Where is a "Ronald Reagan" when we need one the most.
Tip O'Neill's 1987 memoir:
I'll never forget that summer day in 1983 when Flight 007, the Korean airliner, was shot down by the Soviets. I was on Cape Cod, where Secretary of State George Shultz called me at 7 in the morning. After telling me what had happened, he said he was sending down a plane to bring me to Washington for an emergency meeting at the White House.
"I'll be ready," I said. "But what does the President think about this?"
"He's still asleep," said Shultz. "He doesn't know about it yet."
"You've got to be kidding," I said. "You mean you`re calling me before you've even notified the President?"
"We'll tell him when he wakes up," said Shultz