The Important New Movie "Reagan," with Dennis Quaid, Penelope Ann Miller, Dan Lauria & Clint Black

hey everyone I'm Megan Kelly welcome to the Megan Kelly show coming to you live from the sirusxm studios in New York today our HQ we've got a very special show for you today I'm thrilled it's great this is actually the perfect day to be doing this there's not that much news there's a small bump for comma Harris arguably in the polls but honestly it's questionable and in the biggest one was the Fox News poll showing things tightening up in the swing States but they don't have prior polling to show us whether that's a bounce or not so just calm down just calm down do you ever watch a tennis game I watch my husband play tennis I watch my kids play tennis they're down you know 30 love I'm like minutes later they've won the game all right so just calm down today's just a snapshot that's the news of the day there I've caught you up also there's a bunch of nonsense going on about what happened to Arlington National Cemetery here's the bottom line Trump went and Biden didn't Biden thinks he lost no one during his entire presidency and he did he lost more than those 13 service Personnel who fell on the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and now they're trying to take Trump's appearance at the request of the families at Arlington and make it into a political storm for him okay you're caught up let's get to the fun thing that we want to talk about today and that is the movie Reagan this movie you need to see it for so many different reasons so first of all I now I've watched it twice and what you take away when you watch this movie is not I love Ronald Reagan though that's one of the things you're going to take away it's I love this country we I believe in this country I believe in my fellow Americans and we can get back to a place where we are leading with love and respect even though we're going to fight bare knuckle brawls during the day during our political arguments and so on it hits theaters this weekend okay so you got to go to the theater and support this film it really is a must SE and this could not come into more appropriate time with our tumultuous political landscape mirroring the 1980s in many ways actually going to show you first some of the trailer watch there's nothing a retired Governor can do about the Soviets but a president now he thing or two to your I was a lifeguard on a river there's and I learned how to read the currents not just the ones on the surface but also the ones deep underneath the water I am about to start the biggest war of this century and I'm not not going to fire a single shot you're going to blow up 8 years of diplomacy well if you think that got there under EAS in want you just wait what did the president know and when did he know it what would you have me do I want you to fight Mr gerov tear down this wall Ru world I got the chills it gave me a chill every time I see that trailer so well done uh the cast of Reagan joins me today actress Penelope andne Miller who plays Nancy and Dan Lauria who plays tip O'Neal are on Deck um but first we are joined by legendary actor Dennis Quaid don't miss a moment subscribe to this show on YouTube and follow me on insta Facebook and X did you know there's nearly $1 trillion of infrastructure and pandemic funds yet to be spent yes that's right there's a massive amount of money that the lame duck Administration is pushing hard to spend right now in their last few months of office if the president is able to push these funds out we could see another prolonged inflation surge just like we saw during covid but there is hope listen to this a gold Ira from Birch gold group can be an inflation Hedge for your savings in uncertain times to see how to protect your IRA or 401K get your free info kit on Gold by texting K to 9898 98 Birch gold makes it seamless to roll over a retirement account while preserving your tax advantage status don't wait for the president's spending spree to potentially tank the dollar further none of us wants that protect your financial future right now just text MK to the number 9898 98 for your free info kit from Birch gold and it's so great to see you again how are you great to see you megot you were you were there at the beginning before we started shooting in fact when we did that interview out at the Reagan r yes that was 2018 my team actually pulled uh some footage of you giving me a tour let's take a look at it because seems like another lifetime ago let's watch some of that the Western White House all right so let's check it out just last month Quaid was tapped to play the title role in the upcoming star studded biopic Reagan about the life of the 40th President pretty impressive I voted for Reagan the first time by the way yeah and I voted on both sides I'm not a republican I'm not a Democrat an independent always have been is that allowed in Hollywood I'm not I didn't realize that probably oh to be an independent yeah that's allowed that's how I get away with it it's it's mostly just about what was the little things that were important to him in his life I think like his bookcase I find so extraordinary look at that it's going to be important who plays Nancy yeah really really important right you got to have chemistry with her I mean that was a true love affair and that was us walking around their actual Ranch The rean Ranch in which I mean it's preserved like a time capsule with their clothes and everything yes some friends bought it after it's passing and and they left it exactly as it was it's not open to the public at it their clothes are in the closet you expect them to be coming back I remember the head and shoulders in the in the shower should feel like a HIPPA violation yeah was that ncy or Ron I'm not sure but yeah the Liberty Bell shower head and the and the a king-size bed which is two single beds that are zip tied together fancy yeah that's what I realized that Reagan was not a rich man right that place is what how many square feet I'd say 1,00 tops wow you know and uh that you can really feel his Spirit there and that's really going there the first time uh was what made me say yes to to that because I could really feel him there but it's such a big challenge it's so scary to play somebody that wellknown yeah and that distinctive in his look right so was there any hesitation of like am I going to be able to embody him well I when I was asked to do it I uh fear went up my spine because you Reagan is like Muhammad Ali H you show his picture to anyone in the world and uh they know who he is and he was also my favorite President I felt all these feelings of being not worthy and then uh I so I took some time to think about it and it was when I went up to uh the ranch that I could feel him because I didn't want to do an impersonation I wanted to get to the human being behind the public Persona of Reagan and uh you know one thing I did find out that was really interesting it was that to a to a person they said that Reagan was in sometimes well there was a part of him that was unknowable that a very private place that he had and you know this is the great communicator but I think it he had a a deep Place were of privacy in inside him that he kept sacred uh I should tell the audience that in the studio with us here we have Miss peaches who is Dennis she's Meandering now this is Dennis's bulldog and Miss peaches actually plays a role in this story too because in that footage we just showed of Dennis and I at the ranch yeah um here she is look at her she we were talking and there's a scene in the movie right by that pond of of Dennis and Penelope right as Nancy and uh Ronald rowing a Rob Robo and we were standing right in front of that pond and shooting an interview and Miss Peaches I mean she she just dropped like a stone into that pond yeah apparently it drops off very quickly the next thing we know I look up I see your cameraman he just drops his camera and goes to rescue peaches he saved his Peaches I guess Bulldogs can't swim they cannot swim at all so anyway she's alive and well here we are six years later she's fine she's naturally careful the studio if you hear heavy breathing it's not Dennis and it's not me it's Miss peaches um so you decided to take on the role you had played Bill Clinton yes and as you told me in that clip you voted Democrat and Republican as have I you're registered independent as am I but did you worry at all given the climate of Hollywood like it could be some blowback uh maybe just a a titch but you know uh at the time I think was that before the uh election cycle I think it was it was before the election when we 18 yeah it was 18 and things weren't so divided I mean they were divided but they weren't so divided back then calmed down when it's not an election year yeah and then it got it got really intense and uh but I didn't have any qualms about that because to me the movie is for one thing is not political Reagan was a Democrat for 40 years before he was Republican for the next 40 by the way people sometimes forget that and this was a a biopic it was also so as you said it's about us it's about America really and those those eight uh Decades of the 20th century uh where uh America became preeminent and uh triumphed in the in the cold war with the with the Soviet Union of the time that that collapse and so it's um it's it's it is about America and that feeling of being an American which was so fantastic really under Reagan he came along at a time when uh we were being told we were a nation in Decline and he said no we're not we're a city on a hill and we're going this way and uh we followed so what I loved about the movie was it takes you through Ronald Reagan's whole life and it shows you for those of us who haven't read a bunch of biographies on him how he got to be the way we knew him to be that Sunny optimistic but shrewd and in ful yeah negotiator leader and change agent and it's the the movie is based on a book that um really gets into all of that and the movie is set up with having a KGB agent played by John Voit talking to a future Russian leader about what happened how did Russia lose the Cold War to this guy this actor from Hollywood and the book was called the Crusader and it takes you through the building blocks that made Ronald Reagan this you know mostly commercial Act into the leader of the Free World in in the truest embodiment of that term and and here's one of my favorite scenes for the movie it's short but I love it you're not in it but I love it it's the young Ronald Reagan with his mom and she's teaching him how to handle a bully bully here it is s to dut what are you doing dut scaredy cat po that the boy that's been threatening you every day get over here he'll be there tomorrow too that's what bullies do until you stand up to them it's time for you to settle this Dutch go on my mama's boy big for bres let's get him [Music] you can run from a bully for so long but sooner or later you're going to have to stand up to him and Reagan put things I in a way that everyone could understand you know because he governed and he lived his life basically on principles you know that go beyond being a democ R and and a Republican and I I that was his strength knowing that you eventually do have to punch the bully in the face to get him to back off of you is an important life lesson for all of us but Ronald Reagan took that one to heart and would bring it into presidential politics yeah and he was you know in this case the bully that really referring to is the Soviet Union at the time the evil empire or whatever but it's true that you know America was had appeased the Soviet Union for you quite a long time actually and uh Carter being the cold warrior I mean Reagan being the the cold warrior you know he was called a warmonger he was uh you know the tough guy he was going to get us in a nuclear exchange H but it took some a president like him to be able to negotiate with the Soviets because they see appeasement as weakness and they built up their their military in the meantime and the the the great thing what makes Reagan a great president is that he was this cold warrior but when it came to dealing with the Soviets he was pragmatic and once he had that relationship with gorbachov uh it everything relaxed in the sense that they it became personal and uh they were able to really they became really good friends I think but it's an odd combination to see somebody who's so like able and positive and optimistic and warm but also like a stone cold negotiator who will look you you're his friend and you're making great progress and this is big for the United States and the Soviets and say I'm out done yeah he was not going to be played and uh which had happened in uh so many times in the past Carter had come along and you know God bless him I think he did an incredible job with Egypt and Israel and and making peace really throughout the world uh in a sense but he also was uh I think the Soviets saw him as weak he gave away away the B1 bomber he kept giving away things without asking for anything in return uh and uh it's a little Kumbaya I think and the that like I said the Soviets saw that as weakness there's a great scene in the movie I mean a lot of scenes documenting Reagan dealing with Gorbachev and uh where Gorbachev's p pushing him just get rid of your missile defense Shield program and we'll reduce these nukes and it'll be a big win for you it'll be a big win for us and Reagan just gets up and says no no I'm out yeah I mean it was like you see that and this is actually one of my other favorites where it's uh Ron and Nancy uh on the couch I think at the Ragan ranch or maybe it's at their home and he's explaining to her what he learned from being a lifeguard a bit of it was in the trailer and there's a very funny scene earlier in the movie when we see him being a lifeguard and he's this young strapping Buck yeah suddenly a lot of ladies are going down yeah a lot of people that he rescued are very not thankful for it as as it out see those currents underneath the water and let me play it let me play it let me play Then you react to it here's the here's the scene if we get them to spend money they don't have they can't support themselves the Soviets the Soviets we've been going about this all wrong we don't have to match them missile for missile all we have to do is just keep up the pressure we have deeper Pockets than they do and here I thought I Married an actor well you can always talk to Dick Nixon president Kennedy or any of your political friends but why is it that my husband seems to know what's going to happen before they do well I was life guard at a public swimming hole on a river M and I studied that River mhm and I learned how to read the currents not just the ones on the surface but also the ones that were deep underneath the water flowing way under and I got good at it great scene on so many levels yeah it you know you you brought up Iceland and when Reagan said no to the Soviet Union it it was all about SDI and they the Russ the Soviets wanted him to give up SDI the the that initiative you know that was missiles that defensive missiles that would shoot down it was totally defensive system and uh he wouldn't do it and he said will even share it with you we'll pay for it uh but we're going to keep it and the Soviet said this is the line we can't go past it the interesting thing was is that SDI was at least 20 uh years away from even getting up on its feet it didn't exist it was I mean it was taken from Star Wars so why why would he tank the deal over it it was this is the power of negotiation that he had because they believed it was real maybe they didn't believe uh 100% but they believed at least 40 50% that we did have it and that was the kicker in a negotiation that's why uh Reagan was great at negotiation I like it's amazing how he got there you know this kid from from a very modest background alcoholic father religious mom and that's captured in of the exchanges in the movie which I absolutely love she was a strong role model for him and you know remember who you serve and who you are and um ultimately you know becomes the head of this Screen Actors Guild which I always thought was just like a credential but you really see in this movie it was more than just a credential it was important to who he became that's not a job that actors Gunn for actually you know that's uh he was really a kind of a failing fading actor at the you know towards the end of his career and he was married uh to Jane Wyman at the time who was won an Academy Award right around that time too you know and so I think he felt a bit of a failure to tell you the truth uh in that I I know he never actually uh got an acting got to the place that he aspired to be and I could really relate with that sometimes in my life and but as as a Screen Actors Guild he it became a place where you uh fighting communism that was during the time of uh where the the Soviets uh it was true they were trying to infiltrate the unions and take over in a subversive way you know that was always kind of a wives tale but uh once the Soviet Union fell they found all the papers that uh that uh they confirmed all that and also an interesting thing about Reagan is that uh at in 19661 he came out of retirement as the president of screen Guild to negotiate for the actors for their health insurance which we have the like some of the best best health insurance in the world I'm a member now Dennis because I did a cartoon I was a I was a big star maybe you heard about it yeah maybe not anyway a m yes exactly but you know he uh but that was what when he was a Democrat as well right you know he was strong and he didn't take any BS from anybody and he knew when it was time to throw down and we would that of course throughout his life when people even though he was sunny and optimistic and a great messenger when people got in his grill he knew when to push back from the air traffic controllers who stried illegally right and they all got fired to the infamous moment of I I paid for this microphone I think we actually have that c that's fantastic let's watch that one question you asked me if you could make an announcement first and I asked you for permission to make an announcement myself would the sound man please turn Mr Reagan's mik off for is this on Mr Green you turn that micone you ask for me if you I am paying for this microphone Mr [Applause] [Applause] the air traffic control that was the probably the first test of his presidency and basically just said a contract is a contract it felt like the they were holding the United States hostage you know as far as the airspace and the Soviets actually saw that and said well if he's willing to like shut down the airspace in his own country like that what what would he do to us right what does that me so this is where I wanted to go with you so you've said that you're supporting Trump in the presidential election I was looking at the I I'm going to confess something I've also said that I'm voting for Trump but I'm not going to lie Trump is not the same character as Ronald Reagan that just you can stick with the marriage alone to see I totally with you on that one I mean the presentation is totally different and I think thee it's it reflects the times of of which we're in now you know you couldn't say uh a four-letter word on television six uh years ago and you know now you can say anything you want but I think the thing about Trump you know I've even cringed that sometimes the things that he that he says and please don't say that and all that but at the same time I will say that the principles that Trump has are very much the same that was my takeaway too because you start off kind of frustrated Ronald Reagan just seems like such a post boy for just goodness and I realize he had his flaws not necessarily highlighted by the movie but that and then you think oh where is a leader like that well he was more complex than that and Trump is more complex than that but they do have a through line of strength yes and of principles you know uh that go with that uh way of going and and pragmatic I I would I would venture to say that both of them are very pragmatic what do you think Ronald Reagan would say about this 20 24 election looking around well well there we go again wh you you got the whale down the whale was the first thing that comes along everybody can do the whale but the the uh the the issues are really uh spooky the the same as where I we had SE 1979 1980 we had high inflation we were uh supposedly a nation in Decline we uh there was uh we had hostages in the Middle East you know we have hostages right down the Gaza Strip that no one's talking about I wish they talk about them more but there was a whole feeling of Mala in the country in a certain sense and the uh the stakes uh we were divided in a certain sense not to the in the intensity that we are now but it was post post Watergate and I I think there was a Schism there with uh Republican and Democrats in a sense as far as taking up sides before that you'd had Liberal Republicans and conservative Democrats yeah he the movie in a minute we're goingon to be joined by Dan lauo who plays tip O'Neal and the movie does a great job of highlighting their friendship notwithstanding their difference in electoral politics so and we talked about how Reagan got up and walked out on the Soviets saying no you know I'm going to draw the line but that friendliness and that willingness to sort of humble your yourself and start a new is captured too and this is something I mean Trump takes a lot of go for going and meeting with Kim jung-un right a lot but Reagan met with Gorbachev at a time when things were very tense that's captured a bit in the following scene which is uh sat 4 let's watch it I used to do a little acting a couple of hundred years ago back in Hollywood let me show you how we used to handle this sort of thing take two hello M my name's ran how would you like to go for a little [Music] walk that's a scene that really happened is that right it went down like that yeah where they were they were coming to loggerheads and he just got up and reset it yeah yeah gachu had grown up you know watching his movies in fact you know they were fascinated by Hollywood time I mean all of Europe was basically and uh so you know that was a way in I think for them the um we spent a minute on the will but how much work went into getting the voice and the mannerisms well I think it was just when you and I had the interview that I think I was just beginning uh actually and I so I was lucky that we wound up having like a year and a half to prepare for it and so I spent my poor kids and my poor beautiful wife to listen to me for uh you justd cuz I wanted to get to learn it that I wanted to you know just forget about it and I had to learn you know him at 35 the way he sounded compared to like uh in his later years uh how he sounded slowed down a bit you know they different voices really and uh YouTube is great for uh all that videotape that's still out there and the man did you do it on your own or did you get a voice coach no I I just did it on my own really yeah I didn't have the guts to get a voice coach wow I didn't want to be judged no it so I uh excellent yeah but I uh I did want to do an impersonation with the inside of Reagan that was really kind of more important cuz an actor you know you're an actor you're always it's always going to be me uh there you know just that's just the way it is you do forget it's Dennis Quaid in the beginning thank you very much for that there you are and then within a few minutes you're like it's Reagan but when I watch a a jack nichelson movie or Marlon Brando movie it's still I'm watching Marlon Brando that's why I went you know and uh so that part is an interpretation another unfortunately a parallel uh between what happened in Reagan's time and what's happening now is an assassination attempt yeah and that's captured in the movie um both you know the attempt the attempt to kill Ronald Reagan he was shot he was actually shot by John Henley Jr and then of course we saw what happened to Trump in July there's a bit of that captured in the scene and what stood out to me of course as a journalist is the media the actual media footage that you guys pulled and put in the movie uh great stuff watching real time the news anchors react at first they thought Reagan hadn't been shot that hinley had missed and then you see them in the movie actual real oh my God the president's actually been shot let's watch a it my mother used to say everything in life happens for a reason even the most disheartening setbacks and in the end everything even seemingly random twists of Fate is all a part of the divine plan get him out get him out the tals are very sketchy at this moment we don't know precisely what happened we don't know the sequence first of all the president is safe that is Justice pardon me please b b hello Bob I'll wait for somebody in the back room to come up here and tell us we had been reporting to you that the president was not injured the White House has confirmed now just in the last few minutes that President Reagan has indeed been shot he is in communication lar is there any evidence the Assassin was working for the Soviets I can't say we have gotten confed wow everybody that was alive remember remembers what they were doing on that day that exact hour you know he was shot but he he was had his hand raised to wave and the bullet actually bounced off the car and entered right here and so they didn't see it the secret Services agent you know was on top of him getting into the car and he said oh gosh you I think you broke my rib and they checked him out and he was fine and they were headed back to the White House and and uh he started to he coughed and it this frothy type of blood came out and they headed to uh the hospital and if they had gone back to the White House he wouldn't have made it oh wow a lot of people don't know he lost a third of his blood is that right yeah by the time they they got the surgery it was it was so close a lot closer than than and then uh people realized that the bullet was lodged not even a quarter inch from his heart oh my gosh that classic moment reflected too where in the movie where he looks up at all the doctors and nurses about to cut him open and says yeah yeah I hope you're all Republicans listen today Mr President we're all Republicans before I go to break I got to ask you having played that that scene and then in July you see the attempted assassination attempt with a gun on President Trump what was that day like for you here's what's here's the takeaway that that you know as related to today is is that when Reagan got shot there was full disclosure about we knew about Hanley and his background and and uh you know why he had done it and everything within 48 hours and what do we know now sloped roofs are not safe to stand on yeah why why does it take so long uh why do they have to like kind of Massage whatever they're hearing why can't it just be transparent to the the American people in a in a day where it's so much easier to be transparent right with yeah social media and all of it yeah yeah it's dark um I mean it was Jody Foster hinley he had he had a thing about Jody Foster that he was trying to impress her right and uh yeah he act it alone and everything but all the details were out there really quick mhm and so much different on the Trump assassination it's been like pulling teeth right that secret service agent just embarrassed herself the the head of the Secret Service who's now gone all right there's much more to get to Dennis is staying with us and joining us next will be Dan laua who we've mentioned a couple times uh you may remember him from Wonder Years now he's back as tip O'Neal and he actually is not for nothing but he's voting for k Harris so Dennis and Dan are modeling real life in real life what it's like to be friends across the aisle and in a way an example of the characters they portray as well stand by Grand Canyon University a private Christian University in beautiful Phoenix Arizona believes that we are endowed by our creator with certain unalienable rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness GCU believes in equal opportunity and that the American dream starts with purpose by honoring your career calling you can impact your family friends and your community change the world for Good by putting others before yourself whether your Pursuit involves a bachelor's Master's or doctoral degree gcu's online oncampus and hybrid learning environments are designed to help you achieve your unique academic personal and professional goals with over 330 academic programs as of December 2023 GCU meets you where you are and provides a path to help you fulfill your dreams the pursuit to serve others is yours let it flourish find your purpose at Grand Canyon University private Christian affordable visit gcu.edu Mr Speaker Mr President congratulations welcome to the bigs now you enjoy tonight because tomorrow we go to work well I've been well briefed on you tip I've been told I better get a pretty good Head Start that's very Irish have you you plan on going 10 Rounds every day that's how we do things here all right just remember every day has a 600 p.m. what do you what do you mean by that sir well after six we're not political enemies we're just two Irish men having a beer doal I love that can you imagine that happening today no of course no one can like Nancy Pelosi and Trump back when that no that was not going to happen welcome back to the Megan Kelly show Dennis Quaid stays with us today and now Dan Lauria who played tip O'Neal in the movie Reagan which hits theaters this weekend they're here together Dan welcome thank you thank you for having us so that scene kicked it off and then we'll get to the the hospital scene which was just one of the best of the movie but what did you learn about their relationship when you were studying up on tip O'Neal well they didn't really know each other very well uh before uh Ronald Reagan came to the White House I mean they met each other but they decided that they had found common ground that they could work on and they did and during that process they actually became very good friends it's just hard to imagine in today's day and age yeah and this was a a democrat congress yes with a Republican president and they got a lot done during that a lot a lot a lot uh uh especially dealing with the Russians there were a lot of Democrats that didn't want to support Reagan and tip O'Neal got them in line said no no this is bigger than politics we got to do it and uh Reagan was always is very gracious with his comments to and about tip O'Neal and they were called Dem Reagan democrats yeah that's right and uh yeah they had tax cuts yeah and then they also did a little tax raising too actually you know compromising this way and that we got the place where compromise a dirty word now I don't what line I I love the line where I say to Dennis you'll do anything to get a tax cut right after you shot yeah you're right okay so that there's this is one of the best scenes in the movie and it's one of the ones that when it was done I've told this story before but Mark Joseph is a friend of mine who's the executive producer of the show of the movie I was sitting with him and I I just couldn't move in my seat I was crying I was just so were we right I was immobile it was like we've Lo because we've lost that it was yes I loved Reagan of course and I I I felt his loss and the loss of that sort of character and leader but this friendship and this ability to work with each other and not demonize every body on their on the other side right I feel like it's slipping away day by day and here it's embodied beautifully in a scene you saw the attempted assassination scene and now here's the scene which actually happened of tip O'Neal the Speaker of the House Democrat going to visit Ronald Reagan in the hospital after he'd been shot let's watch boy he'll do anything to get that damn tax cut I left specific orders no Democrats within 100 yards you'll have to grin and barar it how you doing pal well I don't recommend getting shot no you know y think there's I think there was a reason for all this there's a big job left to be done and whatever time I have left it belongs to him y though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil for thou art with me surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever that's so beautiful yeah what what what was it like like going into that did you feel a responsibility oh very much so and uh I have to tell you I've been doing this for 50 years Dennis made it so easy cuz if you don't work together on a scene like that it falls flat and uh you know you know we're on the opposite ends of the boat we're really like tip O'Neal and Ronald Reagan but we found the common ground and Dennis said go for it and we went for it and it's a good scene it was like 4 in the morning is that right yeah t he was the first visitor to of Reagan other than Dancy you know after the assassination and they uh they got together almost on a weekly basis over over at the White House and I mean you don't see that anymore it's only when they have to uh it reminds me in another life I practice law and this is how it is for a lot of lawyers you know you do bare knuckled brawls all day long in the courthouse and in depositions and so on but then a lot of times you're traveling to do depositions or what and then you do go out for beer with each other at the end of the day you can check it and some of our uh presidents who've really got a lot done it was because of the way they could work with the other party I I always think of LBJ and everick derkson they would go at each other all day long and then at night go over break open the bman bottle and I wouldn't I wouldn't call a dog what you call me today and never well I took an oath to tell the truth HBY it was a lively debate yeah it wasn't that long ago you know when I first started working at Fox Bob Beckle was there he was a Democrat uh campaign guy for years and he was grizzled but he was one of those guys who would meet in the underground bars and have the scotch when he was still drinking with his Republican colleagues and they talk s about the race you know like the truth your guys going down I know and they'd be real honest with each other that Circle of Silence you know lawyers also have and the thing you know thing the truth is is Republicans and Democrats we need each other they do oh yeah because they keep each other from going this way or too far that way I mean uh George Washington didn't want us to have uh political parties he thought you know uh but I mean you got to have a a pro and a con of of aide you know to in order to debate that and uh so the time when it worked yeah and I there is a lot more common ground than we are made to believe right you know we have a lot more things in common and the politicians who are willing to work together are the ones who usually find that Common Ground they exploit it and then we benefit from it but if you don't get together you can't accomplish anything I mean they do pass a lot of things in Congress that we just don't hear about it on the news not and why don't they advertise anymore I mean they don't want their constituents to know yeah I guess so like I said compromise is a dirty word I say we agree on 70% so that makes you a 70% friend not a 30% enemy which is what it is one of rean things so let me ask you this Dan there are a lot of conservatives in the movie you know Dennis is an independent who's voted on the right side of the aisle as well as left but um there's Kevin Sorbo there's um Kevin Dylan there's John Voit so is there any John vo very right John vo very right big big Trump fan can I tell you I'm very left so is there any risk to you and do it like do do you have to explain to your friends why you would act with these guys I know how Hollywood is no not at all and uh I'd like to U share with you audience a very nice thing about John voy I am on the uh National veterans Foundation board and whenever we've called John as veterans to come and present an award or do a fundraiser or even receive award I I presented John with the first Charles dering acting award Charles was like my father and the youngest man in the land on Normandy he was great and he thought John vo's a hell of an actor forget politics so John's always been there for the that so to for me I I disagree with John politically about everything but working together with him Med it's like working with this guy he's the best oh you know he embodied Reagan I mean it must have been like being around Reagan oh yeah it was it made it easier for me you so you mentioned the military you're a former Marine yes went to Vietnam and I know you're very careful about characterizing exactly what you did in Vietnam in the right way yeah I you know I always make it clear that we had orders to go to Vietnam and stopped us at Oak an hour and we technically I'm a vet because we floated off the coast we had to keep going then at the very end I went in with a South Vietnamese unit toh teach them to call in air strikes but as soon as we got hit they got us out of there I don't I'm speculating but I think it's they didn't want the public to think they were redeploying Marines again well God bless you for your honesty on that but you ultimately got put on a commission that investigated back to the presidential assess assassinations sadly the JFK one worked yeah and I had never heard this before Dan tell us about the recreation and what this expert Marksman Colonel McMillan he he was the one who trained the our Olympic team where they run through the snow and then shoot so we had to recreate uh it was at quanico Virginia and if you look at the uh Senate investigation on assassinations on that when they were at the fire ing range the officer day it says Lieutenant Dan Lau so that's my I actually held the weapon that uh really the very one and uh 1978 is that the what we're talking about the was when it came out but we were investigated War commission oh 73 10 years after oh yeah this is this was way had nothing to do with the Warren Commission but um and I'll never forget it as long as I live the bullet that went through Kennedy's throat easily could have been that terrible weapon that Oswald used could have been shot from that window the bullet that took off the part of Kennedy's brain has to be a different weapon for one reason the velocities are different wow that's what thist said remember yeah and I remember asking uh Colonel McMillan who do you think did it and boy I got to look I'll never forget that's not our job Lieutenant as long as people talk about about who did it they're going to ignore the physical evidence that it was more than one person that it has to be two weapons yeah the that's always have you read unspeakable yes Robert uh RFK recommended it uh it takes all of the evidence that is there including the stuff that's been released uh and puts it into cohesive grow in the times but it's it's a 360 and beluchi he thinks it was the intelligence Community I mean he's told me himself yeah there's three frames missing in a bruta tape and I think beluchi might have had a good theory he thinks the security agent in the front seat he pulls out his weapon then there's three frames missing he thinks he accidentally fired and that's what killed him oh my that's you mean got is that what he went through the sign uh are you talking about no there's three frames actually cut out of the Auda tape but it is part while it goes through the sign everybody thinks I mean if that's what it if it's just gross incompetence that actually I mean that's kind of where we are on the Trump investigation because the Secret Service had so many fall Downs on the job that a lot of people are saying they were in on it or somebody was in on it and my instincts as a reporter covering Washington for 20 years is always vote for incompetence you'll be right more than that is it is a wound that is still there since 1963 I remember I remember that day everybody remember that day and there's a wound that is still there that is never because you you feel that things were withheld and the truth is out there we need to know in order to heal even yeah as a nation in order to go on I don't think any president is ever going to let us know Trump had the chance to release right and but I mean you would think Trump would have you know he was big on like pulling back the curtain and busting things up but he didn't Tucker was just on last week saying it because of Mike Pompeo who told him not to do it but now he's saying that he'll put RFK J in charge of declassifying certain things so I mean maybe we'll finally get to see what happened to his uncle he wanted to he wanted more optimistic than I am wait dan can you tell the story about the three the three dummy bodies that they shot through they uh they had three dummy bodies they had a tower set up the Distance by the way isn't as far as you think from the window in The Book Depository to the actual will uh to John F Kennon but they shot from there and not once did that terrible weapon go through three body density dummies yeah then they put three dummies and they went straight on head on with it it didn't go through three so that thing about the bullet going through Magic Bullet Mak a right turn that's insane yeah into his yeah yeah through his wrist and into his thigh yeah get out of here I would mean if you buy that I got a bridge going to Brooklyn I'll ask you as somebody who's actually served our country honorably and and worked on this commission to figure out who was behind a presidential assassination I just heard a disturbing story about a group of Democrats who I know who celebrated when they saw the Trump assassination attempt I was shocked to hear this I wasn't there but I was shocked I don't know why you would be shocked but uh I'm I think we have negatives going both ways I can't imagine celebrating the attempted assassination of any Democrat you know even somebody who I can't stand politically I just can't imagine that well when Kennedy was shot there were those that were celebrating as well there were too yeah there were and you know at the time you take the boot of the country and what was going there was a whole the idea that Kennedy had really kind of in a way lost control of the administration as far as behind the scenes of of Vietnam and uh and uh what he was trying to do with that that you know he would get these scarios of nuclear attack that we we ought to do and remember Kennedy one one of the first advisers the first person he called about should we go forward was President Eisenhower he went right to the military can you imagine if after the Trump assassination attempt this is when we still had Joe Biden at the helm on the you know ticket to run again if he had shown up at the site or at the hospital well he called immediately the next day I know but I'm just and he said there's no place for violence and yeah you know I think he did what he could I just think that tip O'Neal showing up there was an extraordinary Act of like politics are irrelevant right here I am and and it would be wonderful to see somebody do I don't think that we should take that the wrong way though you know in a sense cuz we don't know what was spoken Trump was actually very gracious about that telephone call himself yeah yeah that's I'm not blaming Joe Biden I'm just saying that I think the American people need well I I think the major difference is that Tipo O'Neal and Reagan had actually become friends I don't think politics had anything to do with tip O'Neal going there or Reagan letting him in when no one else was I mean there were Republicans who couldn't get in the room but tip he allowed in and and I I think if more of our politicians took time to be friends you know we'd have a a lot more compromises going on you meet the other person's kids you meet their spouse you meet Miss peaches their dog and you fall a little bit in love with them as a well John McCain who I worked with twice his first choice for vice president was not liberman it was Biden and Biden gave the eulogy in Arizona he was the you know and they were very close friends and they worked together especially on foreign relations they worked together a lot and and that was true of tip and Reagan too that was the area in which they found some common ground I would hope that after this election is over no matter who wins what if that we learn to talk to to one another one again to get back to that place you know it's been a big experiment going on for the last four years and America does that we did it back in the 60s you know we were pretty out there at a sense and we do that and we come back to a center place where we can work together be Americans it's a good point we had a civil war and we managed to find our way back to one another Hope Springs Eternal we're not done Dennis and Dan stay with me and up next Nancy Reagan Penelope and Miller joins the party don't go away do you owe back taxes or have unfiled returns along with hiring tens of thousands of new agents and field officers the IRS has been sending over 5 million pay up letters to those who have unfiled tax returns or balances owed don't wave your rights and speak with them on your own instead tax Network USA a trusted tax relief firm has saved more than $1 billion dollar in back taxes for their clients and might be able to help you secure the best deal possible whether you owe 10,000 bucks or 10 million they can help you whether it's business or personal taxes even if you have the means to pay or if you're on a fixed income they can help finally resolve your tax burdens once and for all by calling these guys at 1 800 958 1000 or just visit TN usa.com Megan don't let the IRS control your life Empower yourself with tax Network hence the the TN tax Network USA support and take charge of your financial future TN usa.com Megan today I guess there only one thing left to do and that is to launch an exhaus of and detailed investigation well of course I've retained an attorney oh there will be any need for that we can knock this out over dinner Excuse me yes uh we can discuss it then but I can't be late I uh yes I have an early studio called tomorrow morning oh well I'll have to check my datebook yes yes um well well I I think I can manage it but I have an early call too well then it's a date yes yeah okay thank you pleasure goodbye for now ah that is Ronnie and meeting for the first time as shown in the movie Reagan which hits theaters tomorrow as I said to you before a couple weeks ago run don't walk make sure you go and support this movie it's such a special piece about our country and ourselves and offers just a Sprinkle of hope that we can find our way back to each other actors Dennis Quaid and Dan laua are still with me stars of the film and now the woman who brings it home Penelope and Miller who plays Nancy Reagan so nice to have you here thank you it's so nice to be here thank you for having us you nailed it you nailed this part what was the secret to doing that oh my gosh um well it was it was a daunting task for sure and I was very nervous about playing somebody so iconic and so famous and just so we know Peach is the dog is snoring if we're wondering what that sound effect is I don't think it's hitting air but we're enjoying Sor I just want to make sure they didn't think I was making weird noises what's WR like she's making some weird noises um anyway just to clarify but um you know I did an enormous amount of research and I just really wanted to honor her Legacy and and pay tribute to this woman who um existed and was quite prolific and a stateswoman and um and I I just I wanted to do right by her and so it was really important that I get it right and I really wanted to capture her Essence and her spirit um rather than doing some sort of superficial external uh portrayal and so to humanize her obviously reading her Memoir was huge for me I read uh her book called my turn uh which it was it was her turn and um and you know just to hear things from her point of view I spoke to her press secretary Sheila Tate I read her book lady in red here I am wearing Nancy red and um spoke to many many people and watched videos and interviews and much like Dennis I mean we just didn't want to do these impersonation like SNL characters or something so uh but she channeled Nancy it was really it made my job so easy I mean it was it was even in the lunch line I mean it was it was do you do you guys remember that was Dancy award ceremony where uh Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper were like staring at each other everybody thought they were having a real life Affair after that movie um the way we were right the Star is Born sorry yeah the Star is Born thank you same idea everybody was like are they actually because the the chemistry was so strong that's how it was between the two of you in this movie where you're like they seem I realize it's acting but like genuinely in love with each other the pond scene the plane I'm going to show the plane scene after the Assassin the attempted assassination when I said I should have been there I wasn't there I I always walk on your left side that scene really moves me because they really were inseparable and they were not just a power couple but they were a partnership they were truly in love like he wrote her love notes every day even when after he was shot well I think after his first marriage I think he was so disillusioned and I don't I think he would couldn't believe that he could find someone that would truly love him for him and believe in him and I think it was her belief in him and belief in his greatness and his perp greater purpose is actually what catapulted him not only from governor of California but to then to turn his president did not know she was marrying a future president at all no and she was very apolitical actually um she just didn't care what he did she was a smitten kitten and you see that in that first scene I mean she was crushing on that man yeah for the listening audience there was nothing in ny's date book whatsoever she was just pretending she was so excited and I read this in her book she was I I don't know if I could use this word but she was titilated and very excited to um to meet to meet Ronnie and when she there was there was more than one Nancy Davis and and it and she was the other Nancy Davis was connected to the Communist party and so when she was working with mvin looy who's producing a movie she said you know I need help with my name and and he said well I I you can meet with the president of Screen Actors skill Ronald Reagan and no joke I saw this in an interview she said well that would be just dandy so she was very excited to meet Ronald Reagan and she would I think go to his um his his talks or speeches and watch him even when he was sag president wow but Jane Wyman on the other hand I think just wanted him to be a movie star and she's played by uh manaar who's wonderful in the film yeah she really captured her as well and but she didn't seem to have much of an appetite for Ronald Reagan as as his wife unlike Nancy who came along and saw prime rib and was all in and they they had lived a very modest life I mean you know they were he was working for General Electric to make some money and then she would do the commercials with him which you'll see in the movie he was broke when they met yeah it's amazing you always think of you know Hollywood types just being around well you also have to understand too that that that was back up until what 1952 or 90% tax bracket oh gosh and you know from the depression onwards that's what it was 90% of in the upper bracket 90% of what you made went to Uncle Sam and we could be going back there soon yeah and then you and and then you got state tax after that by the way oh oh gosh the St text okay that's horrifying before well I have all three of you here because in a minute it's just going to be Penelope and yours truly can we talk about the attempted censorship of the movie and how crazy this is well I said last I checked Reagan wasn't running for president so I'm a little confused since it was what 40 years ago or something you know that he that he was in office and uh it's part of our history and our culture and I I I actually don't even know I know people from both sides of the aisle and in between and I feel people are genuinely excited to see this film because these were the these were the Reagan years and I grew up in the 80s and you know I I don't understand it I don't understand what why this is not a political film Happ when you played Mary tdd Lincoln well also a political figure yes but Mary Todd was vilified like Nancy was which we can get into later but anyway go I think both s people from both sides of the aisle am my friends too are or outraged about any kind of censorship we're talking about Free Speech we're talking about a free market right and it's you know if it can happen once it happens then it's going to happen to you eventually uh it's always going to happen to the other side eventually this what and our site if we as a just as a people just have wind up having this silent Ascent to it over you know a period of time then we get used to it m and the next thing you know we say where did our freedoms go well it's very interesting because Mark Zuckerberg is out there this week saying we were pressured this is him in writing saying we were pressured by the Biden Administration during covid um and we submitted and we shouldn't have submitted we should have been more skeptical on the things that they wanted us to censor and we regret that and we're not going to be doing that anymore and at the same time the Reagan it's not it's been a couple of clips that have gotten censored but the the paid promo to promote the movie much in the same way we just showed the audience with the trailer has been censored repeatedly they said it was a mistake and yet they continue reason it was censored and was because it was an attempt to influence an election what they claim that's what they said that's what they said and and my point is is that you you Banning or censoring of that is itself an an attempt to influence an election by keeping information from a or one side of information away from uh the the the American people there's also many people in this film you know including Dan and Mark Moses and Xander Berkeley I mean I could go on and on about people in this movie who aren't conservative Republicans and it it's it's surprising to me because when we made this film which was four years ago it wasn't during an election we didn't do it for political reasons we did it because we're actors we're artists we like we want to play real people we want to have these opportunities and we did it because we thought this story about Reagan had never been told right there's not a ton of movies about him that we choose from no well in a way it was I think it was fortuitous that covid delayed everything and it hit now because we're at a political fervor which makes people more interested I think in our historical figures in the politics Lan but it was just nonsensical for Facebook to whether it's was the automated algorithm or otherwise they should have corrected it and said for sure we need people to see this same as we need them to see information about any of our and that's why even we were talking about this earlier even the people who were uh who posted about glad or like he missed you know about about the Trump assassination you know uh in the end you have to defend their right to say anything that they want sure in the end otherwise it's uh it's free speech that's what it is yes you're allowed to say and we this is is something the young people today don't understand hate speech is protected by the US Constitution that's what makes America special that's one of the gorgeous things about us you can say dumb things we live in a free country we want this we want to stand by those those our forefathers created this and got out of Communism and and dictatorship that's why we live here and and then somebody can stand up and tell you you're an idiot that's fine too right like that's why it's okay to burn people versus Larry Flint you know so many things the Civil Rights boo we go back at the house of unamerican activities all all of that stuff Dennis told me that um I that my quote I gave was censored uh that I gave to a publication in support of the movie so that that got censored too yeah well we'll just wait to see if this gets because the thing was it's that it happened we I I wrote a letter uh to Newsweek which you know uh turned into an article uh Facebook's two hours later after it came out apologized said it was their automated systems that it picked up with buzzwords or whatever it was it was because it was an you know trying to influence an election and that they were going to correct that and they were sorry about it fine we move on but then 3 days later it happened again and it happened the next day and it continues to happen and so why is that well I'm going to read that quote right here because yeah let's I have a lot of Ling here is what I said what I wrote the irony in Facebook banning Reagan ads is that this is a movie about a historical figure who yes was a politician but whose bipartisanship and friendship with Democrats is an important theme of the film it's a movie about America and how we used to talk to each other and respect each other irrespective of political differences on Q Facebook bans promotion of the film apparently seeing it as socially divisive Facebook has embarrassed itself and done a disservice to the nation with this moronic decision I was right stand by my statement right I mean if we allow this to keep on going it's the social media I mean and the tech Giants have gotten so big I mean there's it's getting to the point of together they may be power more powerful than than the Govern certainly as far as getting the word out and things like that I'm a liberal I'm against all censorship books old school Lial you guys didn't bring that if if we allow this to keep on going then we're headed towards oligarchy Dan conservatives don't want to ban books they don't well I can speak to this from somebody who's pushed for some of these so-called bands I don't want lose this I don't want the disgusting sexual content in K through 12 schools that's what I you can get it online you can get it Amazon yeah but see there's no definition of what you call sexual well we have a list of books there's there's a list of books a list of books and I wouldn't ban those well look I mean I'm not talking about poetry I'm talking about like here's how you do anal sex it's a no no no no I don't think you'd find anybody who would disagree with you on that but when you take out certain words out of books because they're not right or you want to place God in the book where it isn't supposed to be that's just as bad of start getting into Lenny Bruce let me get it straight I'm not disagreeing with you about the re movie that's terrible if that's true that is terrible you'll have as many liberals fighting for you as as you will conservatives but to be again where are those areas of compromise you know and I think when you say sexual intent who's going to prove that I mean you know men don't understand that about the abortion issue R weight how it affects men because in it there's a clause about profanity and the first thing about profanity that the person who brought it up was transgender then the next step will be anal sex's profanity and then we'll go all the way back to interracial marriage so I think when somebody blatantly says sexual contact well what do you mean about sexual well it's true I mean sexual contct have to define those things what is profanity and and you're going to find more and more people like us will agree once we discuss this and put limits on it you start doing that I guarantee you it's going to come back at you and it's going to happen to you yeah but I will say look I mean we've been covering this in depth you guys are I understand informed but in a different business we cover this at length on the show and if if I if I pulled out the list of books and the content right here I totally agree with you I'm on your side about that I think that's a thing for parents to decide actually I just don't want it in my kids Elementary School like if you want to share that with your kid God bless you can get onaz do that I just don't I don't want my kid wandering by some kid reading about that stff we all remember when sex education was in school and how controversial it was until we determined that it wasn't until the junior year of high school at least in New York it was I don't know about the other place and then it was okay we can deal with that older kids can handle more because we saw enough kids getting pregnant and getting involved too early so there are compromises on these things but I just I just don't like the blatant no they're wrong I do parents have a do parents have you know the rights over their children determine what they're going to have versus the government and all that so we're getting deep into the weed that's why they have the right to that no s we had to say goodbye to Dennis but to be continue you guys congratulations what a wonderful film always have a fantastic thank you for having us really thank you all right to be continue you got to check out the movie if you want to see more you won't be disappointed you will thank me you will send me an email Megan Megan kelly.com and thank me but npy stays with me cuz we got to get into the love story and I have to tell you Dennis I know has been reading hillbilly elogy by JD Vance I see a lot of parallels here in some ways between what Usha JD's wife has done for him and what Nancy Reagan did for Ron so we'll talk about her her role in this story in two minutes you know how much my family and I love our dogs right yes even sweet little strudwick he's not that little but he is sweet I can't imagine life without them they've got a great life but some dogs are not so lucky and they need our help this is why I'm so glad to tell you about Delta Rescue It is the largest no kill care for Life Animal Sanctuary in the world they've rescued thousands of dogs plus cats and horses too they provide all of the animals with shelter safety and most of all love and they've been doing it for more than 45 years now Delta rescue relies solely on contributions to stay open and giving can bring tax benefits to you too speak with your estate planner about how you can grow your estate while helping animals in need and check out the estate planning tab on their website to learn more we love Thunder and strudwick and Delta rescue helps the pups who need it most and also need love and safety and a home visit deltar rescue.org today to learn more that's deltar rescue.org so Penelope you studied Nancy Reagan and she it does occur to me as you pointed out she was absolutely pillaring by the media when he was actually the president and you said that was also the case with Mary Todd Lincoln which I actually don't no there's some parallels because I played Mary Todd Lincoln too and she was vilified I mean as we all know you know President Lincoln a Lincoln was very admired and and beloved and um and they didn't like Mary and and I think the same for for Reagan I think uh Ronald Reagan was a very popular beloved president um I mean some people obviously didn't like him but but as far as Nancy goes my goodness I mean they really attacked her and it started almost right away cuz she redecorated the White House and when she said she got there she said it was in shambles I mean the plumbing the electricity the the rugs were Fray the the furniture the curtains and she thought of this this she said this isn't my home this is the people's home so she was proud and thought you know I want it to look appropriate when we're having people come to visit and it was actually Mary Todd Lincoln that started the public viewing of the White House she did the same thing she redecorated the White House but I think because it was a Civil War and a depression and so on and so forth I think she was malign for it whereas Nancy raised uh privately funded money to it wasn't taxpayer money to redecorate the White House and then there was the whole the China controversy where she got all the new red China it was because there when she I think their first dinner was Margaret Thatcher and they said and there was some comment about how there were so many mixed China sets and it's because there was not a complete set anymore they'd either been shipped or broken or stolen you know people take a little bread pate and put in their purse and say I've got a souvenir so once again she said we're having politicians and presidents and dignitaries from all over the world I want to have proper China so she was uh malign for that as well and and their fashion so Mary Todd l loved fashion was getting like the finest silks from France and having a dress maker and they who happened to they started an abolition um charity together um Mary Todd Lincoln was fascinating we can get into that all I can think of is the hair the and she lost three boys Three Sons she had Melancholy she was also you know people laughed her she had sances and I think it was her way of dealing with her grief yeah um whereas Nancy did astrology yeah and you know attemped assassinations very similar parallels between those two women and uh and Nancy said she cried a lot of the eight years in the White House in her Memoir oh no she she really felt attacked and didn't know why people disliked her so much and it's funny when you look at her you see this very stoic Regal woman yes and I think in a and and maybe it made her seem cold and she was very like fiercely protective of her husband and I think it just made her May maybe not appear warm and fuzzy or or approachable but I think it was sort of an armor I think it was a protective shield that she had that makes perfect sense but she needed that strength behind the scenes he needed her strength behind the scenes and this is what the point I was trying to make before we went to break you know Dennis had mentioned you know before that he's reading hillbilly El or recently read it and I know JD Vance a bit and I know that Usha his wife played and continues to a critical role in his life and his development as a man yeah that she he told me personally she she helped show him how to love how to be in a relationship yeah that's that's so interesting that you point that out and because as I mentioned before he was really hurt from Reagan was hurt by his first marriage to Jane Wyman she was a movie star she wanted him to be a movie star he started to get more political being Screen Actor skilled president and she had absolutely zero interest in politics she hated it and he really wanted to help and that was something that he felt very strongly about and so that was sort of the demise of of their marriage and so by the time when they got and he also believed you marry once and um and I think he just didn't trust that he could find that kind of relationship and so I it took him longer I mean as I said before Nancy was quite smitten iMed immediately but she was really patient with him because I think to trust again and to believe and to believe in a marriage and to believe in a love and I do think just like you said um about JD Vance's wife I think and that's why he wrote her all these love letters is because I think once he found this and it was real and it was true that I think he just appreciated her so so deeply that he wanted to prove it to her all the time and he wrote this book and that's the cover of the book and it's called I love you Ronnie and it's all the love letters he wrote her and notes um just telling her how he appreciated her and the fact that you know no one she don't sign up for the job of first lady and and and how much he also appreciated her constant support and you know that thing with a man behind a woman or behind every great man is a woman but also you can be there's a lot of misogyny there as well because I think when there's a woman behind a man she's manip ative and conniving and devious and and I'm sure you've dealt with this in a lot of areas of of your career but uh a man behind a man is a strategist right you know and I just and i' I just feel like they they don't like strong powerful women and uh and she wasn't somebody who was seeking power no we saw that with other first ladies she wasn't like that no she didn't care about being famous or powerful I mean she liked wearing her her fancy dresses oh interesting just really on a side note the one person who did all this and redecorated the White House and had great fashion who was beloved was Jaclyn Kennedy yes that's true so it's interesting and look at what happened to Melania I mean I'm sensing a pattern here with the Republican first lady he it's it is kind of interesting I have to say um but I I do think that um you know she she really was she believed in his greater purpose and that he she wanted him to be happy and there's that scene in the movie where I say or Nancy says you know I've had to share you my whole life but that's what I signed up for and I want you to be happy and she knew when he he didn't win the second uh time he ran and he wanted to she knew he he wants to run again and I believe in this man and I believe in his greatness and he even said and so did Ron Jr at the memorial my dad would never have been president of the United States if it wasn't for my mother I believe that yeah and I think she propelled him watching the story and also I think she was important because he was so sunny and optimistic she was the realist you know like listen you're in trouble we have a bit of that in this one scene before I show it can you just tell us about the Air Force One shots because this is shot on Air Force One yeah we got to shoot uh at the Reagan Library as well as the Reagan Ranch which was incredible because of course all their Furniture hadn't been touched and their clothes in the closet and um but going to the Reagan Library was incredible because we we were on the actual plane Air Force One that they would fly in so we're sitting in the chairs and doing these scenes that they were in and walking around and and it was it's not a trump plane I mean I mean this is a little plane you know so uh not as big as it used to be but we were also on Marine one and uh just to be able to shoot in those places that they actually lived in and just feeling their spirit and their energy and it it was pretty phenomenal it raises the stakes for you it's like oh gosh you want I'm sure you want than God for the hair and the makeup in the wardrobe because that team that creative team that we had on on the movie um did an amazing amazing job um recreating us to look as close as possible to to these people yes I was saying to Dennis you totally forget that your actors embodying these parts you think you're looking at the actual people I hope so that's what we hope was a bit of a scene when Ronald Reagan Iran Contra hit uh did we trade arms for hostages and um he was in danger of being impeached and his wife Nancy knew it watch honey you know Washington you know the way it works it's politics that's all they're talking impeachment no impeachment yes they want to destroy you they're putting you on trial removing you from office this isn't about politics anymore this is about you everything is at stake one more headline one more star witness one more arrest and they will do it I have cooperated with him I appointed a special prosecutor I've turned over every document I have what would you have me do I want you to fight or this is all over and he listened to her yeah he did you know she she was influential in a lot of ways I mean she really pushed for the peace talks as well and she she was actually because I read it in her Memoir um you know she said you better go before another another one dies because they kept dying you know the um the Russian presidents and so uh that was really important for really important that's portrayed in the movie too as like the Russian they keep dying so another one dies another yeah it was it was wild it was there's so much that you don't know that I found and I love history too and I I feel like you know I don't I want us to remember our history you know it's it's um it's part of our heritage and our culture and I think it's so important um but there's so many things that I found that people have seen this movie including myself who did the the research too and there was so much that I didn't know there was so much about Reagan I didn't know and I think what's cool about a film like like this is and it's not a political drama it is a biopic and it's finding out about all the things that we can't see like being the fly on the wall and finding out about these relationships and that's why at the heart of it is the Love Story how about how about the guy who's uh camp camping out in the tent who becomes a speech writer my God hysterical Is that real I actually forgot to ask Mark Joseph whether that's a real story apparently it was that's insane it's insane right and then and then she says oh you know he he'll won't talk to you for five minutes he'll talk to you for hours that's why Nancy won't let the guy in the tent come in yeah and she that's once again she said it's my job your job is to be out there and be charming and he was he was disarming and charming and and wanted to be loved and everything but it was she felt it was her job to be paying attention and to look out for him but she those love letters are really telling because when the movie closes with Reagan's Alzheimer's diagnosis which is just so sad you know that this is plaguing 6 million Americans and we still don't have a cure and doesn't look like we're really close to a cure all these years later how many have to go Margaret Thatcher had a he had it she obviously she was an American Sandra d o Conor so many millions of Americans but he when he found out he had it wrote a love letter to all of us yeah to the American people and to wanted us wanted us to look out for her oh I know it's so heartbreaking yeah because he knew what how pain painful and the grief that she was going to have watching him you know living through this this horrible disease um and it's really quite beautiful actually and and we don't talk about enough the the Alzheimer uh disease and um how how tragic it is but to see this great man to see this man that she loved so I mean even at the end of the movie and the credits when she's I mean that's what got me where she won let go of the casket she's literally like leaning on over it and kissing it and kissing it and it's just it's so heartbreaking I know um even you know the my other favorite well that wasn't a scene in the movie but it's the real life thing but it was after the assassination attemp when she comes to the hospital and she's saying you know I should have been there CU they were really Inseparable and she said I always I always walk on your left and then he said but it would have been you then and she felt so guilty for not being there for him but the of losing him then uh was was horrifying um that's that is one of the things that's most beautiful about the movie so I watched it with my husband I watched it with Mark the first time and then I watched it with my husband the other day and um I really think that was like when we watched it together that was our number one takeaway it was just a reminder of how lucky we are to have each other to have found true love I like to believe and I do that my husband and I love each other the way those two loved each other and it's great to see see that celebrated yeah so often like the TV these days is talking about the extramarital Affairs and this one's three people in the Rel it's like yeah it's a beautiful relationship a beautiful marriage in which they both loved and supported each other yeah and a true partnership and I think it's so like you said refreshing to see in a film and I think that's what tugs at your heartstrings and that's what makes it emotional and why you care about these people regardless of how famous they were um it it it it humanizes them and it and it and also it's it's a great example of a of a real love uh and a partner where you lift each other yeah um and you support each other and you have each other's back and she was his Rock and um I I I think it is beautiful and I think that's why people get emotional at the end of the movie and and and this is what's fun about going to the movies is to me is to have you know to feel something to not just be assaulted with these special effects and you know horror movies um that are ass salt on our on our you know totally bodies and and and emotions I I feel like to be able to actually have a character-driven story a good oldfashioned movie about a real person you learn you learn about history but you also are entertain and and you also feel something and I think that's why we love going to the movies so I hope that will be the reason people want to go see it so last question have you had any weird feedback because you were the Nancy Reagan a republican in the movie about a great Republican is that dicey at all for you in Hollywood um I really like Nancy have stayed very out of the politics of it all I I you know I I never get into politics I hly very smart I honestly feel people Don't Care What actors think that's very smart I really think that it's actually it makes people wall their eyes I'm not here to have I'm not here to tell anybody how who they should vote for how they should vote that's not my business that's not I'm even in that line of business that's you know other people out there such as yourself and other people go at it you know but my job is to be an artist to entertain to embody different people no matter whether you like them or not I don't judge who I'm playing you know I played D's mom you know I played Mary Kay L turno who went to prison for you know I mean I've played some pretty controversial characters um but I I feel it's my job to to to play people that we can learn about and maybe be inspired and maybe say hey I won't make that choice or I'll make that choice or this was an America that was a really interesting time like the 80s were and the Reagan years so I that's that's my job God bless you I think it was comedian Andrew Schultz who came on the show and said we'd be so much better off if everybody would just do their job stay in their Lane just do the job that you actually have yeah and uh there's some wisdom there it's so nice to meet you so nice to meet congrats the film is spectacular I'm sure it's going to be a wonderful few months for you I hope so yeah don't forget it's called Reagan it hits tomorrow run don't walk and take the whole family take the whole family you can take your Littles I mean maybe not like 5-year-olds but certainly 10-year-old up 15-year-old really enjoyed it my family my kids too and my youngest is 11 and he absolutely loved it and they had a bunch of follow-up questions and it's a historical film so they'll learn something about history in our country all the best all right you too thank you all right up next country star Clint black joins us he also put me in tears and I'll explain how when he explains his role in this movie Next joining me now musician Clint Black who plays a very powerful role in the new movie Reagan and it's an unexpected one Clint welcome to the show thank you yeah so let me tell you something was a very unexpected role for me I went I saw this film with Mark Joseph the producer and I loved it and I cried it was is spectacular then I saw it this week because I wanted to remind myself of everything that was in it in advance of today and up Pops Clint Black singing a song that will bring me to my knees in tears on a regular day never mind when it's sung by you over Ronald Reagan's final moments in this scene here's a little bit of Clint Black singing a song you will all know all my memories gather around her miners lady stranger to Blue [Music] Waters dark and Dusty painted on the sky Misty taste moonshine tearing my eye Country [Applause] Roads Take Me Home to the I belong West Virginia mountain m Take Me Home [Music] Road oh just a Crusher Clint you've sold over 20 million albums so what gave you the confidence actually dip a toe into the John Denver world oh I've had my toe in that world since I was a teenager i' I've sung that song oh I don't know who knows 10,000 hours worth uh wow along with so many of his other great songs and got to uh sing with him on a TV show once and uh you know these things come your way you don't expect them and you don't say no so you don't say no but you're recognizing the bigness of the moment right because you've got Don dander of course but you've got the final scene about this epic American figure who's a hero so does that affect the way you're going to do this or whether you take it on at all yeah uh you have to do it with reverence both to the original artist and to the scene uh all the people behind the scene uh and uh the man they're portraying in that uh really special moment in his life yeah you you have to be reverent you were not the only uh big star to lend his voice to the movie Bob Dylan uh and Jean Simmons both singing songs for the movie which is pretty extraordinary like why do you think you and these other guys are willing to participate in this because none of you really needs the money so what's what's the point well first of all uh Dennis is a pal and would support him in anything I'm a huge fan uh very happy for him to have such an important role portraying an American president revered by so many uh so uh I was thrilled to jump in just because of Dennis but also understanding the uh context and uh singing a song I've sung so many times which I I think is just a an amazing uh composition uh I I I just I didn't even give it a second thought it was uh I I had to really work hard to get it done I came I C came in on my tour bus uh got a little bit of sleep got up the next day worked all day into the evening to uh to get my par done and then uh got back on the Bus left down I don't usually worked that way but I was not going to miss this chance no I know that you've got a little bit of experience with Donald Trump because I know you were on Celebrity Apprentice and he fired you but did you have any kind of experience with with Ronald Reagan I mean did what did you think of him I didn't have any and uh I I had limited Impressions because uh in my youth I didn't pay that much attention although there were big moments that you couldn't uh not see uh even though I I didn't get a lot of TV watching time I was either setting up my gear playing in a bar uh bringing my gear home and sleeping all day to do it again so I didn't see a lot but looking back uh there's a lot of context I read a biography on him I read as many as I can I'm I'm a big history buff so I did have a a more well-rounded impression of him and what I loved about him most was his sense of humor I loved his joke telling uh he was quick on his feet I loved uh you know communism in some uh in some ways is getting a good name I don't like it I'm glad uh that that was his mission in life to fight it uh apart from that uh I I don't go much deeper uh to me uh you know he was uh I think I think we were all all of us uh no matter where we stand on politics I I think in his time we were much closer together than we are now uh and it's sad to see uh I'm already blocking people on on Twitter for attacking me for singing a song in this movie and uh yeah I I I don't give it uh more than a second of my life I've gotten very quick at blocking I don't have any time for uh intolerance I have friends from every Walk of Life and every political persuasion I always joke that I I allow uh the people I love to be as misguided as they need to be and uh I I love them for what is lovable and uh and I I I try very hard not to hate that's very reaganesque of you I mean I I know what you're saying I actually I'm always kind of disappointed when I see somebody I love as a performer especially a musician because music is so transformative it just it can improve your mood like that it's just such a special piece of most people's lives that I don't want any negative associations with the person whose music I love so as a consumer of the product I thank you for that I don't I think we should have less politics in our music than we have right now I mean I'm sure you've seen a lot of this happening around you yeah I I feel like uh if someone's passionate about uh a policy uh or or a principal uh that that doesn't affect me uh if they if they turn ugly about it and start attacking people who disagree with them um and on a personal level I think policy debate is uh it's it's where it all started at the the Continental Convention and all the compromises that had to take place to to form this Union and uh if we can't have that then uh we don't have a country but if you turn it uh into something personal then I think you've gone uh down the wrong path why do you think I mean I do Wonder because some people aren't that Ginger about it they go off into the political Lane in music and then to me it seems like you'd be having your audience right you'd be cutting your audience right in half I uh I respect my audience uh too much I appreciate them too much to uh to make them feel like I I don't respect I don't respect their their role as an American their ability their their rights and and all of that uh I want to entertain them so badly that I will do my best to not taint that with something that's offensive what do you what do you make because one of the things I love about Reagan is you cannot help but feel patriotic when it ends you know you you're just reminded of the things that make us special as a country As Americans and I I think given your line of work you experience that more than most on a daily basis so where do you think we stand as a country right now when it comes to our patriotism you know I I feel like we mostly uh I think we mostly all want the same things uh we want to look after that single mom who Almost Doesn't stand a chance uh to to raise her kids well we we all want the uh education to be the best in the world we all want the security and the safety in our communities we all want so many of the same things and I believe where the disagreements come in are are how to achieve that and I often think of it in terms of mom and dad mine were very different my mother was very tolerant and would would just we could just make her bend over backwards so far my dad he said no once and if you pushed it uh you were going to be in trouble and uh and and I often think of that as uh as an analogy to our political climate and I think if we all appreciated that uh that we all really want the same things and let's find the compromises uh to get those things uh we would be much closer together having been on the road and performed in front of so many different venues and to such success what do you love about this country when you go out there and you meet Real Americans all the time and you see people behind the scenes what makes you love the country well I appreciate the uh the history I appreciate the sacrifices to uh create this uh document that governs us the Constitution I appreciate the uh the fact that you know I was I was living hand to mouth and uh and have managed to build uh a business uh and raise a family you know I uh appreciate how much alike we all are uh I don't care if you're in New York or Maine or Alabama or Texas if you get away from uh the hustle and bustle of things and meet people one on-one I I think we're so much alike um you know country folk or country Folk City Folk or city Folk and uh now if you get people out of the city and away from the the stresses of a city um then they'll be so much like country folk you you just wouldn't believe it we might need a few lessons in order to survive on the ranch however just a little training and a lot of country folk could be happy to give those lessons Clint thank you so much thank you for bringing me one of my favorite songs in a new version that was spectacular and that really did make me cry the ugly cry but in a in a great way all the best to you okay night thanks for having me on take care anytime anytime and my thanks to Dennis Quaid Dan laua and Penelope and Miller please check out this movie I yes I know the filmmaker but I would not be selling it to you in the way that I am if I didn't believe in it if I didn't believe that you will love it that would be my credibility on the line um so trust me it's amazing you can find out more about the movie if you want at reagan. movie and then go see it go see it with your family and your friends and talk to to us about it you can email me Megan Megan kelly.com tomorrow we are going to have our reaction to the big kamla Harris interview tonight with her emotional support Governor we'll see how she does with her big white blankie next to her across from danab bash we'll see