Is Ronald Reagan gravely ill?

[I Love Me, Vol. I]

I have heard rumors that Ronald Reagan is very sick and perhaps near death. These have come to me second-hand through network television contacts. However, I do know first-hand that at least one major network is moving assets into place and preparing obituary and sidebar stories.

I can find nothing about this on the internet. I can't believe that I know something that almost no one else does, so I am suspicious-- yet my sources are excellent. Does anyone here have any information on this?

[Wesley Clark]

On another message board back when Andrea Yates first killed her kids and nobody knew why a poster said he knew the lawyers and he claimed that Andrea Yates did it because she was having religious delusions. he even went into detail about the delusions, a month or so later when the media reported it it all turned out to be true.

As far as Reagan i haven't heard anything. But he is around 93 and has had Alzheimers for over a decade so it wouldn't suprise me.

[silenus]

Well, Nancy Reagan said last weekend, I believe, that "Ron has gone somewhere where I can't reach him." So his Alzheimer's has progressed that far. I haven't heard any other news. Anybody with the access to news organizations?

[Northern Piper]

Well, Nancy Reagan said last weekend, I believe, that "Ron has gone somewhere where I can't reach him." So his Alzheimer's has progressed that far. I haven't heard any other news. Anybody with the access to news organizations?This was reported on today's CNN, in a story about how Mrs. Reagan is quietly lobbying the Bush White House to change their position on stem cell research. She made the statement at a conference this past weekend on stem cell research. As she went up to the podium she was welcomed by Michael J. Fox and Larry King. I know about Fox's advocacy with respect to Parkinson's and stem cell, but didn't know that Larry King was involved. Anyone know? (or maybe he was just the celebrity host?)

[Mr. Moto]

That is tragic. For years he could still recognize her, even if no one else.

I am a huge Reagan fan. But even if I were a political enemy of his, I'd feel bad about this. It's a lousy way to go.

[Otto]

I know about Fox's advocacy with respect to Parkinson's and stem cell, but didn't know that Larry King was involved. Anyone know? (or maybe he was just the celebrity host?) Larry King has type 2 diabetes, one of the diseases which advocates of stem cell research say would likely be curable with further research.

[Earl Snake-Hips Tucker]

I heard Michael Reagan in the past year say that his dad has been bedridden for some time (and he came out with the Alzheimer's diagnosis ten years ago).

[Diceman]

He hasn't been able to recognize Nancy for a while now. Several months at least. Maybe longer. I hadn't heard anything about him recently, but it's certainly possible that he might be dying.

What a horrible way to go.

[Jinx]

That is tragic. For years he could still recognize her, even if no one else.

I am a huge Reagan fan. But even if I were a political enemy of his, I'd feel bad about this. It's a lousy way to go.

For anyone else, I'd agree. I am very compassionate, but not when hard-working Americans lost everything under King Ronny's reign and trickle down "poof there goes your job" economic, laissez-faire policies...sorry, it's hard to learn not to burn (flame) when your Dad was a Phi Beta Kappa in Business; yet, he had to start all over again at age 50...as the bills keep coming and collectors harass even though you've already made payment agreements with the billing dept and no one listens
and the summonses banging at the door...while trying to make a yummy meal from that surplus cheese...and raise a family on values, not drugs!

Before you blindly label me a liberal, come see what living at or below the poverty line is really like. The truth is that it's so ugly, you just turn your head and coldly convince yourself that these people deserve to be there.

Now, that's a lousy way for any family to go. - Jinx

[Mr. Moto]

Right.

Before you blindly label me, Jinx, please note that I was so broke in the early nineties that I pretty much was forced to join the Navy to keep from starving or moving back in with my parents.

The reality is that, even in good times, many people struggle. In bad times, they struggle more.

The trends you noted continued under Bush, Clinton, and W. Bush. Does this mean, if Clinton were to suffer from Alzheimer's, that you'd crap all over people expressing some sympathy for him?

You say you are very compassionate, but you sure dole that compassion out carefully. I hope I never get into a car wreck with you around. I don't know if I'll pass the political litmus test for you to break out a first aid kit, or call 911.

[postcards]

I do know first-hand that at least one major network is moving assets into place and preparing obituary and sidebar stories.

I'm certain that every major media outlet has had an obituary for Reagan (as well as for most other well-known persons) on file at least since he won his first election in California.

[David Simmons]

Is Reagan gravely ill? I hope so. I have a high school classmate who has had Alzheimers for about 12 or 13 years and has been in a care facility for 7 of them. The disease is one of the hardest on the family and I wish she were gravely ill so they could be done with it.

[bibliophage]

Jinx and Mr. Moto, we are not going to have a debate about whether Ronald Reagan was a great president or a terrible president in this forum. If you can't provide a factual answer to the question about his health, you do not belong in this thread.

bibliophage
modertor GQ

[Mr. Moto]

Sorry bibliophage. I forgot myself.

Deepest apologies to anybody I offended.

[I Love Me, Vol. I]

I'm certain that every major media outlet has had an obituary for Reagan (as well as for most other well-known persons) on file at least since he won his first election in California.Yes. You are correct about that (for the most part). But networks don't move talent and equipment around for no reason whatsoever. And it is my understanding that that is indeed being done right now.

Venturing further into total rumor-land, some folks around me don't think he'll make it through the weekend-- that is why the obituaries and sidebars were being updated today, while the A-crew is still around.

[Mr. Excellent]

As ghoulish as it is, I have to say that this is one of those times that makes the 'Dope very much worth my $5. If this is true, then as mentioned, it isn't very surprising - but it's still kind of neat to have good reason to believe a fairly major news event is in the offing, well before the mainstream press is covering it.

I realize that this is an unspeakable tragedy for the Reagan family, and though I would probably describe Reagan as our worst president since WW2 - yes, even Nixon- *no one* deserves to die like that. But that said - from a political perspective, it's interesting to be able to think about what the political consequences, if any, of Reagan's death will be.

[I Love Me, Vol. I]

As ghoulish as it is, I have to say that this is one of those times that makes the 'Dope very much worth my $5. If this is true, then as mentioned, it isn't very surprising - but it's still kind of neat to have good reason to believe a fairly major news event is in the offing, well before the mainstream press is covering it. Yes it would be 'neat' to know about, I suppose, even though it is somewhat 'ghoulish' as you say.

Still, I want to make perfectly clear that I only have information that people at a major network are preparing today in earnest for coverage of an event (Reagan's death) that will certainly occur someday, but as to exactly when, no one knows. I also know who the purported source is that apparently gave the original information to the network, and if true, it is information from a source that would definitely be in a position to know.

[Rico]

I know several high-ranking people at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California. They have been preparing for this for well over a year.

My main contact there says it could happen tomorrow or next year. It's not a certainty that it will happen this weekend, but it eventually will happen.

[Walloon]

I realize that this is an unspeakable tragedy for the Reagan familyAren't we going overboard here? The Reagan family, all of them, has spoken openly and frequently about his illness. Up to four million Americans have Alzheimer's disease.

[ivylass]

I heard somewhere that he doesn't even remember that he was President.

Alzheimer's is such a cruel way to go, not only for the patient but for the loved ones.

I believe the Reagans have been in seclusion for many years. This must be so hard on Nancy.

[DoctorJ]

I am a huge Reagan fan. But even if I were a political enemy of his, I'd feel bad about this. It's a lousy way to go.
We discussed this a lot in some sessions we had on Hospice care, as we were talking about the dynamics of the different ways you could go and thinking about which one we would want. Considering that we all have to go somehow, when it comes to my feelings alone, this was the one I picked. It's weird, maybe, but I fear facing death far more than I fear death, and becoming gradually unaware, to the point that I wouldn't know what was happening when it happened, would probably be ideal for me. It would probably be tougher for my family, and I wouldn't want to be a burden on them, but it would be the best for me.

As for Reagan, he has well outlived the expected natural history of Alzheimer's disease. Not to mention that he's 93 years old.

[Northern Piper]

Larry King has type 2 diabetes, one of the diseases which advocates of stem cell research say would likely be curable with further research.Did not know that - thanks, Otto.

[wolf_meister]

Yes, Alzheimer's is a lousy way to go. But as DoctorJ said, for the individual afflicted with it, they become gradually unaware of everything. Of course, this is no comfort for the family and friends that must watch somebody's slow descent.

Slight hijack here, but I'd say amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease) is probably a worse disease to get. Your mind remains healthy as your body becomes increasingly useless. - That's scary.

[FriarTed]

The other day I was watching the Dean Martin roast of Frank Sinatra on video & got a bit sad when I realized that most the people (Martin, Sinatra, Milton Berle, George Burns, Redd Foxx, Lawanda Page, Jimmy Stewart, among others) had passed away. But what really made me sad was one who had not passed away yet- Ronnie. *sigh* God bless & take you to him soon, Sir!

Btw, Peter Falk & Ruth Buzzy were among the few still alive also.

[Rick]

Aren't we going overboard here? The Reagan family, all of them, has spoken openly and frequently about his illness. Up to four million Americans have Alzheimer's disease.

Spoken like someone who has not had a relative stricken with Alzheimer's.
Having your father not recognize you or your children is a tragedy.
I miss my dad.

[peculiar hailstone]

Hitler died in a bunker. I feel for him, because people that die in bunkers need our love too. I sorta feel for the guy with Alzheimers that's in a cardboard box in San francisco because he lost his job in 84 with no warning and didn't know how to cope. The medical treatment he's received was a slip of paper telling him that the hospital was closing.

[Wesley Clark]

I think its anti-etiquette to bump old posts here, but i just saw this in the news and thought it was relevant to this post.

"Reagan's Health Said to Have Deteriorated"

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040605/ap_on_go_pr_wh/reagan_health&cid=544&ncid=716

[rfgdxm]

Yes. You are correct about that (for the most part). But networks don't move talent and equipment around for no reason whatsoever. And it is my understanding that that is indeed being done right now.

Venturing further into total rumor-land, some folks around me don't think he'll make it through the weekend-- that is why the obituaries and sidebars were being updated today, while the A-crew is still around.

They wouldn't need to move much talent and equipment around. A canned new report about Reagan's death covering his life made 2 years ago would still pretty much be current today. Basically, Reagan in his condition hasn't done anything newsworthy in years. All that would be needed would be when the news report aired to add in what the official cause of death was.

[Revtim]

Yeah, I'm sure most news organizations have had the "Reagan Death Tribute" filmed/written/HTML'ed and in the can for years. And now they are updating with any more recent information, such as Nancy's fight for stem cell research.

Anybody remember when someone discoverd URLs into, I believe, CNN.com, that showed the death notice articles of many people who had not died yet? Did they have Reagan? IIRC, they had the Queen Mother, and it was several years before she passed.

[Freejooky]

For what it's worth, I work in live TV, and we were on standby all day yesterday because it was thought (by the major networks) that Reagan had either died or was about to die at any moment.

[TeaElle]

Prescient threads, and the info was accurate -- Reagan died about an hour ago (1:00 p.m. PDT).

[Mr. Kobayashi]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/05/...alth/index.html

[Mr. Kobayashi]

That should be:
http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/05/reagan.health/index.html
Sorry 'bout that.

[I Love Me, Vol. I]

They wouldn't need to move much talent and equipment around. A canned new report about Reagan's death covering his life made 2 years ago would still pretty much be current today. Basically, Reagan in his condition hasn't done anything newsworthy in years. All that would be needed would be when the news report aired to add in what the official cause of death was.Thats what I thought too when I heard that the network was moving assets into positon. Still, the network was doing just that-- and all back in mid-May, too. Now we see why.

But, I was off by a month. Anyway...

I really didn't care much for the guy but, best wishes to the Reagan family, and may the President rest in peace.

[Kamino Neko]

I don't like to wish death on people, but I'm glad he's died, finally.

My great-grandmother had Alzheimers, as well. Like Reagan, she was gone long before she was gone. Her death was, as much as I hate to admit this, a relief.

I'm sure Reagan's family feel the same way, and probably feel the same guilt about it.

But at least they no longer have to watch a man they loved very much sink further away from what he once was.