Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan, known as "the great communicator," oversaw the largest peacetime and has had a significant impact ever since. In 1979, Reagan entered the race for the Republican nomination for president. He faced stiff competition but in May 1980, he received enough delegates to win the nomination. Reagan chose Bush as his running mate. After the convention, Reagan lost the large lead he had held over President Jimmy Carter, and they were often tied in the …

…but there was no evidence that Reagan knew what was going on. The administrators responsible for the Iran-Contra affair were convicted, but their convictions were ultimately reversed when George Bush issued pardons to many who had been associated with the affair. The Iran-Contra event shook the nation’s faith in President Reagan even though there is no evidence that Reagan had broken the law or that he had direct knowledge of what was going on.