This one is easy. The "Hack"= Patrick J. Buchannan.
"Easy" - and flamingly wrong. The "Hack" never wrote a book, according to the column. Buchanan's written several. The "Hack" was a speechwriter working under Elliott. Buchanan was DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS - whoever he answered to, it sure wasn't Elliot.
Buchanan did not work for Ben Elliot, Elliot worked for Buchanan. "The Hack" was lower ranking than Elliot, clearly, otherwise Elliot could not have protected him.
Dana Rohrabacher did work for Elliot, however, and was on the same level as Noonan.
I don't believe that, because Pat was already a large figure among conservatives due to Nixon, the Watergate hearings and Crossfire. He didn't need his years in the Reagan White House to gain recognition.