In his reflections on Tim Leary, Hunter S. Thompson expresses deep anger and resentment towards the figure he once viewed with intrigue. Thompson views Leary not only as a fraud and a deceitful individual but as someone whose character he holds in lower regard than even Richard Nixon. This disappointment stems from Leary's actions in his later years, where Thompson accuses him of betraying his friends and ideals.

Thompson emphasizes that for the last two decades of Leary's life, he acted as an informant for the FBI, implicating friends and turning against the very principles of peace he once promoted. This betrayal taints Leary's legacy for Thompson, who felt that Leary's actions were a direct contradiction to the countercultural values he represented, leading to Thompson's lasting contempt.