RIP: Ronald Reagan

Mercule · Jun 6, 2004

Green Knight, I hope you don't mind, but I've swiped one of your Reagan .sig quotes for mine, too. I think it sums up nicely the optimism that made him so charismatic.

Bendris Noulg · Jun 6, 2004

Ranger REG said:
Well, you could say he was the US President I grew up with. In fact, he was still in office when I graduated from high school in 1987.

Wow, did you grow up in Hawaii? I graduated December, 86, went to Boot Camp in January, and was already stationed in Pearl Harbor by June, 87. Bought most of my books at Jelly's. (Is that place still there?)

Personally, I most remember his initial election for President being somewhat skewed by the Iran Hostage Crisis. Having a liberal mother and a conservative father, the debates at the dinner table about if the election was "fair" were about as heated as those concerning whether or not I was going to go to public or private school (I was personally pushing for private just to get away from those freaks, but my mom won that fight, which probably explains why I opted for early graduation and joined [read: ran as quickly as possible] to the Navy at 17).

By the time I really started caring about politics, Bush had already won the Primary. However, I must admit that his Columbia disaster speech was rather moving, given my age and interest in the space program.

Richards · Jun 6, 2004

As a final farewell to a great man, I think I'll go eat a bag of Jelly Bellies in his honor. (They were his favorites.) It's sad that he had to go through such a debilitating disease at the end, but at least now he's at peace.

So long, Gipper!

Johnathan

Michael Morris · Jun 6, 2004

I posted this in NKL regarding the former President's passing.

Ten Long Years

I said goodbye
For ten long years
I watched your memories slip away between my tears
And as the music slipped away
I saw less of you every day
And every year

Mmmmmmmmm.......

Every year.

To slowly die
For ten long years
A nightmare lesser men recoil from in their fear
But in spite of all of the pain
Some part of you tried to remain
Through all these years

Mmmmmmmmm.......

Through all these years.

A nation cries
You pass away
From under darkness turn your grey ship to the day.
The darkness fades into your wake
The tears are now all ours to make
Remembering years

Mmmmmmmmm.........

Remember years.

Mmmmmmmmm.........

Dirigible · Jun 6, 2004

His decade-long battle with the disease is over, and his suffering is finally ended.

Well said.

I'm to young and too not-American to have any real memories of him, but I do no one thing: he robbed me of sleep last night.

It was midnight, I was almost asleep with the radio tuned to the Beeb. They were playing a breif memorial item to him, and they played a snippet of a sound test form before a speech that he didn't know was being recorded. (Errors are mine, not his).

"My fellow Americans, I am pleased to announce that Congress has passed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We start bombing in five minutes."

I couldn't stop chuckling or get to sleep for half an hour.

Green Knight · Jun 6, 2004

Not a problem, Mercule. It's a great quote.

And yeah, Dirigible. That was a great line. Reagan always had a funny comment ready at hand. Here're a couple of good ones.

"Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."

"They say hard work never hurt anybody, but I figure why take the chance."

"There is absolutely no circumstance whatever under which I would accept that spot. Even if they tied and gagged me, I would find a way to signal by wiggling my ears." –on possibly being offered the vice presidency in 1968

"I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." -during a 1984 presidential debate with Walter Mondale

"I'm afraid I can't use a mule. I have several hundred up on Capitol Hill." –refusing a gift of a mule

"What makes him think a middle-aged actor, who's played with a chimp, could have a future in politics?" -on Clint Eastwood's bid to become mayor of Carmel

As for that last line, well, for those who didn't know...

Dark Jezter · Jun 6, 2004

Mercule said:
Green Knight, I hope you don't mind, but I've swiped one of your Reagan .sig quotes for mine, too. I think it sums up nicely the optimism that made him so charismatic.

Another great quote of Reagan's was the one he made 10 years ago when he announced to the world that he had Alzheimer's Disease. It's especially relevant now that he's passed away.

"When the Lord calls me home, whenever that day may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future."

Mercule · Jun 7, 2004

Dark Jezter said:
"When the Lord calls me home, whenever that day may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future."

After surviving Hinkley's bullet, Reagan decided that he was living on borrowed time. He felt that God had spared him for the express purpose of facing down the Soviet Union and tearing down the Iron Curtain. Given the timing of various events, including him developing Alzheimer's after his role had been played out and the wall coming down was a foregone conclusion, I'm not inclined to disagree with him. The fact that he lived roughly as long after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's as he lived after being shot before the diagnosis only makes it seem like he was repaying his time.

That makes him sound a bit megalomaniacal, but it really wasn't, from what I've read.

Anyway, the point is that he was a leader driven to a goal. He lasted long enough to see that goal come to fruition before he began to fade. What more can you really ask for?

Henry · Jun 7, 2004

I had a lot of respect for him, and am glad to see him at peace. I've lived through a couple of close family friends who had Alzheimer's, and it is a scary thing, and maddening (for a while at least) to its sufferers.

RIP, Mr. President.