Reagan Image-Maker Changed American Politics

The defense of alcoholism was not allowed to be a factor in the jury deliberations, the trial judge ruled.

After his conviction and sentencing, Deaver gave up his appeals, although still asserting he was innocent. He held a well-publicized tag sale of his office possessions.

He wrote three books, "Behind the Scenes: In Which the Author Talks About Ronald and Nancy Reagan . . . and Himself" (1987); "A Different Drummer: My Thirty Years with Ronald Reagan," (2001); and "Nancy: A Portrait of My Years with Nancy Reagan" (2004); and edited "Why I Am a Reagan Conservative" (2005). He was Washington chairman of the Edelman public relations firm for the past 15 years.

By 1996, he was back in the GOP's good graces, meeting with former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and becoming an official of the party's 1996 convention. In recent years, Deaver's clients included British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the Republic of Kazakhstan, Microsoft and Wal-Mart.

For the past 16 years, Deaver was chairman of the board of Clean and Sober Streets, a Washington substance abuse treatment center where he sometimes led counseling sessions.

"Every Christmas without fail," the center's executive director, Henry Pierce, said, "Mike would show up, serve dinner to the residents and their families, play the piano and lead the Christmas carol singing."

Deaver's survivors include his wife of 39 years, Carolyn Deaver of Bethesda; two children, Amanda Deaver of Washington and Blair Deaver of Bend, Ore.; a sister; a brother; and three grandchildren.

Staff writer Matt Schudel contributed to this report.