I'm John Batchel with the author of a new biography of Ronald Reagan, Max Boot, his life in legend.

The father in the low point of his life in 32 has a job as an administrator of welfare for the New Deal in late 33.

Jack is a troublesome person, but at the same time, he has his moments as men who suffer with

addiction do.

And he became very prominent in the town because he was the person to go to for money

or loans.

At the same time, his son is developing into a bright young football star at Eureka College

who's in love with a young woman whose father is a pastor, the Cleavers.

What do we need to know about his early romance with the Cleavers, Max?

Well, Margaret Cleaver, whom he always called Mugs, was his steady girlfriend throughout high school and college.

And part of the reason why he, in fact, attended Eureka College was to be with Margaret, who went to college there.

And they were passionately in love.

They were engaged to be married.

Reagan thought he would spend his whole life with her.

And then after graduation, they moved apart.

And he was crushed when she returned his engagement ring.

And she had made a trip to Europe and fell in love with this American diplomat in Europe who eventually left the Foreign Service, became a lawyer,

and they settled in happy anonymity in Richmond, Virginia. And of course, Reagan went on to

greater glory. But Margaret was very influential with him and so was her father, the Reverend Cleaver.

He was almost like a surrogate father to Dutch Reagan, and he had a series of surrogate fathers,

and the Reverend Cleaver obviously was a pillar of the community, somebody who was obviously

very religious. And I think, you know, along with Reagan's mother, he helped to infuse Reagan with,

...