Good night sir. You were a great man, you helped this nation and the world more than any of us probably realize. I am only sorry that I do not remember you better.
Good night, and God bless.
I didn’t agree with everything he did/said, but
RIP Ronald Reagen.
I know this probably sounds mean, but does this mean that Bedtime for Bonzo is going to be shown on TV a lot over the next week?
RIP Mr. Reagan…One of the country’s best Presidents.
I also was no fan of his politics, but Reagan’s optimism and genuineness were remarkable and good for America. We could sure use a bit of both those qualities now in the U.S. government. I, for one, will poor a drink and toast the Gipper. Be at peace.
I’m not sure why this stuck with me over the years, but for some reason it did. I remember the stark contrast between Reagan’s press conferences and those of his recent predecessors. Before, reporters were crowded into the press room and, as soon as the president entered the room, the chaotic chants of “Mr. President! Mr. President!” began, each reporter trying to out-shout his neighbors. The sweaty president fielded questions as best he could, and his ending words were always drowned out by the next cycle of chaos.
Enter Reagan. Press conferences moved to the stately East Room. Behind the mahogany dais, President Reagan could be seen walking down the long hallway of red carpet. The press was seated in cushioned chairs, adorned in ties and dresses, all seated quietly. When they wanted to ask a question, they raised their hands. They had been told that dignified behavior and formal protocol would from now on be required. I think that he understood the value of symbols.
I was a teenager when Reagan took office, and a Young Adult for much of his term. In the 1970s we had gas rationing. The economy sucked. Inflation was rampant. American citizens were being held hostage in Iran. Reagan was elected, and things began looking up.
Still…
He seemed like a “cowboy” to me. The Soviet Uniion still existed. They had missiles pointed at us. And here comes Reagan, pissing them off. I just knew he was going to get us into a nuclear exchange. It was a tense time, which many younger Dopers might not remember or comprehend.
(Veering a way slightly, I remember the uproar when Reagan made a comment when he thought the microphones were off: “I’ve just signed a law banning the Soviet Union for ever. We start bombing in five minutes.” Or something to that effect. It was obviously a joke. I had a good laugh, what with my sense of humour and all. Most people didn’t think it was funny.)
Then there was the Strategic Defense Initiative – “Star Wars”. :rolleyes: Is that “Reagan”, or “Ray-gun”? Feeling that he was a “loose cannon”, I referred to him as “Ronald Slay-gun”. And he appointed James Watt as Secretary of the Interior. Talk about the fox watching the henhouse! I had a bumper sticker: “I know Watt’s wrong.” I was worried about what would happen. Maybe Reagan would die? Uh-oh. George H.W. Bush looked scary too. Maybe something would happen to him? Looking down the line of succession I was not encouraged. How about Al “Bomb’s Away” Haig? Scary. I thought it was dangerous for him to be deploying Pershing II nuclear missiles in West Germany. Reagan’s habit of nodding off from time to time was also not encouraging.
But looking back, he wasn’t so bad. Yes, we had record deficits; but the economy was taking off nicely. Yes, there was Iran-Contra. But compared to the current presidency, that looks like a tempest in a teapot. In retrospect, SDI turned out to be a bluff. The Soviets bought it, and ruined their economy to “keep up”. For the first time since I became aware of such things, I was no longer concerned with nuclear annihilation. He called for Mr. Gorbavhev to “Tear down this wall.” And a couple years later, the wall came down. Even G.H.W. Bush seems not so bad. He actually used statecraft and, agree with him or not, was an intelligent man.
So my major memories of President Reagan are first; that he scared the hell out of me, being in charge of our nuclear arsenal. (“Go nuclear,” the Cowboy told us / And who am I to disagree? / For when the Madman flips the switch / The nuclear will go for me.") Secondly, it was during his watch that the Soviet Union began to crumble. When I think of Reagan, I first think of the threat of war; and then of the hope of peace.
I didn’t agree with his policies. I’m not gay, but if I were I would hate him for his attitude toward gay people. He was callous for not dealing swiftly with AIDS. His environmental policies, as I recall, were poor. But I would rather have another Reagan in office than another Duhbya. Reagan wasn’t so bad after all.
Requiescat in pace, Mr. Reagan.
Politics aside, we’ve lost a gentle man who truly loved his wife.
RIP Ronnie. 
Amen. This country could use some optimism.
As I walked away from my last post to watch the Bellmont Stakes I thought, “Will I look back 20 years on, and say Duhbya wasn’t so bad?” Reagan pulled us out of Beirut after the bombing there. I felt at the time that that was the wrong thing to do. I’ve felt since that retreating sent the message to terrorists that all they have to do is bloody our nose and we’ll go away. The attack on Grenada seemed to me to be a blatant political ploy. Reagan seemed at times to be doddering. And yet, he didn’t get us into a major “charlie-foxtrot” the way Duhbya has. And while he may seem to have doddered, I never took him for an idiot. So I doubt I’ll be looking back as kindly at our current President.
But enough of that. Let’s hope our next President can bring the same optimism and genuineness that Biotop noticed in Reagan.
He certainly lived an amazing & very sucessful life.
The tragedy is that we’re still pouring money down that particular rathole - in an era of record deficits, we’re still pumping billions into that turkey. Who are we trying to bluff now?
R.I.P. Sir.
Is there an online Book of Condolence?
I’ll mourn him for dying such a horrible death and I’ll keep his family in my thoughts for losing a loved one, but I won’t mourn his politics.
There’s an acid comment to be made about this typo, considering what years of Reaganomics did to the poor…
When I heard the news this evening, I felt such relief and grief, especially for Nancy Reagan. Though I have never been a big fan of either of them, the struggle they have had the past ten years has been so sad. Say what you will about their relationship, these were two people who loved each other and were perfect together, and I have been very touched by her care of him, and saddened that her friend had been taken away, with his body left behind. Alzheimer’s is such a terrible, terrible thing for families to endure, even with money and staff to help. I hope that Nancy can find some peace now that he is at peace. There are other wives in the political world who would not tend their spouses so carefully, or so personally.
God bless them both.
“Well…” (as he’d say), I can say I feel for his family – this is one horrible way to lose someone loved. I’m another one who though very much against what he stood for politically, bore RR, the human, no special animosity.
That’s what makes this country so great: the ability to disagree with someone, but to still respect them as a person with a right to their views.
Good night, Mr. Reagan.
The presidency was Ronald Reagan’s greatest role. He slipped into the mantle of power like he was born to it. He was an excellent congress-wrangler, the best since LBJ. He was a great persuader when he spoke to America. He had some victories as a foreign policy negotiator, too.
He talked us into some very harmful policies, though. He rang up huge increases in the national debt, laying the groundwork for the supply-side madness we’re doing now. Illegal and downright treasonous things happened on his watch, but by the time he was called to answer for them, he couldn’t recall…anything. The Alzheimer’s had taken away his memory.
Rest in peace, Mr. President. Rest in peace.
Blessed journy Mr. President.
He informed on actors who could be considered Communists to have them blackballed.
He killed Momar Gadafi’s children in an air raid.
Invaded Grenada for some medical students not smart enough to attend school in the United States.
Go make your own thread in the pit.