Ron Reagan, Jr.: Stated his dad never wore his religion on his sleeve, and never felt he had a mandate from God.......unlike some other politicians.
Gee I wonder who he was referring too? It's a well known fact that Ron Jr. has no love for Bush.
I wasn't a Reagan admirer but at least the man had some honor which is alot more than can be said of this pitiful little pissant we have in the Oval office now.
Those of you that loved Presdient Reagan should be insulted that GW has appointed himself as the torch bearer of the Reagan legacy.

Studies have shown that too much hate can not only poison ones physical and psychological health but also erode ones morality, sense of well being and outlook upon life.

For all who value the sunny positive disposition that Reagan was so famous for I offer the following softer portrait of his family members and their wishes...


Fox News -- Saturday, June 12, 2004

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - Ronald Reagan's children said farewell to their father on a hilltop overlooking California's Simi Valley in a private sunset service.

"You knew my father as president, as governor. Well, I knew him as Dad," said Michael Reagan, speaking with the mountains behind him and the sun slowly setting. "We would swim, and we would ride horses. Or we would just watch him cut firewood. We were in awe of our father."

After lying in state and receiving tribute from leaders across the world, Reagan returned home to California, where his family and close friends said their final goodbyes. Other than the minister, the only speakers at Reagan's final memorial service were his surviving children Patti Davis, Ron and Michael, who offered personal reminiscences of their father. A daughter, Maureen, died from cancer in 2001.

Patti Davis said, "My father never feared death. He never saw it as an ending." She then recalled how when she was a child, Reagan took time out of his busy day to officiate over the funeral services of a pet goldfish.

"He was the most plainly decent man you could ever hope to meet," said Ronald P. Reagan. He was a gentleman in the truest sense of the word: a gentle man."

He continued, "In his final letter to the American people, Dad wrote, 'I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life.' This evening, he has arrived."

Among the 700 friends of Reagan who attended the California memorial service are Hollywood stars Tom Selleck, Bo Derek, and Frank Sinatra Jr.; former L.A. Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda; singer Wayne Newton; California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Gov. Pete Wilson.

"It seemed as if the heavens were weeping as we paid farewell to your servant Ronald Reagan," said Rev. Michael Wenning, the service officiator. "We have come from sea to shining sea to this soil that he loved so much and where his body will remain."

The Reagan family specifically asked that official Washington not attend the service. The only world leader - former or current - at the service will be former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, with whom Reagan worked arm in arm as they fought the Cold War.

"They've come home. It's as simple as that. Washington was a place where Reagan made great history, but it wasn't home," said Richard Norton Smith, former director of the Reagan Presidential Library.

Military pallbearers carried the casket past a slab of the Berlin Wall, which Reagan worked tirelessly to bring down. And a military band played Hail to the Chief one last time for Reagan.

When Reagan's children finished speaking, the casket was accompanied to the burial site by an Irish bagpiper playing Amazing Grace. The military gave its final tribute as an army bugler played Taps, soldiers gave a 21-gun salute and FA 18s flew overhead in a missing man formation.

The massive motorcade carrying Reagan the 25 miles from Point Mugu Naval Air Station to his final resting place north of Los Angeles was greeted by thousands of Americans who lined the streets to say farewell. The mourners had traveled from as far away as Texas and Florida to wave goodbye to the Gipper.

"We just want to be a part of it, show our respect to the Reagan family," said onlooker Eric Philips.

The commander in chief who won the Cold War also received a farewell from servicemen at Point Mugu, where his casket arrived in California after the state funeral in Washington D.C.'s National Cathedral.

After waiting for hours, more than 2,500 flag-waving mourners met the president and his family at the base that Reagan often used as president while flying back and forth between Washington and his home. Many cheered as Nancy Reagan stepped off the presidential jet from Washington to head for the burial service. The facility honored Reagan with a 21-gun howitzer salute, and tributes from a Marine Corps band that included "Hail to the Chief."

The service for family and friends capped six days of mourning and nostalgic remembrance for Reagan, who died of pneumonia last Saturday at age 93 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease.

After the state funeral, Reagan's body was taken to Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Maryland and loaded aboard a presidential plane as a band played "Going Home." Bells tolled 40 times to honor America's 40th president, as his casket left the cathedral.

The Boeing 747 carrying Reagan flew over his boyhood home in Tampico, Illinois, and over the president's library, tipping its wings at both locations. In addition to his family, the former president was accompanied on the flight by Thatcher, entertainer Merv Griffin, former adviser Michael K. Deaver and others.

The most tender moments of the past week have come from Nancy Reagan, 82. Slow in step, yet keenly alert to every polished move in the week's remembrance, she shepherded the casket with quiet intensity, turning the most public of events into a series of private moments. She kissed it lightly at the Capitol Rotunda, where Reagan lay in state. She ran her hands slowly up and down the stripes of the flag and, leaning close, seemed to whisper something to her husband of 52 years.

Another moving moment occurred when Commander James Symonds of the U.S.S Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier got down on one knee and presented Mrs. Reagan with the flag that has draped her husband's casket.

Reagan himself picked the hill where he wanted to be buried. The hilltop has a spectacular view of the valley and on a clear day the Pacific Ocean can be seen. The internment is scheduled for later Friday night away from cameras.

The funeral in Washington was attended by current and former leaders from around the world, including all four of America's living presidents - Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford. They praised Reagan his lifelong optimism, sense of humor and political accomplishments as thousands of mourners watched solemnly from packed pews.

"His politics had a freshness and optimism that won converts from every class and every nation - and ultimately from the very heart of the evil empire," said Thatcher in taped remarks presented at the funeral in Washington. Thatcher, who has given up public speaking after a series of small strokes, sat next to Mikhail Gorbachev, who led that Soviet "empire" and eventually became Reagan's friend.

In his eulogy, President Bush said, "Ronald Reagan belongs to the ages now, but we preferred it when he belonged to us."

RIP

May the worms he feeds grow to be big, fat and healthy.

Yeah you're right Plunker! I'll try harder to quit hating people who think it's okay to kill wild steelhead

As DanS would say "Pot....meet kettle"
:p Either you're not the brightest bulb in the box grandpa or you're a hypocrite! You pick which one applies best to you.

Well Stew all I can say is that you rarely say anything that is not filled with hatred and bitterness. Myself , on the other hand, find sport in shooting back and mocking folks who sound off like you and H2O and a few others do. If you really hate the people and principles you seem to hate it must be hard work. Maybe you're not really a hateful person and the internet morphs you into something you're not. I hope so. For me this is a game and nothing more.

Kind of funny though..when the dicussions turn to fishing you still spew hate for those who don't agree with your way of fishing. They are idiots and wild fish killers...etc... Maybe it is you who are in the minority and as such maybe you feel attacks are the only weapon you have that will work? Well maybe you can take a lesson from one of those you hate so much, Ronald Reagan, and see something good in those you oppose? I doubt it but maybe you could try.

I guess you choose the "hypocrite" option then huh?

Stew,

Ron Reagan isn't a Jr. (he has a different middle name than his father) --just to point out one of several things wrong with your entry.


Scott


"If you're not a liberal at twenty you have no heart--if your still a liberal at forty you have no brain."

It is very common for a son to want to be different from his father as a way of saying I am my own man. This can be tempered if the dad spends time with the son doing things like fishing hunting etc. that they both enjoy. The son grows up knowing that although different that their is love that binds them together and a respect due. It is also clear that RR and Nancy did not spend the time they could have with their kids while they built Rons political career. I would be embarrased to attack others during my fathers funeral like he did. I think his dad should have spent more time with him.

"In the most recent Gallup Poll, conducted May 21-23, 47% of Americans approve and 49% disapprove of the job Bush is doing as president. That rating is characterized by a wide gulf in the views of Republicans and Democrats -- 89% of Republicans approve of Bush, but just 12% of Democrats do. That 77 percentage-point gap is the highest of Bush's presidency, and the gap between Republicans and Democrats has been 70 points or higher since mid-February.

Imagine that. Kerry has the press on his side bashing Bush at every turn on every issue and he is in a statistical tie months out. Yet the left crows that he is winning

Polls are 'the press'?

You don't present the most attractive profile with your head buried in the sand like that.

Who's bashing whom?

A new analysis shows only 27% of Kerry\'s ads have attacked Bush by name, while 75% of Bush\'s ads have attacked Kerry.

Harley,

You need to get your monitor replaced. It's obviously not accurately displaying what is being posted. The Press son the press they do his dirty work for him. Neither side can claim the high road but the press should remain neutral.

Yeah, I've noticed the diabolical media such as Weekly Standard, National Review, Washington Post, Free Republic, NewsMax, Murdoch & Co., et al, have all been running Bush through the wringer.

Are you claiming that mainstream media is committing liable? Are you advocating there's no truth in what they're printing? If you consider the mainstream media biased because it prints negative stories about the administration, why isn't the conservative media printing some good stories? Are there very few to print, perhaps?

If you're looking for a media source that only prints the positive things about its government, I think the Pravda and China Daily are both available online.

Harley,


Good example of the editorial nature of todays press" Are you claiming that mainstream media is committing liable? ' all that from me saying the press should remain neutral. You and the press are as emotional as a woman ovulating. I'll cite the Iraq prison over sensationalism as an example. Using words like "Horrific and Devastating" is hardly being objective. BTW survey after survey shows a liberal bias in the media.

the conservative media are all hamsters in a ball right now, spinning, spinning, spinning....their is no positive grist for their mill.

Their new catchword is 'pessism', though. As if by virtue of merely thinking we have the lousiest president in us history we somehow have a dim view of our future...

...sure we do, if the nincompoop stays in office!

I am optimistic though that won't happen and optimistic about the direction of the country under more moderate, maybe even left-leaning leadership.

Deny it all you'd like, the nineties under Clinton were a very optimistic time in our history, both for the left and right.

Things Elvis is likely to say every time he posts on this board:

"Liberal Bias in the media, Richard"

(Good answer! , good answer! )

"SURVEY SAYS!!"

Ding, ding, ding

How is a statistical tie losing? I can show just as many experts that predict a comparative landslide win for Bush. BTW how many elections have been decided by something other than the economy? How many sitting presidents have lost elections with strong economic growth?

....and here comes inflation, due to high gas prices because of unease in the market, created almost entirely by Bush's atrocious and contemptible foreign policy decisions.

I'm sure that won't pop their optimistic little bubble though.....