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 think you are correct about Rather ,he was very mean spirited,and nasty the entire Reagan Presidency, Then anytime Reagan's name was brought up after he left office outside of the mention of the struggle with Alzheimer's,there was always the slamming of every aspect of his presidency. I believe that you and I cry and mourn because we loved and admired,and respected Ronald Reagan. Dan Rather cries because he did not,and looks very callous,and foolish along with a minority of Americans who bear guilt for being so viscerally mean and hateful to a great man. Their guilt will make the tears flow,but I only feel pity for them,they are lost souls,children that never grew to maturity of the mind and soul. God Bless Ronald Reagan,and his America!!!!!!
Everyone here is doing just the opposite of what President Reagan would have done. He would have been gracious.
Bingo. He's a total fraud.
Wow, great point! And isn't that just how they work....
Listen to Rush. While he spends tons of time railing about the amount of bad news, how much of the above good news does he feature. How many schools has he announced have been re-openned? How many cities restored to calm? I can't think of any. Even the conservative mouthpiece has little in positive news; he just focuses on the amount of negative news. Even his call from the military soldier tht said he was more afraid of what he saw on tv vs what he saw while over there a week or so ago, while containing good news, the soldier openned that the Iraqi's were either not to be trusted or they are wretched people or something to that effect. His call was not entirely things are going positive. Rush lead it and spun it that way, but a closer examination showed something much different.
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.
Yeah, but I think rather would have pooped in his pants if he had bullets racing by his head like Geraldo did. By the way, where is Geraldo?
Interesting. . .
Wishful thinking on one's part sparks hope that the Rather tears are tears of regret for being wrong for so many years.
Yes, that is their MO isn't it. Tears and crying during a death or crisis, and then back to the usual.
Maybe that's it. They're just like the people who make shrines at accidents, or people who make flower shrines at the deceased's home. They just want a piece of the crisis.
When I remember how disrespectful the press was to President Reagan, it still makes me shake with anger. That they worshipped someone like BJ Clinton, yet treated a wonderful person like Ronald Reagan so shabbily, says all we need to know about the leftist American press.
Folks, you all must have missed the part last evening when Rather was reading a list of Ronaldus Maximus' achievments and when he came to the Strategic Defense Initiative, he deemed it the "Star Wars Scheme."
That put me off big time. Couldn't let the opportunity pass for one last jab at a man whose shoes he was unfit to shine.
Reagan is History and Rather is just a footnote.
You should have seen Mike Wallace today, who like Rather, realizes that he has heard mortality knocking on the door.
Reagan in death and the exquisite timing of his death around DDay and in France once again trumps them all.
Stuff that gives the shivers.
"I did not wash my hair last night because I felt a certain amount of stiffness was probably healthy. What do you think? OK, OK, the question is whether or not to wash it for tomorrow, but we'll make that decision as we go along, I guess." --Dan Rather, Soweto South Africa, captured on a wild feed
LOL! I agree!
This says more about Pres. Reagan than it does about Dan Rather.
You got that right.
That reminds me of a few gentle words dan rather cooed to his pal saddam:
"Given the sober moment and the danger at hand, what are the chances this is the last time you and I will see each other?”
"Mr. President, I hope you will take this question in the spirit in which it's asked. First of all, I regret that I do not speak Arabic. Do you speak any English at all? ... Well, would you speak some English for me? Anything you choose?”
I don't like the guy and I don't trust him.
The tears were from pain. Biting one's tongue does that...
The media have been using the "Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall!" clip vvery much, indeed every radio report seems to have it. My point was that only having that "tear down this wall" without the "evil empire" piece, does minimize how confrontive the "Mr. Gorbachov, tear down this wall" piece really was. They do say he ended and won the Cold War and replay the tear down the wall clip, but they dont plat the evil empire piece or talk about it all that much and I have listened to hours of this coverage, which has been such a relief in not having the lefties in screech mode on the tube. What a delight!
I agree, he was truly moved. However, he also cried on Letterman after 9/11 and said he stands with President Bush.
Rather gets a glimpse of the good and is drawn to it, I dare say, but is easily swayed to move away from it after the moment has passed.
But again, I agree that his emotion was real.
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