Overview

Journalist and author⁤ Lou Cannon,widely regarded as the foremost authority⁢ on the ⁤life and career of President Reagan, ‍passed away on Friday in ‍a Santa ‍Barbara hospice. He was 92 years old.

Cause⁢ of Death and Family

His⁢ death was attributed to complications stemming from⁣ a‍ stroke, as reported by his son, Carl ‍M. Cannon, to the Washington Post, where his father⁢ had a distinguished career as a White⁢ House correspondent.

A Lifelong Study of Reagan

Cannon’s ⁤relationship with Reagan spanned decades, beginning in the 1960s⁤ when Reagan transitioned from acting to politics.⁣ He conducted over 50 interviews with the President and ⁢authored five books dedicated to his life and presidency. Despite this extensive engagement, Cannon often expressed ⁣a ⁢sense of incomplete understanding.

The more⁢ I wrote, the more I felt I didn’t know.

This quote,⁣ from a 2001 interview with the Reno gazette-Journal, encapsulates cannon’s intellectual honesty and his recognition of⁢ the complexities of Reagan’s character.

Early life and ⁢Career

Cannon was born in new York City and ⁢raised ⁢in Reno, Nevada. he attended the University of Nevada, Reno and later San Francisco State College.

Following‍ military service in the ⁤ U.S. Army,he began his journalism career covering ⁤ Reagan’s early years as Governor of California for the San‍ Jose Mercury News. In 1972, he joined the