[...] It was Mikhail Gorbachev, who with a sweeping democratic revolution at home and one peace initiative after another abroad, backed the Gipper into a corner, leaving him little choice -- actors don't like to be upstaged -- but to concede there was a whole new world opening up over there.

[...]

...the U.S. administration was reeling. Polls were beginning to show that, of all things unimaginable, a Soviet leader was the greatest force for world peace. An embarrassed Mr. Reagan finally responded in kind.

UPDATE: The above terse presentation not being as obvious in tone as I assumed, I note that the above is not offered in the spirit of sober approbation.

(Or, to be perfectly clear, like he said: "Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Ha! Hahaha!")