# Reagan's 'Downgrade' In Health

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reagans-downgrade-in-health/249013>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 6, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reagans-downgrade-in-health/249013 "2004-06-06T23:58:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@citrus\_x\_paradisi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/citrus_x_paradisi)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reagans-downgrade-in-health/249013/1 "2004-06-06T23:58:16Z")

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Yesterday morning, Fark dot com linked to a CNN dot com article-- now removed from CNN’s webservers in favor of an obit-- about Reagan’s health deteriorating. It quoted doctors as giving Reagan “weeks or months” left. As soon as my dad heard this, he wagered Gipper would be gone by the afternoon.

Now, why is this? There’s little doubt in my mind that the ex-President had passed at the time of the first release. Why would the media do this, though?

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reagans-downgrade-in-health/249013/2 "2004-06-07T00:49:33Z")

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No, he was not dead at the time of the news release. No media outlet would do that, nor would the family issue a false statement.

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**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reagans-downgrade-in-health/249013/3 "2004-06-07T01:13:55Z")

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The family had been called in. Always a sure sign.

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [June 7, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reagans-downgrade-in-health/249013/4 "2004-06-07T02:48:38Z")

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It actually does occur that when someone (in)famous dies, the media is _not_ told of the death right away so that family members and such won’t hear about it via the media. By announcing the Time Is Near though, word gets out quickly to people who should “check in” to get a status report. For an ex-President, there’s a lot of work that has to go into prepping for the funeral, so a more advanced “warning” is better.