I'm a bit late to this thread, but I must say, Cheney's remarks were splendid, and beautifully delivered. He was just the right touch, and said just the right things, in the right way, after a rather awful performance, and then an average one, but the two who preceded him.
Agree with your sentiments. Stevens looked like he was reading off some RNC talking points: souless delivery, and overly partisan. Hastert was okay.
Cheney shined, because he focused on the man, not just the President. W. would do well to focus us the "warm and fuzzy" stuff about Reagan's life, and not try and draw veiled parallels between Reagan and himself...
If simply awful is the word that you would use to characterize the Rev. Daniel Coughlin's spewage, then you are letting that idiot off way too easy.