Firing Is Hard to Do

Only Ronald Reagan knows whether he would really like Don Regan to leave the White House. But even if the President would, he is, as a former assistant notes, "incapable of firing anyone." At least face to face. Though Reagan had little trouble sacking 11,500 air-traffic controllers in 1981, he is known to have directly dismissed only a few top aides in his entire political career. One was John Sears, his 1980 campaign manager. Reagan summoned Sears and two other advisers to a hotel room in New Hampshire and said, "Fellas, this isn't going to work."

Reagan eased Secretary of State...