Honegger, Barbara. October Surprise. New York: Tudor, 1989. 323 pages.
California-based Barbara Honegger worked as a researcher at the
Hoover Institution, then joined the Reagan team as a researcher and policy
analyst in 1980. By 1983 she had become disillusioned and resigned, but
her "love" for Reagan kept her from pursuing this story until after he left
office. Actually she began leaking the story in mid-1987 after Iran-contra
had become a household word; one suspects that it wouldn't have gotten far
before then. "October Surprise" refers to the evidence that the Reagan
campaign cut a secret (and treasonous) deal with Iran to delay the release
of the American hostages, in order to keep President Carter from arranging
a surprise release in October and winning the November election.
This book broke considerable ground on this story, which became much
richer in detail over the following years. As this is being written in
May 1992, new sources have come forward (Ari Ben-Menashe), other sources
have been discredited (Richard Brenneke), and Congress is investigating.
Honegger and her loose circle of supporters (which includes the LaRouche
organization) have made a definite contribution, but by now they may be
victims -- either of their own success or of deliberate disinformation or
both. October Surprise sources comprise a who's who of sleaze and spookery;
paranoia and suspicion abound and it becomes difficult to know whom or what
to believe. It's a tall order for anyone, especially the U.S. Congress.
ISBN 0-944276-46-6
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