February 6th, 2011 would have been the 100th birthday of a man who is remembered by many different people for various reasons; as a friend, as a father, as a movie actor—and as the leader of the free world for two terms during a time of major world change. John A. Svahn’s There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere is a candid reflection of the period that the author spent as one of Ronald Reagan’s chief policy advisors. From Reagan’s years as the governor of California and extending throughout his tenure as president, the author was given the opportunity to observe many meaningful moments and events both personally and politically, as a member of Ronald Reagan’s inner circle. Svahn served in four Reagan administrations and played a critical role in some of Ronald Reagan’s most controversial and successful domestic initiatives, including the overhaul of California’s welfare system and the shoring up of the nation’s social security program.

Included in the book is an in depth look at the workings of the Reagan White House during both terms.  From his office in the West Wing, Svahn was a party to the reelection effort and the transition to Reagan’s second term. Anecdotes of a more lighthearted and entertaining nature are also recounted in a detailed and humorous narrative, including a story about Dan Rather’s impromptu serenade for the president on his seventy-fourth birthday.

Throughout every challenge presented to him, including the ramifications following what the author terms as his “biggest mistake,” Ronald Reagan stayed the course masterfully and with his integrity, character, and wit intact. In There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere, Svahn aptly conveys his fondness for the complex and often eccentric nature of American politics. He pays homage and tribute to his friend and colleague, Ronald Reagan, as his number one “Reaganite” in this engaging and touching memoir.