An interesting take on Reagan's death

[vicman]

From August Pollack

http://www.xoverboard.com/

I offer my sincerest condolences to Nancy Reagan and the rest of the Reagan family. However, I find, in the midst of everyone offering such, those who claimed to care so much for the man cared the least about the true desires of his comfort. For all the talk about putting Reagan's face on money, carving him into Mount Rushmore, and so on, the one thing that the Reagan family actually asked for was devotion to stem cell research that may have eased the decade of suffering Reagan had undergone. This request was denied by those who, in the fit of utmost tragic irony, claimed to be the most devout followers of Reagan's gospel.

And that, on the day of his death, is what we're left with. Gospel. Reagan stopped being a person and became a religion twenty years ago. Hell, how people can say they'll "miss" a man who hasn't been seen or spoken publicly in ten years is a tad disingenuous.

But looking back on how hard-right Reaganites refused to listen to Nancy's calls for stem cell support, I think it's clear a lot of the tears for Reagan are meaningless... they could care less about the man, and they still have his gospel to, like all religions, delve further and further from what its founder was really like as the years go by.

Despite all the actions that have worsened this country and all his views that I will eternally disagree with, I truly hope that Ronald Reagan rests in peace. I am doubtful, however, that his followers will allow him to.

[bluestateguy]

1. They just used Reagan

They used him like a producer uses an actor for a part in a movie. Reagan was the darling of social conservatives, but had a strained relationship with his children and did not regularly attend church. He also signed California's liberal abortion law in 1967, before Roe vs. Wade.

Anyway, some of these so-called pro-life people could save a lot of lives if their friends in Congress would allow stem-cell funding. I would suggest also that if the Bush people want to politicize Reagan's death that Kerry articulate his position in favor of stem cell research, which Nancy favors

[blackcat77]

2. The same folks who admire Reagan...

...often admire John Wayne as well. They simply cannot see beyond the well-crafted public persona to the real person behind the image. John Wayne was never really John Wayne and Ronald Reagan was never the shining icon that Lee Atwater and Company created. He was an actor playing the role of a lifetime and doing so very well. For that, I'll give him credit.

[Leilani]

3. I could be wrong,

but I never heard or read that Lee Atwater worked for Reagan.

Lee Atwater worked for Bush Sr. & was the mentor of Karl Rove.

[Mecil]

4. Was an advisor to both

Harvey Leroy "Lee" Atwater (February 26, 1951 - March 29, 1991) was a Republican National Committee chairman during the latter part of the 1980s. Atwater was a trusted advisor of both President Ronald Reagan and President George H. W. Bush. Atwater's skills at promoting the negative aspects of his opponents, (such as the tactic of bounce polling, which he invented) brought him and his candidates success.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Atwater

[radfringe]

5. what Reagan's death may mean to bush*... my 2-cents

one of the tactics bush* Inc. has used is to compare himself to former presidents..

he's called up the images of Kennedy, Lincoln, FDR and Reagan. He's also compared himself to Churchill. It's a ploy, in the hopes that some of their limelight would also reflect on his mis-administration.

don't be surprised if Reagan's name is invoked many many times in the coming weeks

Initially, I think bush*'s approval numbers will get a bounce -- call it the sympathy factor. However, once the media frenzy has calmed down -- his numbers will head back into the toilet. Meanwhile, he'll use Reagan's death as a politicial-security blankie. he'll need good advisors if he wants to avoid what could very well turn into extremely obvious explotation of a president's memory.

the problem with comparing yourself to someone else, it not only "highlights" the similarities - it also emphasizes the differences. Reagan was often referred to as the "great communicator" - bush* is more like a ummmmmm, errrrr, ahhhhh, errrr, ummmmmm "great mis-communit-tin-cator"

the stark differences between bush* and Reagan will be more apparant as the media starts running file footage of Reagan during newscasts that also has bush* tripping over his own tongue.

Once the funeral is over, and after a week or so -- I expect news stories regarding the Iran-Contra scandal will start to creep into the reports. Many in the bush mis-administration were part of that scandal and are now involved in the current scandals.

Stem-cell research will re-emerge as a hot topic, Nancy Reagan had recently asked that bush* change his position. Don't be surprised if we see Nancy advocating or creating a stem-cell research foundation of some sort. This may happen sooner rather than later -- and we will see the "dragon lady" take on "the shrub".

in the short-term - Reagan's death sort of puts a damper on bush*'s D-Day tour. The lead stories will be about Reagan and not bush*'s photo-ops.