Bel Air, CA — Former First Lady Nancy Reagan endorsed Sen. McCain outside her home Tuesday afternoon, providing the presumptive GOP nominee with the official blessing of the closest thing to the party’s royal family.

“This is an important, most important kind of expression of confidence and my ability to lead the party that I could have,” McCain said, who often refers to himself as a “foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution.” He lauded the 40th president and former first lady for their lifetime of “honorable and courageous service.”

Mrs. Reagan, 86, who Reagan library officials said did not plan to speak at the appearance, chimed in on a question directed at McCain about why she chose to prematurely endorse before the convention.

“Let me inject in here. Ronnie and I always waited until everything was decided and then we endorsed. Well, obviously this is the nominee of the party,” she said as she patted him on the arm. (Full Event Transcript after Jump)

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