspects Are a Lincoln esque method of revelation. It shows that he s no a monochromatic personality which makes him All the More once his latest volume the sequel to the Rise of Theodore Roosevelt was safely in the Homestretch Morris became Etc Lively tempted by the life of Ronald Reagan. Avidly the biographer described what he has been finding the live texture of Day to Day drama. The sound of voices and tensions in the room. That sort of palpable stuff a writer needs which evaporates by the witnessing and writing the Lile of Ronald Reagan will carry Morris who i 45 years old into the next decade. But Lime is not his complaint. I m he said by the feeling of the effervescence of Erma Bombeck t o Bug of not to Bug mom on her Job that is one of the burning questions that laces youngsters with mothers who Wor outside the Home. Naturally there Are no Blanket rules be cause emergencies do arise and mom would insist on being called. But there Are a in guidelines to follow. First you must ask yourself 1 will mom drop dead when she hears this 2 can she find a Plu Noer after 5? 3 will she carry Oul her threat la move to another City and change her name1? ii you answered yes. No yes you might iry putting the incident in a proper perspective. For example u share is blood to report co Nader these questions is it yours your brother a is there a Tot a Little on the sofa Hal is no scotch Garden from a Loose baby tooth or the $30 one thai they Are is i making payments on will the bleeding Stop was in an Accident can you shut up Aboul it and pass it off As an insect bite another example1 when every my in the neighbor Hood decides your House would tin a neat place to play because Here is no adult at Home ask yourself do i want to spend my entire puberty necked in my room with no Lood and no television to 1 need Iha fiend ship of a boy who throws ice cubes at the Bird will mom notice we made confetti in her blender other situations you can be definite Aboul when a group of children decides to Wash the cat and Pul him in the dryer and wants to know what setting to use Call. When you and your brother Are Hilling and slapping Over the last soil drink and you want a High level Deci Sion on who gels it Don t Call. When a couple of men in a pickup truck Tell you your mom is having your to slip covered your silverware stored her jewelry cleaned and your id Speed bicycle oiled Call. When you Are bored and have nothing to do and just want to talk Call your father. Erma Bombeck is on vac Alan. Here is a repeat of one of her favorite columns. Cd Udo arts he time Syndicate
