A Commentary on a Great American
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"C J Nelson" clarencen...@yahoo.com
In view of all the Molly Ivens drivel, I thought I would post Peggy Noonans commentary on a real authentic american leader.
Happy Birthday, Mr. Reagan He was a man of determination and good cheer--one of America's greats.
Friday, February 2, 2007 12:01 a.m. EST Next Tuesday would have been Ronald Reagan's 96th birthday, which is amazing when you consider he is, in a way, more with us than ever: his memory and meaning summoned in political conversation, his name evoked by candidates. I remember 10 years ago when there was controversy over the movement to name things for him--buildings and airports. I was away from home at the time, and I realized that to talk to people in Washington about it, I'd have to land at JFK, take the FDR Drive and go through the Lincoln tunnel.
This is America; we remember our greats. You tell yourself who you are by what you raise a statue to.
The other day a friend asked: What do you think made him so likable to many who disagreed with him and who look back with nostalgia on his White House?
It's funny that people like to talk about this even though they know the answers. There was the courage to swim against the tide, to show not a burst of bravery but guts in the long haul. The good cheer and good nature that amounted to a kind of faith. The air of pleasure Reagan emanated on meeting others, and his egalitarianism. He thought everyone, from Nobel Prize winners to doormen, equal. Not that he wasn't aware of status. When he stood behind Errol Flynn for a still photo to promote "Santa Fe Trail," he knew of Flynn's towering reputation. Between shots, Reagan kept quietly pushing little piles of dirt together. When he had a mound, he stood on it so that he was, literally, of equal stature. He told the story on himself for years because it was funny, and he believed in laughter. He was a little like Art Buchwald in this; he thought laughter was a value of its own.
I think he thought that people who shared a laugh had in fact just voted for something together: something funny and human just got said or done.
Lesley Stahl of "60 Minutes" was CBS's White House correspondent during the Reagan administration, and I asked her what she remembered most. She said, "We reporters would stake out 'the driveway' to see who was going in to see the president. In the first few years there was a stream of people who came to argue against his budget-cutting proposals. They would march up that driveway in a huff, smoke coming out of their nostrils as they rehearsed their angry arguments about why he was destroying the lives of poor people, or schoolkids.
"I remember specifically a group of mayors from big cities, livid about cuts to their welfare programs, school-lunch programs, etc. They were there to give the president a scolding; they were going to tell him. And in they'd march. Two hours later, out they came. We were all ready with the cameras and the mikes to get their version of the telling off. But they were all little lambs, subdued. . . . He had charmed them. . . . The mayors told us Reagan agreed with them. That they had persuaded him. . . .
"Thirty minutes later Larry Speakes was in the press room telling us the numbers would not in fact change. The mayors had 'misunderstood' the president. Still, I'll bet anything if you talked to those mayors today, they would tell you Reagan was a great guy." She mentioned "his personal touch, his gallantry." You knew he was a good man and you knew he meant it. So you understood how he could be the biggest supporter of FDR and the New Deal in 1944, and the most persuasive voice for Barry Goldwater in 1964. He'd thought it through and changed, not overnight but in time and with effort. He could change his mind on abortion in the same way, and not because he feared the base. Reagan was the base.
Last week I was at a gathering of old Reagan hands and I asked aloud if something that I'd heard might be true. It was that Mikhail Gorbachev now lives in California and has a pool. The minute I said it, a longtime Reagan friend laughed. He knew where I was going.
Reagan always said what he really wanted to do with a Russian premier was get him in a helicopter, ride over Southern California, point down at the million little houses and million little pools, and say "Mr.
Gorbachev, that's how the proletariat lives in America." But it wasn't true. Mr. Gorbachev lives in Moscow, where he has a think tank, a former cabinet secretary told me. Mr. Gorbachev had given the secretary a tour, and proudly noted that he paid for the building by renting out two floors. "Gorbachev has discovered the free market," the secretary said.
It was almost as good.
This led the Reagan intimate to remember being on a private plane with him one day. They had a steak and fine wine. "Reagan said to me, 'You know, I believe everyone in America can have these things.' I said, 'You really believe that?' Reagan said, 'Yes, I do.' " The intimate said to me, "See, I don't believe that, that anyone here can do it." Then he paused. "But it's good to have a president who does." Lately we are hearing of President Reagan's famous 11th commandment: "Speak no ill of a fellow Republican." It's a good rule for both parties, but it's good also to remember how he approached it in practice. Ronald Reagan turned his own party upside down, enraged its establishment, and threatened its immediate future when, in 1976, he mounted a fierce challenge to an incumbent Republican president. He ran full and hard against Jerry Ford and it was bitter--the stakes were high, the issue freedom at home and abroad. Reagan lost, his challenge doomed Ford in the general election, and four years later Reagan roared back. And when he won the nomination he turned around and seriously considered as his running mate . . . Jerry Ford.
When he ran against Ford, it wasn't personal. And when he almost picked Ford as his vice president, that wasn't personal either. It was more like this: This is America. We have been arguing about everything for 200 years. It's what we do. It's our glory.
Our politics then were grimmer yet had a lighter touch. The Soviets could nuke us tomorrow; let's have a hellacious brawl. It was a serious time, but I don't think we were in general so somber, so locked in. The 11th commandment meant the fight should never be mean, low or unnecessarily injurious to the person, or the party. But a fight could be waged--should be waged--over big, big things.
That he knew that is part of why we remember him as great. It's part of why when you next fly to Washington, you'll land at Reagan National Airport.
Ms. Noonan is a contributing editor of The Wall Street Journal and author of "John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father" (Penguin, 2005), which you can order from the OpinionJournal bookstore. Her column appears Fridays on OpinionJournal.com.
RESPOND TO THIS ARTICLE READ RESPONSES E-MAIL THIS TO A FRIEND PRINT FRIENDLY FORMAT The Democrats have not had a leader they can really be proud of since FDR.
Amanda Williams p...@fu.com
This is actually the FIRST drivel I have seen....
Raygoon presided over the mosr corrupt administration in modern history... THAT is fact.
Raygoon nearly bankrupted the nation and had to increase taxes during his second term after applying what his own VP called Voodo Economics.
THAT is fact.
Rayggon left the economy in such a mess that his sucessor G. Bush Snr had to increase taxes yet again to avoid a balooning deficit, this likely cost him the 1992 election and gave us Bubba . Thanks Ronnie you did do SOME good <snicker> ...
Raygoon's deregulation of Savings and Loans was one of the great financial ****-ups in history costing the taxpayers nearly $20B to fix.
THAT is fact.
Raygoons stubborn refusal to address the AIDS crisis, even ignoring Nancy, cost an estimated 10,000 unnecessary deaths. THAT is fact.
Raygoons funding of both the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan and Sadaam Hussein in Iraq led directly to the Talaban, Al Queda and the survival of Sadaam. THAT is fact.
Last but not least...
We all though Raygoon was an affable bufoon, turns out he was actually suffering from Alzhiemers for most of his second term and nobody noticed, which tells you all you need to know.
You silly rightards can get all misty-eyed over the Turnip all you like, but the facts don't support you, Raygoon would likely have gone down as the WORSE president of modern times if it wasn't for Nixon and little georgie ...
That also is FACT.
Sorry about that... <snicker>
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AW <small but dangerous>
"C J Nelson" clarencen...@yahoo.com
Ah I hesitate to point out that Billy baby Clinton has the distinction of having the most corrupt administration in the nations history.
THAT IS ALSO A FACT!
"Ron O'Neal" ron...@wt.net
I would like to add to Amanda's list. Don't forget that it was during the Reagan Administration that the Iran-Contra issue arose. Ollie North negotiated the exchange of arms for hostages in Iran and the profit was channeled to the Contras in Nicaragua. This was a violation of the Boland Act. A crime.
Reagan admitted the error in a speech to the nation, March 4, 1987 in which he said: "Let's start with the part that is the most controversial. A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not. As the Tower board reported, what began as a strategic opening to Iran deteriorated, in its implementation, into trading arms for hostages." Ollie North in his testimony, strongly indicated that Reagan did indeed know of the transactions.
RO
"Server 13" i...@casual.com
I think I laugh most when I remember his ~3 trillion dollar deficit and his pals selling Hawk antiaircraft missiles to Iran. The funny part - I voted for him.
"C J Nelson" clarencen...@yahoo.com
Of course I remember "I did not have sex with that woman" Or another oldie but goodie "It depends what the meaning of is, is." Oh those Clintons a laugh riot. Real honesty at work.
George Grapman sfgeo...@paccbell.net
Really?
How many high level officials were convicted of felonies under Clinton? How about Reagan? Nixon? Harding?
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George Grapman sfgeo...@paccbell.net
Reagan call to Mujadeen "freedom fighters" Reagan sent Rumsfeld to Iraq where he shook hand with Saddam after the crimes for which he was hung were committed.
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George Grapman sfgeo...@paccbell.net
Remember how Reagan dealt with the terrorist attack on the Marines barracks?
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"C J Nelson" clarencen...@yahoo.com
Ah Web Hubbel comes immediatly to mind.
Of course more would have been if the Democrats in trouble had not come down with the damdest case of amnesia in the history of man kind.
I recall how the Clintons would use private investiators against the people the did not like.
Or how those FBI files mysteriously got into the white house.
And my oh my how did those white water file end up in Hillary's family space 2 years after they had been supenoda (sp).
Certainly Hillary could not remember when she was asked.
But what the hell what is a little obstruction of justice among good Democrats?? Right??
I could go on but you get the idea.
George Grapman sfgeo...@paccbell.net
Which is worse, lying about consensual sex or lying about WMDs/ Bush in 2004-We found WMDs Cheney in 2006-There were no WMDs.
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George Grapman sfgeo...@paccbell.net
Not as funny as years and millions spent on Whitewater,Filegate,Travelgate and Vince Foster and only coming up with lying about consensual sex.
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Amanda Williams p...@fu.com
I do believe it was "cut and run", but he made up for it by bravely invading Grenada ...
Invading small countries that are no threat to us seems to be a habit among repugs... lucky they weren't in charge when Japan attacked, they would probably have invaded Canada...
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AW <small but dangerous>
George Grapman sfgeo...@paccbell.net
Any of these "come to mind"?
1. Lyn Nofziger--White House Press Secretary - Convicted on charges of illegal lobbying of White House in Wedtech scandal. The lobbying would not have been illegal had he not been White House Press Secretary.
2. Michael Deaver, Reagan's Chief of Staff, received three years' probation and was fined one hundred thousand dollars after being convicted for lying to a congressional subcommittee and a federal grand jury about his lobbying activities after leaving the White House. Same as with Lyn Nofziger.
3. James Watt, Reagan's Secretary of the Interior was indicted on 41 felony counts for using connections at the Department of Housing and Urban Development to help his private clients seek federal funds for housing projects in Maryland, New Jersey, M***achusetts, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Watt conceded that he had received $500,000 from clients who were granted very favorable housing contracts after he had intervened on their behalf. Watt was eventually sentenced to five years in prison and 500 hours of community service.
4. John Poindexter, Reagan's national security advisor, guilty of five criminal counts involving conspiracy to mislead Congress, obstructing congressional inquiries, lying to lawmakers, used "high national security" to mask deceit and wrong-doing...
5. Richard Secord pleaded guilty to a felony charge of lying to Congress over Iran-Contra. Appointed by William Casey to ***ist Oliver North.
6. Elliott Abrams was appointed by President Reagan in 1985 to head the State Department's Latin American Bureau. He was closely linked with ex-White House aide Lt. Col. Oliver North's covert movement to aid the Contras. Working for North, Abrams coordinated inter-agency support for the contras and helped solicit illegal funding from foreign powers as well as domestic contributors. Abrams agreed to cooperate with Iran-Contra investigators and pled guilty to two charges reduced to misdemeanors. He was sentenced in 1991 to two years probation and 100 hours of community service but was pardoned by President George Bush...
7. Robert C. McFarlane, Reagan's National Security Advisor, pled guilty to four misdemeanors and was sentenced to two years probation and 200 hours of community service. He was also fined $20,000. He received a blanket pardon from President George Bush...
8. Alan D. Fiers was the Chief of the Central Intelligence Agency's Central American Task Force. Fiers pled guilty in 1991 to two counts of withholding information from congress about Oliver North's activities and the diversion of Iran arms sale money to aid the Contras. He was sentenced to one year of probation and 100 hours of community service.
Alan Fiers received a blanket pardon for his crimes from President Bush...
Thomas G. Clines: convicted of four counts of tax-related offenses for failing to report income from the operations; Carl R. Channel - Office of Public Diplomacy , partner in International Business- first person convicted in the Iran/Contra scandal, pleaded guilty of one count of defrauding the United States Richard R. Miller - Partner with Oliver North in IBC, a Office of Public Diplomacy front group, convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Frank Gomez 13.. Donald Fortier Clair George was Chief of the CIA's Division of Covert Operations under President Reagan. George was convicted of lying to two congressional committees in 1986. George faced a maximum five year federal prison sentence and a $20,000 fine for each of the two convictions. Jurors cleared George of five other charges including two counts of lying to a federal grand jury. Clair George received a blanket pardon for his crimes from President George Bush...
Rita Lavelle was indicted, tried and convicted of lying to Congress and served three months of a six-month prison sentence.
Philip Winn - ***istant HUD Secretary. Pleaded guilty to one count of scheming to give illegal gratuities.
Thomas Demery - ***istand HUD Secretary - pleaded guilty to steering HUD subsidies to politically connected donors.
Deborah Gore Dean - executive ***istant to Samuel Pierce - indicted on thirteen counts, three counts of conspiracy, one count of accepting an illegal gratuity, four counts of perjury, and five counts of concealing articles. She was convicted on twelve accounts. She appealed and prevailed on several accounts but the convictions for conspiracy remained.
Catalina Villaponda - Former US Treasurer Joseph A. Strauss - Accepting kickbacks from developers Oliver North - He was indicted on sixteen felony counts and on May 4, 1989, he was convicted of three: accepting an illegal gratuity, aiding and abetting in the obstruction of a congressional inquiry, and destruction of documents (by his secretary, Fawn Hall, on his instructions). He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gerhard A. Gesell on July 5, 1989, to a three-year suspended prison term, two years probation, $150,000 in fines, and 1,200 hours community service. His conviction was later overturned.
Tell us what Ken Starr reported about Whitewater.
Yes, the idea is that Clinton was guilty even though an extensive investigation found no wrong doing.
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"Joe King" jeff...@pacbell.net
Perhaps Democrats being in charge is precisely why Japan attacked the US.
George Grapman sfgeo...@paccbell.net
Then by your logic Republicans being in charge is why 9/11 happened.
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"C J Nelson" clarencen...@yahoo.com
Of course a Democrat would consider perjury no wrong doing. Strange thing though, the Dems sure seem to want Libbys head on a platter for Perjury.
Oh well the next time I ever see a Democrat or liberal either take responsiblity for his actions or be convicted will be the first time in my 52 years of life.
Remember the GOP had its own senators tell Nixon to go.
The Democrats ***umed the position and covered up for Clinton.
In my book that makes the GOP one hell of a lot more ethical than any Dummycrat could ever hope to be!
"Kevin Cunningham" sms...@mindspring.com
Lets see those facts. Clinton wasn't a patch on Reagan and Ollie North.
Aaah, Ollie, now there's a corrupt individual.
"Kevin Cunningham" sms...@mindspring.com
So how did that happen? Your glad to accuse but clam up when proof's required.
George Grapman sfgeo...@paccbell.net
And you. apparently, see nothing wrong with the aforementioned crimes under Reagan They told Nixon that there were enough votes to impeach and acquit.
There were never anywhere near enough votes to convict Clinton.
Right, look at the list above and convince yourself that lying about sex was worse and then convince yourself that Nixon suborning perjury , paying hush money and having private citizens engage in break ins was not as bad as lying about sex.
Remember, Clinton never needed a pardon, Nixon did.
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George Grapman sfgeo...@paccbell.net
Look o=at how many posters thing that Bill and Hillary were charged with criminal acts.
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George Grapman sfgeo...@paccbell.net
Don't you know? Ken Starr was part of the cover up.
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