At Ronald Reagan’s beloved California ranch, Rancho del Cielo, the president forbade any discussion of politics. His wife Nancy also irritated ranch workers by being “stingy” with dinner portions, a biographer recently revealed.
Reagan’s ranch home, set amid 1,600 lush acres in the hills near Santa Barbara, was his favorite place in the world.
After moving into the White House on January 20, 1981, the former California governor found his new living environment too sheltered, describing it as a “bird-in-a-gilded-cage” sense of isolation.
As soon as the opportunity arose, the president left Washington for his 1,500-square-foot ranch, where he could ride horses and do physical labor.
At Ronald Reagan’s beloved California ranch, Rancho del Cielo, the president forbade any discussion of politics, and his wife Nancy irritated ranch workers by being “stingy” with dinner portions, a biographer recently revealed.
When the opportunity arose, the president would leave Washington for his 1,500-square-foot ranch, where he could ride horses and do manual labor.
Biographer Max Boot revealed that ‘the Gipper’ had certain rules at the ranch. One of them was that it was absolutely forbidden to talk about politics.
As Reagan performed routine ranch duties—chopping firewood, mending fences, pruning trees, clearing brush—he was accompanied by two friends, Barney Barnett and Dennis LeBlanc.
When Boot asked about his time as an aide to the president, LeBlanc, who was 35 in 1981, said the former California governor did not tolerate discussions of politics.
“No politics,” LeBlanc told Boot, who had adapted an excerpt from his forthcoming Reagan biography for an article in the Wall Street Journal.
“We just talked about ranch stuff and family stuff,” LeBlanc added.
While at the ranch, “the Gipper” had certain rules and one of them was that discussing politics was outright forbidden, biographer Max Boot revealed
After moving into the White House on January 20, 1981, the former California governor found his new abode too sheltered, describing it as a “bird-in-a-gilded-cage” sense of isolation.
But the three men also found it fine to spend time in silence, while they worked diligently.
At the end of the day they were dead tired from their work. When they went home to eat, they were starving.
“Man, I could eat a whole house,” LeBlanc told Boot.
Nancy Reagan, however, never cooked and limited the amount of food Ann Allman, the housekeeper, could serve. The menu was “stingy.”
“The petite first lady watched her figure (she was a size 10) and made sure ‘Ronnie’ did too,” Boot wrote in the Wall Street Journal.
“The petite first lady watched her figure (she was a size 10) and made sure ‘Ronnie’ did too,” Boot wrote in the Wall Street Journal
Despite the grandeur of the surroundings, the interior of the house was austere
“There was only one plate of food per person and the men got up almost as hungry as when they sat down,” he continued.
However, President Reagan never protested or complained. After dinner, they all went to the living room to watch television.
After their performance ended, Barnett and LeBlanc left the house and “if they were lucky, the housekeeper would sneak them some cookies to take back to their trailer,” Boot wrote.
Despite the grandeur of its surroundings, the interior of the house was austere, furnished with Formica countertops and furniture that looked “as if it had come from a flea market.”
However, Nancy Reagan never cooked and limited the amount of food Ann Allman, the housekeeper, could serve. The menu was ‘stingy’
When Reagan was elected president, the house became known as the “Western White House” and a helipad and housing for Secret Service agents were added
When Reagan was elected president, the house became known as the “Western White House,” and a helicopter pad and housing for Secret Service agents were added.
Because the former governor was so fond of horseback riding, the Secret Service had to establish a “riding school” for its agents so they could accompany him.
When the president left on horseback, “a Humvee trailed behind him with Secret Service agents, a doctor, [and] “A military assistant with the nuclear football,” Boot explained.
The biographer also revealed that Reagan’s ranch hands were not afraid to disagree with him.
Barnett, who LeBlanc called the president’s “best friend,” didn’t beat around the bush.
“He was the only one I knew who could say, ‘Damn it, governor, this can’t be done’ when it came to building something if the governor didn’t do it right,” LeBlanc said.
While Reagan often socialized with the world’s most powerful people and elite, Boot admitted he preferred the humble company of his ranch hands.
LeBlanc told Boot that the president preferred to sweat and be “one of the guys” over formal events
“They were, in my opinion, his best friends,” Kathy Osborne, Reagan’s longtime secretary, told the biographer.
LeBlanc told Boot that the president preferred to get sweaty and be “one of the boys” rather than attend formal events.
“No matter what day it was, we were always cutting or building something. He didn’t have any other down-to-earth, working, dirty friends,” LeBlanc said.
“He loved to get dirty and work with his hands,” he added.