Ronald Reagan: 1911-2004 - How he always left his detractors bewildered

Sacramento Bee ^ | 6.13.04 | Lyn Nofziger

[ambrose]

Ronald Reagan: 1911-2004 - How he always left his detractors bewildered

By Lyn Nofziger -- Special To The Bee

Published 2:15 am PDT Sunday, June 13, 2004

When Ronald Reagan was elected president, liberal Democrats were quick to label him as a not-very-bright far-right-winger likely to get the United States into a nuclear war abroad while returning it to the Dark Ages at home.

Perhaps the kindest thing any prominent Democrat said of him at the time was when Clark Clifford, longtime adviser to Democratic presidents, called him "an amiable dunce."

For the most part, however, Democrats had difficulty understanding how he ever got to be governor of the nation's largest state, let alone president.

Reagan's victory over Jimmy Carter in 1980 astounded national Democrats as much as 14 years earlier his victory over Gov. Pat Brown had surprised those in California.

Neither Brown nor Carter ever got over it. Both had viewed Reagan as the easiest of the Republican candidates to beat.

[kimosabe31]

bump

[jnarcus]

Thanks for posting this. I have always loved Lyn and I wish that GW had someone like him to aide and advise him. Mr. Nofziger was always spot on and knew how to let Reagan be Reagan. He got the big issues and truly understood ( and understands) the American people and purpose.

[garylmoore]

And I guess that they were wrong, like always.

[OldFriend]

The left got it all too well. They were determined to do all in their power to denigrate, disrespect, and outright LIE to diminish this great man.

We, the people, knew better!