Looking back at the Reagan years has brought back how evil the press were back then. Rather was mean when he was on 60 minutes and Sam Donaldson was one of the biggest Clymers around along with Helen Thomas.
I was in my early 20's then. I was a product of the times (grew up in the 60's, 70's) and had bought it. I didn't participate by voting, so I was never one to actually complain about who was in office-I just remember hearing all the negative press about Pres Reagan. Now I know he was a great man. His passing is especially poignant because my own late father suffered from dementia, and I understand how hard it is to have them slip away. Pres Bush was very eloquent and accurate in his eulogy when he touched upon the subject. Brought me to tears (for the umpteenth time this week).
Andrew Denton: What about Ronald Reagan? Was he a simple man, as he appeared?
Helen Thomas: Nothing…I don't think he was very simple. I think that he was…He certainly had deeply conservative convictions by the time he became President…He really started out as a Democrat. He had been head of the Screen Actors Guild — president of it — six times. And, er, I guess, in those days he would have been considered fairly liberal. But he really swung to the right. Not as right as this President, but certainly conservative.
And, er, he…he liked being liked. And, er, the American people certainly moved with him. I think there was a Reagan revolution. He did turn our country to the right where it's been ever since.
Then she told MSNBC (just this week) that by today's standards, Ronald Reagan wouldn't be considered a conservative. So....to her, he didn't start out conservative, wouldn't be today, but was briefly in the 1980's.. like it was some unexplained abberation which took the country by storm inexplicably. She also forgets, using her own logic, that being a democrat prior to 1980 was different than being a democrat now. What a nut.