Strategic thinkers were naturally rattled to find this outsider fooling around with their work. They had been thinking strategically when Reagan was just another movie actor playing opposite a chimpanzee, for heaven's sake. They think Reagan is too naive, too innocent, to grasp the intellectual complexities of cold war strategy.

Summary

This quote highlights the initial skepticism and resistance faced by an outsider, likely referring to President Reagan, when engaging with strategic thinkers who had already been deeply involved in the intricacies of their work. The strategic thinkers, who had already established themselves before Reagan's involvement, initially perceive him as inexperienced and simplistic due to his background as a movie actor. They doubt his ability to comprehend the intellectual complexities of cold war strategy. This quote emphasizes the clash between established experts and an outsider's disruptive influence on their domain.

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