A Letter From the Publisher: Mar. 9, 1987

Near the end of each week Senior Writer George Church pursues a late-evening ritual. Up and down, up and down, Church slowly paces the corridor of the Nation section in his stocking feet, puzzling out his story, drawing together elements from a welter of reportage and weaving those parts into the firm, seamless narratives that have made his writing almost legendary at TIME. Every so often on these jaunts a thoughtful grunt escapes his lips and he smiles in satisfaction. He then heads quickly back to his computer terminal to tap out the results of his stroll in paragraphs of carefully linked fact and perception. "Working with George," says Reporter-Researcher Katherine Mihok, who has done so on many occasions, including last week, "is like being in on the Creation."

, For this week's issue, Church wrote the lead story in our discussion of the Tower commission's findings. It is his 77th cover story in 18 years at TIME. "The Iran-contra affair is more sustained than any previous news event I've been involved in," says Church. "This will be the fifth cover related to the controversy that I've done in four months." In terms of writing, it presents a growing problem. "There is by now a very long and complicated public record that you must cite to put the new developments in context," says Church. "The question is where to draw the line." But Church believes the hardships "are far overshadowed by the excitement that goes with the top story in the country." Says he: "It's like pitching in the World Series."

In our Washington bureau, the excitement over the developing story was palpable. Staffers Brian Doyle and Neang Seng battled through a thicket of reporters and TV cameramen to stuff a pile of commission reports into knapsacks as soon as the copies were released at the White House Press Office on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, Correspondents Barrett Seaman and David Beckwith prepared to analyze the 288-page report as the Tower commission press conference unfolded. National Political Correspondent Laurence Barrett tracked Nancy Reagan's conflict with Donald Regan. Correspondents Hays Gorey and Michael Duffy scoured Congress for reactions. Pentagon Correspondent Bruce van Voorst investigated CIA involvement. And Correspondents Alessandra Stanley and Ricardo Chavira concentrated on Lieut. Colonel Oliver North and the contra connection. "With all the details required for my stories," says Church from his New York City office, "I often wonder how the bureau ever manages to come up with the stuff we need." Then he grins. "But, you know, they always do."