Le Sabot Post-Moderne

Just a quick note -- this is not a debate thread. Don't go there.

The first vote I was able to cast, at the age of 18, was for Ronald Reagan. He was a welcome change from Jimmy "malaise" Carter. I think there are a lot of similarities between GWB and Reagan and I suspect it's part of the reason why I'm such a fan of the current President.
-JDM

I have yet to see anyone speak ill of this great man after his death- I trust no-one would commandeer this thread for those purposes.

Reagan and Thatcher were part of my youth also. Thatchers tribute towers over any others I have read. I have it, Bush's and a couple of others on my blog. Do pop by for a read.

This I would never debate with you. Reagan was good for our country. I was saddened by the news of his death, and saddened further to hear my mom report that San Francisco talk radio hadn't even let the body grow cold before they began attacking him... tasteless.

Well said, John. Reagan dwarves all the presidents who have succeeded him, and most of those who preceeded him.

Reagan's accomplishments changed the face of the world we live in today. The thing that shocked me upon reflection is how much a part of daily, household life Reagan still is, ten years since anyone has even seen him. Upon his death, I was able to recall dozens of conversations just in the last month where his name came up.

I shudder to think where this nation (or the world, for that matter) would be right now had God not raised up Ronald Reagan.

I was too young to vote for him :(, though he & Maggie loomed large in my pantheon of heroes. It's a shame he wasn't able to participate in the post-9/11 national scene. It would have been interesting to hear his take on it all. I was never much of a Nancy fan, but you have to admire the way she took care of him.

I got to vote for him once. I was always happy about that -- that is probably the vote I felt most unequivocally sure about, of my entire life.

He was truly one of the giants of our time. His ability not only to lead but to surround himself with other great leaders was incredible. I feel that his face should be added to Mount Rushmore.

Would you like another anecdote to add to your collection? On the talk radio station today (from Sacramento), people who knew him or met him were reminiscing. One man's father was part of Governor Reagan's security detail, and the young man had gone with his dad to the place where a media event was occuring. There was a public pool next to where Reagan and some reporters were talking. He surprised everyone by throwing off his jacket and diving into the pool! He had once been a lifeguard and he had noticed that a little boy had gone to the bottom, and he got him out of the pool. He came out, dripping wet, and looked at his watch. "This Mickey Mouse watch stopped working!" he quipped. The son of the security guy got a Polaroid picture of Reagan as he was pointing at his watch and grinning.

I wouldn't want my silence to be taken as dissent, so I'll chime in that I think Reagan had some of the best qualities to be found among presidents. While I would not rank him as the greatest prez of the 20th century, he would certainly be the best of my lifetime without question.