# God Bless Ronald Wilson Reagan ...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [June 6, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886 "2004-06-06T00:38:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@SallyStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SallyStar)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/1 "2004-06-06T00:38:08Z")
This is no time for partisan politics …
> [@John Kerry](#):
>
> "Ronald Reagan’s love of country was infectious. Even when he was breaking Democrats hearts, he did so with a smile and in the spirit of honest and open debate. Despite the disagreements, he lived by that noble ideal that at 5 p.m. we weren’t Democrats or Republicans, we were Americans and friends.
>
> President Reagan and Tip O’Neill fought hard and honorably on many issues, and sat down together to happily swap jokes and the stories of their lives. The differences were real, but because of the way President Reagan led, he taught us that there is a big difference between strong beliefs
> and bitter partisanship.
>
> "He was the voice of America in good times and in grief. When we lost the brave astronauts in the Challenger tragedy, he reminded us that, Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue.
>
> "Now, his own journey has ended-a long and storied trip that spanned most of the American century-and shaped one of the greatest victories of freedom. Today in the face of new challenges, his example reminds us that we must move forward with optimism and resolve. He was our oldest president, but he made America young again.
>
> "Our prayers are with his family, and the wife he loved in a way all the world could see. And to the end, she loved him with courage and complete devotion. She helped all of us better understand the cruel disease that took him away before it took his life, and what we must do to prevent and cure it.
>
> “Teresa and I and our family extend our deepest sympathies to Nancy Reagan and the Reagan family. Today, from California to Maine – from sea to shining sea – Americans will bow their heads in
> prayer and gratitude that President Reagan left such an indelible stamp on the nation he loved.”
What else can be said! Who, with any **credentials** , wants to argue with this …?
---
### Author:  [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/2 "2004-06-06T00:43:47Z")
Um…so the debate is…
You might want to re-read the name of this forum. This would be better placed in MPSIMS, and I believe there’s already a thread this topic there.
For that matter, there _is_ a Reagan thread from earlier already in this forum, but it actually contained something to debate.
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### Author:  [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/3 "2004-06-06T00:43:53Z")
> [@SallyStar](#):
>
> This is no time for partisan politics …
Is this the Great Debate? Okay, why is it not the time for partisan politics?
> [@](#):
>
> What else can be said!
Perhaps this is the Great Debate? If so, many many things can be said. We need some parameters here.
> [@](#):
>
> Who, with any **credentials** , wants to argue with this …?
Oh, this is the debate. What credentials are needed to argue this? Do they have to equal your own credentials?
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/4 "2004-06-06T00:49:35Z")
It is, of course, already being argued in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260014) here in GD, [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260033) in IMHO, [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260026) in MPSIMS, and finally, [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260003) in the Pit. Your posts seem most appropriate for the MPSIMS thread.
Well, as long as I’m here, please define credentials, and please state your own.
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### Author:  [@SallyStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SallyStar)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/5 "2004-06-06T00:50:07Z")
> [@Cerri](#):
>
> Um…so the debate is…
What Kerry said :smack:
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#):
>
> Oh, this is the debate. What credentials are needed to argue this? Do they have to equal your own credentials?
Something equal to Kerry’s would suffice :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/6 "2004-06-06T00:51:59Z")
And [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260041) in GQ is tangentially related.
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### Author:  [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/7 "2004-06-06T00:52:57Z")
Oh yeah. We have many twenty year veterans of the senate on this board.
:rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@SallyStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SallyStar)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/8 "2004-06-06T00:53:42Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#):
>
> And [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=260041) in GQ is tangentially related.
I hear about all these other threads, did they quote John F. Kerry too?
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### Author:  [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/9 "2004-06-06T00:55:18Z")
> [@SallyStar](#):
>
> This is no time for partisan politics …
Sez you, blanquita.
[quoteWhat else can be said! Who, with any **credentials** , wants to argue with this …?[/QUOTE]
What credentials do you think I need to proclaim the man an asshole? Maybe my dead friends? Or do you have a better one? I’ll just bet that you do, you adorable little ragamuffin.
Waste
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/10 "2004-06-06T00:56:03Z")
What do you mean, the debate is “what Kerry said”? Kerry was not submitting any issue for public debate, he was merely saying predictably nice things about a former president who just died. What else would a man in his position say?
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/11 "2004-06-06T00:59:57Z")
> [@SallyStar](#):
>
> What Kerry said :smack:
Which of Kerry’ requisite platitudes do you think contains any debatable substance?
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/12 "2004-06-06T01:01:50Z")
> [@SallyStar](#):
>
> I hear about all these other threads, did they quote John F. Kerry too?
Yes, **Liberal** quoted the final paragraph (as usual with Kerry quotes, out of context) in the Pit thread. I still don’t see the necessity of this thread.
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### Author:  [@SallyStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SallyStar)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/13 "2004-06-06T01:04:39Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> What do you mean, the debate is “what Kerry said”? Kerry was not submitting any issue for public debate, he was merely saying predictably nice things about a former president who just died. What else would a man in his position say?
> [@](#):
>
> “Ronald Reagan’s love of country was infectious. Even when he was breaking Democrats hearts, he did so with a smile and in the spirit of honest and open **debate**. Despite the disagreements, he lived by that noble ideal that at 5 p.m. we weren’t Democrats or Republicans, we were Americans and friends.”
So no **debate** (my bolding) here vv other threads?
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### Author:  [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/14 "2004-06-06T01:11:38Z")
> [@SallyStar](#):
>
> So no **debate** (my bolding) here vv other threads?
Help me here.
You think just because the word **debate** is in that quote. That makes it debatable?
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### Author:  [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/15 "2004-06-06T01:12:22Z")
Again, sounds like what a politician would be expected to say. You’re still pretty thin on what is to be debated.
And you’ve also not clued us in on your credential discerning powers.
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/16 "2004-06-06T01:19:56Z")
_sigh_ . . . Okay, I’ll bite. Reagan was sometimes, on odd occasions, willing to engage in “honest and open debate,” unlike our current president, who will always have his way, fuck debate and fuck honesty. God bless Ronald Wilson Reagan and God damn George Walker Bush.
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/17 "2004-06-06T01:24:24Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> _sigh_ . . . Okay, I’ll bite. Reagan was sometimes, on odd occasions, willing to engage in “honest and open debate,” …
Yes, and I’ll always wonder if “I paid for this microphone!” was a setup.
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### Author:  [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/18 "2004-06-06T01:28:10Z")
Perhaps the GD here is whether Kerry’s statement is sincere, or political?
IMO, it can certainly be both, and the fact that it’s probably the latter shouldn’t detract from the former.
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/19 "2004-06-06T01:32:01Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> _sigh_ . . . Okay, I’ll bite. Reagan was sometimes, on odd occasions, willing to engage in “honest and open debate,” unlike our current president, who will always have his way, fuck debate and fuck honesty. God bless Ronald Wilson Reagan and God damn George Walker Bush.
DING! DING! DING! DING!!!
We have a winna!!!
Yes, as I said in other thread I do hope god forgives him, And knowing that Bush hired the worse elements of the Reagan cabinet to be in his, that it is on the living were we have to throw our contempt to, As much as I disliked Reagan, I am contented that he has found peace.
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### Author:  [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)
#### Post date: [June 6, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-bless-ronald-wilson-reagan/248886/20 "2004-06-06T01:32:15Z")
No, **Leaper**. There is nothing resembling debate about this trainwreck.
**Sally** just let her ideology use her for a mouthpiece. Happens to all of us at times.
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