Posted on 06/06/2004 12:25:13 AM PDT by My Dog Likes Me
Essay by Dan Rather, read at the very end of a CBS News special report, on the evening of June 5, 2004.
--- "President Reagan led the West in a decisive hour of a long battle for the survival of Western culture, Western ideas and ideals.
He was a son of the West. Born in the American Mid-West, he grew to full manhood and died in its far West. All of his life, he favored the West Wind.
He dressed the part, acted it, spoke it, and lived it. The Reagan presidency began on the front steps of the Capitol. His inaugural ceremony the first in history facing West, toward the Mall and its monuments.
His letter of November 5, 1994, announcing his Alzheimers, poignant, yet devoid of self-pity, tells us he was once again looking West. But, Ronald Wilson Reagan also could not resist one more look back over his shoulder.
He now makes his final ride, confident in the knowledge that, as he wrote, "For America, there will always be a bright dawn ahead."
May we share his optimism. And may his steed hold steady as he completes his journey. We will think of him always, when the West Wind blows." -----
I saw it and was moved.
Rather may be a liberal, but I see some goodness in that man. I believe he genuinely did feel sadness over the death of Reagan, even if they saw differently on the issues.
He gave a beautiful short little essay.
Watch many of the conservative politicos on the news shows. Even they speak with glee that Kerry hasn't been able to capitalize on all that has gone wrong in recent months. Sounds hardly like theirs alot of good news.
For some reason our culture isn't looking for good news to be presented. They want to see the storm that leveled a city, not the storm that flew by in the nearby field. They want to see the 10 car pile up, not the 10,000 cars per day that made safe passage along that same stretch of road. They want to see the latest rapist, not the millions of guys who who lead chaste lives.
Rather may personally hate Ronald Reagan. conservative news broadcasts often don't feature much different in content, but rather spend their time railing about the news being skewed against them.
Gracey, Gracy, Gracy... look at the title of the thread. I responded to the topic. I do watch FoxNews.
His moments of reality are pretty short.
He won't be crying tomorrow no doubt.
Agreed.
With all due respect, one "genuine" moment by Dan Rather does not make up for an entire career of faked objectivity.
BTW, I really don't care whether or not liberals have anything nice to say about my hero because when their hero, Bill Clinton, passes on I'll have nothing nice to say about him. The fact that Rather, Cronkite, Wallace, etc. say anything complimentary about Ronald Reagan is pure hypocrisy and that's been my problem with them from get-go. They hated him and we know it.
As much as I despise what Danny Glover had to say about Ronnie, I at least respect his courage to say it. I can accept his comments a lot easier than I can this feigned "great loss" these other liberals are trying to pass off as "genuine".
Again, as I said before, they hated him and we know it. And that tells me I'm on the right side after all.
Well said!!!
Wow. You said a mouthful. You write eloquently and state your thoughts as they are depicted. Thanks for sharing and caring.
Did he tell about how he and his fellow presstitutes hounded Reagan? Did he tell how they called him stupid and a bumbler? Did he tell about he and his friends howled when Reagan called the USSR the evil empire? Did he feel any guilt at all for the way they implied he was a dumb cowboy?
In 2000, I drove down to Iowa to collect political buttons during the Iowa Preceinct Caucuses.
I was in the Iowa State Capitol where CBS was doing their night news broadcasts. In the library, sitting alone, was Dan Rather.
I decided to walk up to him and introduce myself. We talked for several minutes and I told him that I was a Republican, albeit a moderate one.
I thought Dan Rather was one of the more self-effacing, congenial media celebrities I had ever met. He seemed sincerely interested in talking with me.
At the end, we brought one of his assistants over to take a picture of him and I. Though I've frequently questioned his ideology over the years, his dealings with an average guy like me improved my view of him tremendously.
I caught that. I do not believe he meant it in the way you think he meant it. It sounded bad, but I do not believe that was his intent....to bash his presidency. It just was worded wrongly.
LOL. Check out my smileys. I was a little tongue in cheek. (((Hugs))) ;-)
I am just flaberghasted to see some of the comments from the usual suspects. They railed on Reagan his whole political life, but now state that he was one of the two most influential presidents of the 20th century, actually crediting him with some pretty nice things. Do these entities think we forgot the last nearly thirty years of subtrifuge, negative spin and insults on their part? Sheesh!
What jackasses. If they knew they were wrong all along, why did they do it? If they didn't, why are they changing their stories now? Their performance may create the need for a nationwide chain of vomitoriums.
Whenever I discuss my conservative beliefs with non-conservatives, I always do so with a view to converting them to my core beliefs. I realize that I can never do that by being hostile. Thus, I am often concerned when fellow conservatives take an "us vs. them" mentality. All liberals are possible conservatives in my opinion.
So perhaps there is hope for even Dan Rather. That is basically my point in making this reply.
Even Dan Rather cannot resist the grace of almighty God.
Okay Gracie. Sorry to have missed the indication of your lightheared jabs, you little vixen. Take care.
Dan Rather's reactions, in fact, all of his many faces, are well rehearsed and convincing only to the soft hearted. Rather, like the majority of his colleagues, holds contempt for this country and what it stands for. They always wait for the death of someone to dust off the sad face. Remember Clinton at Ron Brown's funeral?
http://www.preventtruthdecay.com/clinton.avi
Wait until you see the talking heads' reactions when Jimmuh kicks the bucket. It will be revisionist history at its finest.
You have a great attitude regarding converting Democrats... and you are so right. We get much better results with honey than with vinegar.
Perhaps if we use the "win-win" approach with Dem's (i.e., discuss what we agree with philosophically) we can get their attention in considering changing their views toward the "R's" It does work, now and then.
I've always enjoyed your posts. YOu've got a good head on you. BTW, we met at the March for Justice. :-)
A DemoMarxistSocialistLyingLib poser/actor at that....
I'm not impressed hearing about it.....And glad I've not seen it.
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