Title: An Ordinary Congressman and an Extraordinary Scandal: Alex McMillan and Iran-Contra
Abstract: The Iran-Contra Affair was an infamous soap opera that pushed the Reagan Administration to the brink of annihilation. The repercussions to the main players of this and other tantalizing political affairs have been regurgitated ad nauseum. However, the effects on the more general political scene are often ignored. This paper is a case study that examines the diversionary political route that Alex McMillan, a Congressman unknown outside of North Carolina, takes to handle the negative effects of a Republican crisis to a Congressman that shares the party, but not the blame, for a national scandal. This case study aims to shed light on the highly complicated relationship between a politician and his constituency, as well as the subtleties of rhetorical versus legislative political strategy.