Althouse: "I know that Ronnie would be thrilled and is thrilled to have all of you share in his 100th birthday."

February 6, 2011

"I know that Ronnie would be thrilled and is thrilled to have all of you share in his 100th birthday."

"Does it seem possible?"

40 comments:

Chase said...: I can tell you one thing that Reagan would not have been thrilled about:

Christina Aguilera's version of some song that sounded like it had once been some country's National Anthem.

On the New York Times, commenters are saying "So what - she's human and made a mistake."

She was PAID to do it correctly, correct lyrics, and hit the last note correctly, not flat (I was a voice teacher for over 20 years and I admire Christina's talent greatly - but not tonight).

Her arrogance in how she plainly and patently obviously felt she was above the song when she began singing would have made Reagan laugh at her.; 2/6/11, 11:00 PM
blake said...: What doesn't seem possible is that when Democrats aren't demonizing him, they're whining about the Republicans bogarting him.; 2/6/11, 11:05 PM
dick said...: What a mean-spirited article that is - so snarky. And the commenters are no better.; 2/6/11, 11:32 PM
MadisonMan said...: Nancy Reagan = Jackie O.; 2/6/11, 11:50 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: "I know that Ronnie would be thrilled and is thrilled to have all of you share in his 100th birthday."

Nancy is 90 years old.. she has no ax to grind.. please lets just let her live out her days.; 2/7/11, 12:30 AM
pavlova8 said...: It doesn't count if you're dead!!!!; 2/7/11, 1:01 AM
Fred4Pres said...: A good son does not criticize his father in public, even if he is in disagreement over policy.; 2/7/11, 1:55 AM
OneLifeLiveIt said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/7/11, 4:00 AM
OneLifeLiveIt said...: Still one of the best Presidents the US ever had.; 2/7/11, 4:03 AM
Anonymous said...: Oh, yeah, Reagan was just like sooooo great. All the criminality of Iran-Contra combined with a flair for theatrics made him the quintessential actor-president. And he set the bar-- all the presidents we've had since him are performers too, caught up in secrecy and incompetence and dishonesty. Jimmy Carter was the last authentic, honest person to hold the office.

Reagan's memoria should be damnata. That would be the best way to deal with the excessive fascist-style glorification of him that we've seen over the last few days.; 2/7/11, 4:51 AM
John said...: Remember Reagan was thought by all right thinking people in the 70s to be stupid, an actor, a dunce. He was the Sarah Palin of his day. If you didn't live through it, you have no idea how hated and dismissed he was in the 1970s. The hatred of Palin is the only thing I have seen like it since. People hated Bush, but they hated him after he became President. I have never seen a non President held up to such scorn and dismissal like Reagan was.

I would also commend people to read this 1975 interview with Reason Magazine.
http://reason.com/archives/1975/07/01/inside-ronald-reagan/singlepage

Agree with him or not, it is remarkable how sharp Reagan was and how high of an intellectual level the interview is. Can you imagine a politician today like Pelosi or McCain or the "Willey Coyote Super Genius" in the Whitehouse giving an interview at that level? I can't.; 2/7/11, 5:28 AM
John said...: "Jimmy Carter was the last authentic, honest person to hold the office."

HAHAHAHA

That is really funny Julius. You should get an act. Seriously, it is hard to fake that kind of stupid. You have a gift.; 2/7/11, 5:29 AM
Michael said...: Chase; The Anthem was botched horribly, but then that is nothing new. Every time I hear it sung by some modern pop singer I cringe wondering how they have decided to ruin it. Generally pop singers try to stretch it out, to make it about twice as long as an Irish tenor would make it. The results are almost always terrible. Even the worst generally get the words right.; 2/7/11, 5:31 AM
John said...: "Generally pop singers try to stretch it out, to make it about twice as long as an Irish tenor would make it"

That is because most modern pop singers can barely carry a tune. They stretch it out to make it easier to sing. Easier to pick off and hold long notes than sing it in the proper rhythm and have to run up and down the scale.; 2/7/11, 5:35 AM
Unknown said...: He made his share of mistakes, but he did some great things, as well.

And he makes the current amateur look ridiculous.

Chase said...

I can tell you one thing that Reagan would not have been thrilled about:

Christina Aguilera's version of some song that sounded like it had once been some country's National Anthem.

On the New York Times, commenters are saying "So what - she's human and made a mistake."

What do you expect?

I saw someplace she got the lyrics off Wiki.

blake said...

What doesn't seem possible is that when Democrats aren't demonizing him, they're whining about the Republicans bogarting him.

I love Andrea Mitchell complaining Republicans are appropriating him.

He was one of them, dear.

Julius said...

Oh, yeah, Reagan was just like sooooo great. All the criminality of Iran-Contra combined with a flair for theatrics made him the quintessential actor-president.

Hate to tell you, but the Boland Amendment was an administrative resolution. It had no weight as law.

If you want to talk "criminality ... combined with a flair for theatrics made him the quintessential actor-president", look no farther than the Hero of Altgeld Gardens.; 2/7/11, 5:59 AM
DaveW said...: I missed the national anthem last night because we were grilling. But I knew it was botched because twitter exploded, which at least reminded me to turn on the game. So I googled it just now and watched and yes, it's pretty awful.

But then again super bowls seem to always have horrid national anthems. I don't know why they don't try to get someone solid to sing it, or perhaps go a more feel-good direction with it since the NFL is so much an American sport.

Something like these kids. Nobody would find that off-putting. Except perhaps the Zero.

I find it strange that so many are celebrating Reagan nowadays. As John points out upthread he was routinely vilified in the absolute nastiest terms in his day.

/shrug; 2/7/11, 6:52 AM
Anonymous said...: Happy Birthday, President Ronald Reagan, my fellow Illinoisan, and the Emancipator of Nations and scourge of communism.

I'm a day late here, but I celebrated his birthday over at my blog.; 2/7/11, 6:53 AM
KCFleming said...: I find it reassuring that Reagan was born above a local bar. Nothing says small town and humble beginnings quite like a small apartment over a tavern.

The urban log cabin.; 2/7/11, 6:57 AM
Clyde said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/7/11, 7:02 AM
Clyde said...: My dad and I were talking about President Reagan's centennial at lunch on Friday, which would have been my grandmother's 98th birthday. My grandfather's centennial is coming up in March. Dad said that just blew his mind, that it didn't seem possible. My grandfather passed away 12 years ago at age 87, which is a good long run.

President Reagan is more appreciated in retrospect than he was during his time in office. His stature has grown much in comparison to some of the lesser men who have occupied the office since.

And Julius, while President Carter may have been honest, he was also incompetent, a backstabbing weasel and a sanctimonious prick to boot. I won't go to Plains and piss on his grave when he dies, but only because I don't like standing in long lines.; 2/7/11, 7:05 AM
Cedarford said...: Maybe 'ol Ronnie is serving time in purgatory paying for certain sins. While as popular as JFK was after his demise, 'ol Ronnie has some ticking time bombs that may make him less popular over time.

1. The road to our fiscal debt ruin started with Reagan's voodoo economics. From 600 billion in national debt up to 3 trillion when he left.

2. While Reagan can join Truman, Eisenhower, Adenauer, Gorbachev, Welesa, the Italians who rolled back the Italian CP, and Jimmy Carter (for slipping the human rights element into the Cold War) - in ending it..Let us not forget that Reagan laid the ground for the OTHER repressive great communist power to explode with wealth, jobs, and exponentially increasing military power...due to "Free Trade for Freedom LOvers" Reagan loved to talk up.; 2/7/11, 7:12 AM
Toad Trend said...: @Clyde

"And Julius, while President Carter may have been honest, he was also incompetent, a backstabbing weasel and a sanctimonious prick to boot. I won't go to Plains and piss on his grave when he dies, but only because I don't like standing in long lines."

Dead on, Clyde.

Julius, really? Carter was honest?

Honest in his ignorance.; 2/7/11, 7:16 AM
Anonymous said...: Cedarford is just plain wrong.

For a sensible discussion of the legacy of Regan, read Powerline's posts over the past few days.; 2/7/11, 7:20 AM
traditionalguy said...: The tug of war over Ronald Reagan's icon in political history is starting to heat up. The oldest narrative that he was a stupid fool has suddenly morphed into the latest narrative that he was an intelligent actor who played the President's role well, but that he never really believed in any of that conservative pap. Why this effort now? It is not done from love for Ronnie. But it done as a stage set change to weaken any meaning to Palin's current claims that she comes to us wearing Reagan's mantle. You see, Palin really is stupid and really believes that conservative pap.; 2/7/11, 7:25 AM
KCFleming said...: "The road to our fiscal debt ruin started with Reagan's voodoo economics."

Started?
Hardly. Try Woodrow Wilson and FDR.
You skipped a few decades.; 2/7/11, 7:27 AM
Roger J. said...: It matters little what we say here--history will make its judgments irrespective or our mindless natterings.

Julius, Cedarford, rogerj will be long dead and no one will remember what we said--people will remember what RWW said and did. Our opinions are but farts in a whirlwind.; 2/7/11, 7:42 AM
Cedarford said...: Chase - Her arrogance in how she plainly and patently obviously felt she was above the song when she began singing would have made Reagan laugh at her.

She poorly executed the Anthem, but it is still a really horrid song. A crappy national anthem that glorifies a big Flag and French engineering. Barely singable, ripped off from a British drinking society Key attended. A tribute to a French engineering team that built a Fort easily able to withstand a poorly made naval bombardment that killed 4 people in the whole battle. (Inc a woman sent to bring fresh drink to the soldiers playing cards in bunkers to pass the battle time.)

And to a Flag the Frenchies allowed to be planted there once they were done and paid.

It was made an "Anthem" during WWI when it was noted France and England had soldiers marching to "Their Song". A big part in it's adaption was it being pushed over other possibilities by the powerful 1st Lady, Mrs Woodrow Wilson, who was exceptionally proud her husband could sing it at the Princeton Glee Club without mangling the notes..unlike the other singers that tried it.; 2/7/11, 7:45 AM
Cedarford said...: Julius, Cedarford, rogerj will be long dead and no one will remember what we said--people will remember what RWW said and did. Our opinions are but farts in a whirlwind...
===============
Same could be said about Jimmy Carter, Charlie Sheen, Jackie O, Michelle O, Eltons feelings on gay marriage. As true for Reagan as any other celeb.; 2/7/11, 7:51 AM
michaele said...: The Reason Magazine interview with Reagan that John recommended was a really interesting read. Reagan displayed a lot of nuance in his thinking.; 2/7/11, 7:54 AM
Bart Hall (Kansas, USA) said...: Reagan was one of the very great 20th Century Presidents, as was FDR. Great, as in Rushmore-quality great, both of 'em.

FDR still has a lot against him, as does Reagan, intensified in both cases by those on the opposite partisan side, but each of those men captured their times, had incredibly deep connections with wide swaths of the American people, and made a profound difference -- generally good -- in the subsequent trajectory of this nation.

For many years I have flown the flag on Reagan's birthday, as I have done equally for both Roosevelts and Jefferson, along with the more commonly obvious (at least in my youth) Washington and Lincoln.

The US President is unusual in being both head of state (a largely theatrical role in any nation) and head of government simultaneously. Reagan's background as an actor allowed him to be the greatest head of state this nation has ever had.

We can squabble over the government side of that equation, but as head of state Reagan was nearly perfect on all occasions.

He connected personally with a deep taproot of American life, and all the leftie caterwauling in the world won't change that fact.; 2/7/11, 8:00 AM
Toad Trend said...: @Bart Hall

"We can squabble over the government side of that equation, but as head of state Reagan was nearly perfect on all occasions.

He connected personally with a deep taproot of American life, and all the leftie caterwauling in the world won't change that fact."

Reagan was the most positive promoter of the United States and the ideals of America that I have ever witnessed. Never did he descend into self-flagellation as the Zero has.

Which is why many Americans ask; just what country does Zero think he is president of???

Zero's rise is the Peter Principle incarnate. And, his intention is to lower the bar/dumb down this country to 'level the playing field' with the rest of the world.
Make no mistake.

wv - nolog

Time to forage for more wood.; 2/7/11, 8:26 AM
Hagar said...: I wonder what the Loony Left is up to.
John above is off a couple of decades. In his own time Reagan was so reviled by the left that they hardly noticed he had left office, and they were still ranting about "that terrible Reagan, ah, I mean Bush," well into the 90's.; 2/7/11, 8:38 AM
TWM said...: "Jimmy Carter was the last authentic, honest person to hold the office."

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Then again, he is honestly and authentically incompetent, meanspirited, and anti-Semitic.

People will be celebrating Reagan's 200th birthday. Carter would already be forgotten if he wasn't such a dick.; 2/7/11, 9:23 AM
buster said...: I agree with C4's first comment re Reagan. Noth the second, though; globalization is beyond the American presidents' contol.

Dont Tread 2010 is spot on: "Zero's rise is the Peter Principle incarnate."; 2/7/11, 9:24 AM
Roger J. said...: Indeed cedarford--which again suggests to me our comments on blogs are but farts in a whirlwind.
They permit us to have our say but will not be remarked upon in say 1 month.; 2/7/11, 10:15 AM
mccullough said...: I wonder how great Reagan would seem if not for W. and Obama.

Reagan increased Social Security taxes and ran higher deficits (as a percentage of GDP) than FDR did in FDR's first 8 years of office. Reagan helped bring about the fall of the Soviet Union and communism in Eastern Europe. FDR helped defeat the Nazis.

Faced with state, local, and federal government unsustainable spending and debts (especially entitlements) and radical Islam, Reagan, like FDR, is no help.; 2/7/11, 10:57 AM
J said...: Reagan had issues, like his pandering to the "moral majority," and his poor environmental record (anyone recall JamesWatt?), but until '86 Reagan actually kept some New Deal policies in effect, and tax rates on upper brackets were kept quite high (properly so). IN '86 he capitulated to the financiers...and supply siders (already a powerful force) and arguably started the entire mortgage crisis, and greatly increased the separation between uber-wealthy and middle class. Clinton however barely touched Reagan/Bush supply side policies.; 2/7/11, 12:00 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: The road to our fiscal debt ruin started with Reagan's voodoo economics. From 600 billion in national debt up to 3 trillion when he left.

I need to dust off my old civics book because I could swear that Congress, not the Executive, holds the power of the purse.; 2/7/11, 12:06 PM
J said...: Back to Govt. class in Peoria HS, H-daddy: Pres. holds the power of veto. And Reagan and House/Senate were generally in agreement, even in regard to the defense, and tax slashes.; 2/7/11, 12:19 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Back to Govt. class in Peoria HS, H-daddy: Pres. holds the power of veto.

Reagan's as well as Bush's tax cuts increased federal tax revenue. Fact. Unfortunately in both cases, increased federal spending outmatched reciepts.; 2/7/11, 1:44 PM