Posted on 06/11/2004 9:37:43 PM PDT by ReaganandDubyaForever
Text of remarks by Michael Reagan at Friday's burial service for former President Reagan, as transcribed by eMediaMillWorks Inc.:
Good evening. I'm Mike Reagan. You knew my father as governor, as president. But I knew him as dad. I want to tell you a little bit about my dad. A little bit about Cameron and Ashley's grandfather because not a whole lot is ever spoken about that side of Ronald Reagan.
Ronald Reagan adopted me into his family 1945. I was a chosen one. I was the lucky one. And all of his years, he never mentioned that I was adopted either behind my back or in front of me. I was his son, Michael Edward Reagan.
When his families grew to be two families, he didn't walk away from the one to go to the other. But he became a father to both. To Patti and then Ronnie, but always to Maureen, my sister, and myself.
We looked forward to those Saturday mornings when he would pick us up, sitting on the curve on Beverly Glen as his car would turn the corner from Sunset Boulevard and we would get in and ride to his ranch and play games and he would always make sure it ended up a tie.
We would swim and we would ride horses or we'd just watch him cut firewood. We would be in awe of our father. As years went by and I became older and found a woman I would marry, Colleen, he sent me a letter about marriage and how important it was to be faithful to the woman you love with a P.S.: You'll never get in trouble if you say I love you at least once a day, and I'm sure he told Nancy every day "I love you" as I tell Colleen.
He also sent letters to his grandchildren. He wasn't able to be the grandfather that many of you are able to be because of the job that he had. And so he would write letters. He sent one letter to Cameron, said: "Cameron, some guy got $10,000 for my signature. Maybe this letter will help you pay for your college education. He signed it, Grandpa. P.S. Your grandpa is the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan. He just signed his sign."
Those are the kinds of things my father did.
At the early onset of Alzheimer's disease, my father and I would tell each other we loved each other and we would give each other a hug. As the years went by and he could no longer verbalize my name, he recognized me as the man who hugged him. So when I would walk into the house, he would be there in his chair opening up his arms for that hug, hello, and the hug goodbye. It was a blessing truly brought on by God.
We had wonderful blessings of that nature. Wonderful, wonderful blessings that my father gave to me each and every day of my life.
I was so proud to have the Reagan name and to be Ronald Reagan's son. What a great honor. He gave me a lot of gifts as a child. Gave me a horse. Gave me a car. Gave me a lot of things. But there's a gift he gave me that I think is wonderful for every father to give every son.
Last Saturday, when my father opened his eyes for the last time, and visualized Nancy and gave her such a wonderful, wonderful gift.
When he closed his eyes, that's when I realized the gift that he gave to me, the gift that he was going to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He had, back in 1988 on a flight from Washington, D.C. to Point Mugu, told me about his love of God, his love of Christ as his Savior. I didn't know then what it all meant. But I certainly, certainly know now.
I can't think of a better gift for a father to give a son. And I hope to honor my father by giving my son Cameron and my daughter Ashley that very same gift he gave to me.
Knowing where he is this very moment, this very day, that he is in Heaven, and I can only promise my father this. Dad, when I go, I will go to Heaven, too. And you and I and my sister, Maureen, that went before us, we will dance with the heavenly host of angels before the presence of God. We will do it melanoma and Alzheimer's free. Thank you for letting me share my father, Ronald Wilson Reagan.
© 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Praise God for your Mother, who led you to Christ. This SHOULD be the model, but thankfully there are many ways that bring to a saving knowledge in Him.
Myself, was prayed into the Kingdom by my daughter, who, at an early age, was taken to SS classes by friends....
Isn't that the truth? That's what I told my husband. Michael Reagan was adopted but...he definitely has the heart and soul of President Reagan. He never did anything to hurt Ronald Reagan. He loved him and was proud of him and never in public ever said one nasty word against his father.
God bless President Reagan and God bless Michael too. He has been through a lot but he sure looks like the dignified father to his children that President Reagan was.
Hi Leni, I nicknamed her "Vampira"....seems to fit her well. Gotta say, Nancys' 2 kids are real oddballs.
I watched him in silent prayer before the program started , I felt sure he was praying about giving a testimony .
His dad would be very proud , because the center of the eulogy was non other than the Lord.
I wept as he spoke, I felt very blessed to know that a man that I so admire was concerned for the spiritual eternity of his kids.
Go with God Michael , you are a mighty witness to the power of the grace and providence of a God that chose to place you in that family
Did anyone notice the comment Patty made when she said with a hint of sarcasm regarding the poet she'd chosen ... something to the effect that her dad and the poet had probably already had a conversation. It was a parallel analogy to Michael's comment about his dad joined with Maureen in heaven dancing. It felt like a subltle swipe at Michael's speech.
I heard an Reagan author say that Reagan had told him that one of his biggest regrets was that Ron and Pattie were unsaved.
It was clear when Michael spoke of an eternity worshipping God and Pattie told about burying gold fish and Ron say a heaven absent a god at all. Just another earth without problems
Michael may have been adopted by Ron , but they are now blood family and the other 2 are outside of that circle
Another take on Michael's Eulogy is posted.
Oh, and Hi Leni, how ya doin'? :>)
If you listen carefully, you can hear this in the wind over the California foothills:
I love my son Ron dearly, but he does not speak for me about who may or may not be wearing their faith on their sleeve for political purposes.
I remember when I wouldn't make youth or inexperience an issue in the campaign!
Leni
It occured to me that Ron Reagan's remarks were as much a slap at Michael Reagan as at Bush. Evidently Michael is not in the charmed circle.
Oh! Oh! My mind is indeed slipping. I meant to say, then, why in a press conference today, June 15th was Bush asked if Ronnie Reagan Jr.'s comments were being fair to him?
Gosh, I don't know. My ESP powers are a bit limited these days.
Use the FARCE, Luke!!
I've listened to Michael Reagan all week live, at www.radioamerica.org 3-6 PM Pacific time (he's going in for hip surgery, so will be off June 21-26).
He's explained alot of Qs from this thread:
At the Rotunda, Michael's driver turned wrong, so he was late and his seating got accidentally taken, and they took the next ones, which were back farther, so it wasn't a problem.
He thinks we should take it easy on Ron. If we had someone dying, we might have anger, and lash out, too. But as Mike said, "Fortunately, I have a Savior who carries my burdens. So do they, and hopefully they will recognize that." He said they both deeply loved their father.
They only get Fox on AF1 and that's what they were watching back and forth to Washington.
Ann Coulter and Ollie North both called in today, so it was extra interesting.
Also, it's not either/or, a "mandate" or a "responsibility." It's BOTH. This is a different source and category than say, Islam. Christianity is not saying "kill all those who disagree", as the Koran does. Instead, Christianity says "Tell the world I have died for their sins and love them and forgive them and want them to come to me and believe." And, "Go ye therefore unto all the earth...." We willingly go, responding to love, but it is also a mandate. There's nothing wrong with a mandate, especially if from a loving Savior!
You were right. They are absolutely immature adult children, spoiled rotten, disrespectful to their mother and the memory of their father, and to anyone who loved President Reagan.
They are embarrassing. Fortunately for us, they are not on our side. I am convinced the Dems little 'coup' is going to backfire. The more mileage they try to get from RonnieJr and Patti, the more ranting those two little snots do about GW, the worse they and their party, appear. Both are doing a great job of help our side, by continuing to help expose the Dems as marginalized wacko mean-spirited hateful fools.
bttt
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