<p>Ronald Reagan is an interesting case. Elizabeth Drew, who would never be accused of liking him, always maintained that he was far more intelligent than he appeared, and much more controlling of what happened in his administration. Basically, she described him as intelligent and evil, not – the popular left image – stupid, doddering, and manipulated by evil advisors.</p>
<p>There was a hilarious Saturday Night Live skit based around that view once, in which Reagan dressed down incompetent subordinates and went through complicated regressions, but became slow-witted and avuncular when a boy scout troop turned up to see the Oval Office.</p>