Neal's first job in Washington was as a staff economic analyst with a government intelligence department, but his assignments were well removed from exotic Soviet intrigue. He found the preparation of routine economic analyses a bland enough intellectual diet that he was ready to leave the organization after little more than a year. The most interesting thing about his work was that it gave him the opportunity for an insider's view of international relations. He gained much of this perspective in weekly briefing sessions, such as the time he heard former president Harry Truman give his perspective on several current international issues to a small group of staffers. Neal was impressed with Truman's candor and his grasp of detail.