reagan told journalist and presidential scholar theodore white that "there was a feeling that i was just kind of a spokesman for john sears." sears had been attempting to consolidate power in the reagan campaign in 1980. he overstepped his bounds and was fired. william casey was hired to take his place. casey (later appointed to head the central intelligence agency by president reagan) demanded administrative control of the campaign, but had no desire to control policy and by extension the personnel choices of the reagan campaign; this was something john sears was boldly attempting to control.