Ronald Reagan played the role of a hard working, deeply religious family man. He was none of those. Jimmy Carter was and is. Unfortunately, the voters preferred the Hollywood fake to the real thing.
Ronald Reagan was a group phenomenon. His advisers ran the country while he took naps and vacations. Reagan was not even in charge of the group. He was an amiable front man who nevertheless needed to be told what to say and where to put his feet.
According to David Stockman Edmund Meese was "the acting president."