Tom Holland

I suppose if they vanish into prison cells, then they're not as visible, are they?

They can't be put on television.

And it's a bit like the hostage situation in Lebanon in the 80s.

You know, if you're not seeing them, you can forget them.

And so the notion of an October surprise by this point is part of American political discourse, is it?

Isn't the conspiracy theory, though, that actually it's working the other way around and that it's the Republicans who are in contact with the government in Tehran to keep the hostages until after the election?

Anyway, we touched on it, didn't we, in our series on Reagan.

But why is he even contemplating releasing them to Reagan?

Is he not worried that Reagan will be a much more formidable and hawkish opponent?

Why does he want to give Reagan any rocket fuel for his presidency?

Wouldn't an impaired, politically damaged Carter winning a second term be better for Iran than Reagan?

Well, no, because he's still got two months left as president, hasn't he, before Reagan's inaugurated?

Oh, with thanks to almighty God, I have been given a tagline.

The get-off line everyone wants at the end of a speech.

Some thirty minutes ago, the planes burying our prisoners left Iranian airspace and are now free of Iran.

I mean, I guess if there's a moral to this whole story, it's don't be kind, right?

I mean, don't let dying dictators into your country.

No, I know he didn't.

But he did and everything followed from that, right?

And I imagine the physical treatment as well.