imkittymyers at hotmail dot com
Saturday, June 12, 2004
SAD NEWS ALL ‘ROUND
How stupid can a cat person be to stick her hand near two female felines while they are engaged in mortal combat? Well, that’s exactly what I did last night, and, as a consequence, I have the use of my right hand only.
The Maine coon cat, DiDi (16 yrs.), attacks the docile Princess (13 yrs.) every chance she gets. I was going to swap her backsides, like I always do, when she turned on me in her fury. Almost in slo-mo, I watched in horror as she attached herself with all fours AND her teeth as she tried to disembowel my left hand. At least I had the sense not to try to wrest my hand away as that would have only caused more damage. As it is, I think she struck a nerve. I know she opened one of my bulging veins because it bled badly for a while. My entire hand is clawed, swollen and very painful. I probably won’t leave the house until I can use the hand. Did you ever try to don your Victoria Secrets with just one hand? To say nothing of managing a curling iron. I may be a natural beauty but I still have my standards. Right now I’m using a package of frozen mixed veggies as a makeshift ice pack as I’m laboriously pecking away on my keyboard, letter by letter.
As if the funeral … oh, God, a bagpiper, too? … and then my mangled, bleeding hand weren’t bad enough, I was stunned by the news that Rush and his lovely and gracious Marta are divorcing. I am now officially in a funk. Not because I expect Rush never to get divorced, as though he were letting me down, because he is not. No, it’s because I feel so badly for him … and for Marta, too. I can understand why he never said anything this past week. I was hoping he would have posted something on his web site last night, but this is his business, not mine. I was wondering why no mention of Marta’s birthday on April 22nd (or is it the 21st?); she usually has an entire week which they dubbed “Marta’s birth-week.” And then no mention of their anniversary on May 27th.
Yesterday a caller had was incensed that both of the Clintons were caught on camera sleeping during the service, to which Rush said, “You know. (Sigh) Look it, they were together.” I caught that at the time; now it makes sense.
I had heard that Marta knew nothing of his drug problems until it hit the fan, so I’m wondering if that has anything to do with the divorce … y’know, lack of trust. I’d really hate to think that maybe she’s not all that lovely and gracious after all and that maybe she’s taking this opportunity while he’s vulnerable to screw him in divorce court. I wonder if the lovely and gracious Nancy would have left her Ronnie under similar conditions.
I feel so incredibly badly for Rush. What a long, painful, difficult time he’s had. If only his troubles could be fixed as easily as my hand. My prayers are with you, Rush. Where would we be without you?
Friday, June 11, 2004
MORE THAN JUST HIS SMILE
Reagan Revisionism
By Charles Krauthammer
"Optimism" is the perfect way to trivialize everything that Reagan was or did. Pangloss was an optimist. Harold Stassen was an optimist. Ralph Kramden was an optimist. Optimism is nice, but it gets you nowhere unless you also possess ideological vision, policy and prescriptions to make it real, and, finally, the political courage to act on your convictions.
…
Moreover, at the time, Reagan's optimism was deemed pejorative. It was the cockeyed optimism of the simpleton, a man too shallow, unsophisticated, unschooled and unthinking -- in short, too stupid -- to know better. An "amiable dunce," as Clark Clifford, wisest of the Washington wise men, dubbed him.
…
These were the twin themes: Reagan was stupid, and his stupidity made him dangerous. Those too young to remember the 1980s would be astonished to know how common the notion was of Reagan as a warmonger.
BILE FILE
Larry Kramer
REAGAN-HATERS GO NUTS
AMIDST the outpouring of love for Ronald Reagan, a handful of detractors continue to spew their bile. The hatred seems strongest in those who want to blame the former president for AIDS, a disease spread through unsafe sexual practices and illicit use of hypodermic needles. In an essay titled "Adolf Reagan" in the upcom ing issue of The Advocate, play wright Larry Kramer hisses, "The man who murdered more gay people than anyone in the entire history of the world is dead" and preposter ously delares, "Gays were as hated under Reagan as Jews were under Hitler." Kramer, who slams Reagan for not pouring more money into the fight against AIDS, writes, "Some of Nancy Reagan's best friends were gay, the self-loathing Jerry Zipkin, at one time her principal 'walker,' chief among them. It is said he taught her how to dress." Kramer also suggests that Reagan's son, Ron Reagan Jr., may have angered his father because, "It was no secret . . . that Ron Reagan Jr., was suspected of being gay." Even if the son is straight, Kramer bloviates, "It was this per ceived suspicion that . . . caused his father to murder so many of us."
PUTIN ‘EM IN THEIR PLACE
Putin Takes Bush's Side Against Democrats on Iraq
Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped into the U.S. political campaign on Thursday, saying the Democrats had "no moral right" to criticize President Bush over Iraq.
The Kremlin leader, answering a reporter's question in Sea Island, Georgia, suggested that the Democrats were two-faced in criticizing Bush on Iraq since it had been the Clinton administration that authorized the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia by U.S. and NATO forces.
The reporter had asked Putin to respond to U.S. press articles questioning Russia's place at the G8 feast of leading industrial countries.
Putin brushed these off, saying such articles were part of an internal U.S. political debate.
He went on: "I am deeply convinced that President Bush's political adversaries have no moral right to attack him over Iraq because they did exactly the same.
"It suffices to recall Yugoslavia. Now look at them. They don't like what President Bush is doing in Iraq."
Russia was adamantly opposed to the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, as it has been to the U.S.-led military operation Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein.
At the same time, Putin forged a strong friendship with Bush by offering immediate support in the global fight against terrorism. Both men go out of their way now to avoid criticizing each other publicly.
FRENCH KISS-OFF
So, all is not bien! in Ch’Iraq’s La France. Tsk tsk tsk.
BARDOT'S COURT ROLE AS RACIST BIGOT
BRIGITTE Bardot, the Sixties sex symbol turned animal rights activist, was convicted of inciting racial hatred yesterday and her publisher ordered to pay 5,000 (£3,300) - the fourth such fine for her since 1997.
…
In her book, she laments the "Islamisation of France" and the "underground and dangerous infiltration of Islam", denigrates racial mixing, immigration and the role of women in politics, and denounces benefits for "polygamous families" and the Muslim festival of Eid el Kebir.
She also attacks a variety of other groups including gays and lesbians whom she describes as "cheap faggots or circus freaks" and the unemployed as people "who only accept jobs on the black market ... and cash in on taxpayers’ money".
"Mme Bardot presents Muslims as barbaric and cruel invaders, responsible for terrorist acts and eager to dominate the French to the extent of wanting to exterminate them," the court said.
…
This week the Conservative justice minister, Dominique Perben, released figures showing there had been 180 anti-semitic attacks reported in France since the beginning of the year, among them 104 attacks on property, including synagogues and Jewish cemeteries, 46 attacks on Jews and 30 cases of anti-semitic statements in the press.
France has also been widely criticised abroad for being prejudiced against Muslims when it agreed to pass a law earlier this year banning the wearing of traditional Muslim headscarves in schools.
BLUBBER-BUTT UPDATE
“Sex & the City’s” Sarah Jessica Parker was applauded the other day for publicly stating that she and her husband would send their 18-month-old son to public schools when the time comes. They live in New York City, where the majority of public schools continuously make headlines for crime and failing grades. Needless to say, most of the teachers do not send their own children to these public hellholes, so when SJP made her big announcement, everyone oohed’n’aahed. Of course, not all of the public schools are rotten; there are a few fine schools located in wealthy neighborhoods. And, since she and her husband are rich, they have a choice of the better public schools available to them. If they need to, they can simply move to a better neighborhood when the time comes. Not everyone has that option, however, which is why school vouchers are a hot topic there.
I’m posting this not because of the vacuous SJP but because the article mentions a certain blubber-butt who is supposedly a champion of the poor and downtrodden.
SARAH JESSICA'S CHOICE
Most, however, would agree with muckraker Michael Moore, who sends his daughter to a private school in Manhattan. Last month he told the British Observer, "Our daughter is not the one to be sacrificed to make things better."
Thursday, June 10, 2004
THIS IS FOR YOU, PAT!
As you can see, Kitty Litter is once again up'n'running. I have no idea how it happened, but most of the template was wiped out after I had posted a few things this morning, which is why you saw an empty site if had stopped by. I sent an urgent HELP !!! to St. Patrick (Kerry Haters), and he saved the day. Pat has always been here in my time of blogging needs. I can't thank him enough!
Kitty
FOR THE GIPPER
I hope this isn’t just wishful thinking. I want to believe …
REAGAN-LIKE LANDSLIDE EYED
NOW is a good time to look back at the landslide win that sent Ronald Reagan to the White House in 1980, because lots of analysts think 2004 could turn out the same way — close for a long time and then suddenly breaking wide open.
…
All of this could explain why the Iowa political futures market — an intriguing online measure that lets anyone buy "stock" in a candidate and has a solid record in predicting elections — is bullish on Bush.
The Iowa market has predicted a Bush victory ever since Kerry clinched the Democratic nomination last winter — yesterday it was predicting a Bush win with 51.9 percent of the vote to Kerry's 47.4.
REAGAN'S LEGACY
NOT CLINTON'S! Clinton never wanted true welfare reform or government reduction. He opposed such conservative bills each and every time they were proposed. How many times did he veto welfare reform anyway? Clinton embraced the glory as his own, but never the ideology. If he had had his way, they never would have been passed. Thank Reagan? Absolutely! But neverever Clinton.
RON AND BILL
ONE was obsessed with his public image and reveled in the company of stars and starlets, frequenting Hollywood at every opportunity; the other was self-contained, confident of what he stood for and needed no adoring mobs to satiate his ego or vindicate his sense of self-worth.
It's odd that the former is Bill Clinton and the latter Ronald Reagan.
…
But it was Clinton, the liberal, who accepted the construct imposed on his presidency by Reagan — a balanced budget, welfare reform and government re-invention and reduction. It was Clinton who boasted that he had pruned the federal payroll to its "lowest level since Eisenhower" — but it was Reagan's vision that made him do it.
STILL BITTER AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
I live in NY State, the state with the highest overall tax bite (DC runs a close 2nd). President Reagan did NOT make our state’s taxes go up! The profligate spending in this state is criminal, which is why our taxes are so high.
Cuomo: Reagan 'Killed Us'
Former New York governor Mario Cuomo said Tuesday that Ronald Reagan "killed us" when it came funding for the programs that liberal Democrat governors like himself depended on.
"As far as I was concerned as a governor, he killed us," Cuomo told CNN's Lou Dobbs.
"He cut our money for education, for health care, for housing. He made taxes go up at the local level everywhere. He gave us the biggest debt until President Bush set a new record for us recently."
L’BASTARD
Jacques Ch-Iraq will not be attending President Reagan’s funeral, and he has so far not appointed anyone else to go in his place. I can’t recall which one of you Litter readers sent me the following, but it’s now time to post it here:
The elderly American gentleman arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he fumbled for his passport.
"You 'ave been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically. The old gent admitted that he had been to France previously.
"Zen, you should know enough to 'ave your passport ready for inspection."
The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."
"Impossible. You Americans alwayz 'ave to show your passports on arrival in France!"
The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained.
"Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in '44, I couldn't find any of you Frenchmen to show it to."
Chirac Refuses to Attend Reagan's Funeral
For old times sake, go to Crush Kerry and watch President Reagan's famous 1984 campaign ads "Bear in the Woods" and "Morning in America". God we were lucky to have this great man as our President.
SOMETHING ABOUT THAT NAME
SILENT GORE
BUSH-bashing belletrist Gore Vidal is refusing to promote his new book, "Imperial America." The tome, just out from Thunder's Mouth Press, consists of anti-Bush diatribes and articles Vidal wrote in the Nation, Esquire and elsewhere from 1975-2004. But Vidal recently canceled interviews for the book, which has gotten a lukewarm reception, and told the publishers he'd only give them three days of his time to promote it. "He's very prickly," huffed a Thunder's Mouth insider. "He won't even talk to us directly. We have to go through his editor at the Nation." A rep for the publisher says Vidal's time was "unexpectedly cut short."
Y’CAN’T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN
Our pals at ACE report that Bush Sr. will do an encore birthday skydive for charity.
Bush Sr will still skydive on 80th birthday
Former President George H. W. Bush plans to celebrate his 80th birthday Saturday by jumping out of a plane Sunday at 13,000 feet, over his Presidental Library in College Station, TX.
And while you’re at ACE, check out his son’s new wheels.
The Prezmobile
Each dignitary was given one of these vehicles, painted to represent his country, with which to drive around Sea Island.
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
AIN’T HE GOT FUN
moxie.nu
Lucianne’s blogtruth of the day is moxie.nu who spills the Boston baked beans on L’Fraude’s mourning for Reagan.
HIS LEGACY ENDURES
REAGAN TO THE RESCUE
By Ralph Peters
Once, while we were out on maneuvers, President Carter's secretary of the Army came to visit. He flew in by helicopter, pretended to eat our field rations, spoke to no enlisted troops or junior officers and left. We didn't exactly feel valued.
Then came Ronald Reagan.
Yes, he raised Defense budgets dramatically. And the money mattered. But the increased funding and higher pay wouldn't have made a decisive difference without the sense that we had a real leader in the White House again. The man in the Oval Office genuinely admired the men and women who served. When he saluted his Marine guards, he meant it. The troops could tell.
…
We had a president who cared about us, a man who was proud of us and proud of the country we were pledged to defend. He even understood the power of uniforms and would not enter the Oval Office himself unless wearing a tie.
HIS LEGACY ENDURES, Pt.II
CRITICS STILL GETTING IT WRONG
By John Podhoretz
MEMO to all those who believe that Ronald Reagan is being unfairly lionized in death: Bring it on.
The undercurrent of unhappiness at the elegiac coverage of the Gipper isn't really an undercurrent at all by now. Rather, it's a stream that will soon overflow its bounds and become a flood.
I'm not talking about the "I'm glad he's dead" garbage peddled by Internet leftists desperate for a Drudge Report link. I'm referring to the discomfort expressed publicly by major media figures about how the Reagan coverage is unbalanced — and how his supposed failures need to be dissected and lovingly dissected.
Reagan "was a beloved American leader," says Tom Brokaw, "but at the same time our journalistic obligation is to put his whole life and his political career in context . . . The Reagan legacy has some scandals — Iran-contra, his failure to recognize early on the AIDS epidemic. He made some controversial appointments."
BEHAVIOR UNBECOMING
Pout, cry and stomp your feet if you want, Billy, but this is NOT about you! Nancy has suffered enough; she doesn’t need this, too.
CLINTON DISAPPOINTMENT: LEFT OFF FUNERAL SPEAKERS LIST
Former President Bill Clinton has privately expressed anger he has apparently been left off the speakers list of Friday's Reagan State Funeral, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.
…
Clinton's inner circle is convinced Nancy Reagan has personally shut out Clinton from any high-profile participation.
CONTROLLING BUBBA’S “EXPOSURE”
Control Slick’s exposure? That’s rich; he’s everywhere, including those larger-than-life posters! He’s even trying to horn in on poor Nancy Reagan’s last moments with her beloved Ronnie.
Clinton Publisher's Campaign Strategy
Here's the plan: On June 18, Infinity Broadcasting will begin playing excerpts from an abridged audio version of "My Life" read by Clinton. Over the next five days, Knopf plans to release one excerpt a day to Infinity. Those sound snippets, in the unmistakable drawl of the former president, will be incorporated into news shows across the nation, says Karen Mateo, Infinity's director of communications. The company owns 185 stations.
The audio bites will also be available over the Internet through America Online.
Intriguingly, Knopf has not sold first serial rights -- excerpts in newspapers or magazines -- to "My Life." Though one magazine reportedly offered $500,000 for the opportunity, publishing sources say there will probably not be any print excerpts before the book goes on sale.
"We've had a lot of offers and we haven't accepted any of them," Bogaards says. "People are going to have to come to the book."
Besides the money, there is little reason for Knopf to sell excerpts. "You go down the road of serialization when you're trying to maximize exposure for an author," Bogaards says. "In this instance, we are controlling the exposure for Clinton."
A DAY AT THE BEACH
Even their vacations are fund raisers which eclipse all the other Dems. Their party loyalty knows no bounds.
THE Clintons are coming to the Hamptons.
The power couple to end all power couples will be on the South Fork later this summer, attending a Friends of Hillary benefit at the East Hampton home of major Democratic Party players Alan and Susan Patricof on Aug. 7.
The big-ticket, celebrity-filled event could upstage the individual July fund-raisers for presidential wannabe John Kerry, Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer — none of which have been formally announced yet.
Guests at the Clinton bash will be asked to fork over $2,000 per plate, and co-chairs, patrons and hosts will have to commit $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000 respectively.
All in attendance will receive signed copies of the senator's "Living History" and the former president's biography, "My Life," which will be released later this month.
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
Former first lady Nancy Reagan lays her head on the flag draped mahogany casket of her husband, former United States President Ronald Reagan, as the casket lays in repose in the atrium of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California June 7, 2004 with Rev. Michael Wenning (L) at her side. REUTERS/Bryan Chan/Pool
Mourners are waiting hours in line, traffic is backed up for miles, just to pay their last respects to President Reagan.
QUESTION: What will Carter’s funeral be like? And Clinton’s?
FROM IRAQ WITH LOVE
A bit of news which should be heralded everywhere … but isn’t.
Iraqi Gratitude
The new government is thanking America and Bush. Why are the media silent?
A myth has developed that Iraqis aren't grateful for their liberation from Saddam. So it's worth noting that the leaders of Iraq's new interim government have been explicit and gracious in their thanks, not that you've heard this from the U.S. media.
First in Arabic and then in English, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said in his inaugural address to the Iraqi people last Tuesday that "I would like to record our profound gratitude and appreciation to the U.S.-led international coalition, which has made great sacrifices for the liberation of Iraq." In his own remarks, President Ghazi al-Yawer said: "Before I end my speech, I would like us to remember our martyrs who fell in defense of freedom and honor, as well as our friends who fell in the battle for the liberation of Iraq."
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari told the U.N. Security Council much the same thing last Thursday: "We Iraqis are grateful to the coalition who helped liberate us from the persecution of Saddam Hussein's regime. We thank President Bush and Prime Minister Blair for their dedication and commitment."
We thought our readers might like to know.
CRY BABIES
Y’mean there are other news stations besides Fox?
EASY AS ABC
WHEN ABC News broke the sad news of Ronald Reagan's death Saturday afternoon, it sent its competitors into a frenzy. The press corps traveling with President Bush in Normandy first heard the news when ABC's White House reporter Terry Moran began doing a live report in their midst. The reaction, according to one eyewitness, was "total chaos — people running ev erywhere, knocking into things." CNN's John King yelled into his cellphone that CNN had been beaten and was so upset he threatened to quit. King ended his tan trum by throwing his cellphone to the ground. Bad move: his meltdown was captured on tape. So just how did ABC get such a big jump? The network refused com ment, but insiders credit ABC News chief David Westin. Apparently, work ing the phones produces better results than throwing them.
SELF-IMMOLATION
HEAT ON 'FAHRENHEIT'
HE may have been the darling of Cannes, but Michael Moore isn't winning any praise from Ray Bradbury.
The 84-year-old science-fiction author railed against the filmmaker in a recent interview with a Swedish newspaper, calling him a "screwed a- -hole" for borrowing the title of Bradbury's classic "Fahrenheit 451" for his new anti-Bush documentary, "Fahrenheit 9/11."
"He stole my title and changed the numbers without ever asking me for permission," said Bradbury.
"[Moore] is a horrible human being."
Bradbury didn't have any kinder words for the movie itself, which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and is slated to open here on June 25.
"Nobody will see his movie," he said. "It is almost dead already."
Elsewhere in the news: THAT Michael Moore has a large following among anti-American vampires. His "Bowling for Columbine" won the audience award at the Transylvania Film Festival in Romania over the weekend
FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT
John Kerry: Unliked, Unloved at Every Stage of Life
If John Kerry wins in November, his life’s narrative will be an easy one to write: no one likes him. He’s a loner with few friends, none of them close friends. It has been that way his whole life.
BILE FROM THE LEFT
Bloggers Attack Reagan
By Shawn Macomber
Dozens of email alerts fill my inbox every day, mostly with old news and requests for money that are quickly dumped in my virtual trashcan. On Sunday morning I received more than 30 responses to the death of President Reagan. One in particular stuck out, blinking at me like a bright red flag. It was a notice from the raconteurs over at CrushKerry.com: "Many liberals happy Reagan is gone," it read. I thought it had to be an exaggeration, but after a couple hours of clicking around it became clear the truth was even worse than CrushKerry made it out to be.
"I'm sipping some excellent German white wine now," one poster over at the Democratic Underground blog wrote. "To Ronald Reagan, may you rot in hell you sorry evil creep! Clink glasses." A fellow blogger agreed, writing, "R.I.P--In Hell," with a third adding, "On a Slowly Turning Spit."
FROM CUBA WITH LOVE
Communist Cuba’s Radio Reloj, with its knickers in knots, sputtered that Reagan chose peace over détente. Imagine that!
Castro: Reagan 'Never Should Have Been Born'
HAVANA – Cuba harshly criticized former President Ronald Reagan and his policies on Monday, saying he "never should have been born."
In the first reaction to Reagan's death from the communist government, Radio Reloj said:
"As forgetful and irresponsible as he was, he forgot to take his worst works to the grave," the government radio station said.
"He, who never should have been born, has died," the radio said.
…
"His apologists characterize him as the victor of the Cold War," the radio said. "Those in the know knew that the reality was not so, but rather [he was] the destroyer of policies of detente in the overall quest for peace."
Monday, June 07, 2004
DEVOTED
NANCY: 'I THINK THEY BROKE THE MOLD WHEN THEY MADE RONNIE'
In a revealing and heartfelt essay, NANCY REAGAN remembers President Ronald Reagan, the remarkable man she loved as a husband — and tells what inspired the man whom a nation came to love as a leader. Written before his death, the essay appears in this week's Time magazine.
'Ronnie always believed that God has a plan for each of us and that we might not know what it is now, but eventually we will.
…
'I think his faith and his comfort with himself accounts for that optimism.
Since he felt that everything happens for a reason, he never saw things darkly.'
CARRYING ON THE LEGACY
Reagan Legacy Looming Large Over Campaign
Mr. Bush's advisers said Sunday that the intense focus on Mr. Reagan's career that began upon the news of his death on Saturday would remind Americans of what Mr. Bush's supporters have long described as the similarities between the two men as straight-talking, ideologically driven leaders with swagger and a fixed idea of what they wanted to do with their office.
"Americans are going to be focused on President Reagan for the next week," said Ed Gillespie, the Republican national chairman. "The parallels are there. I don't know how you miss them."
WHILE FACING THE SAME OPPOSITION
An anti-war protestor shouts during a demonstration against the U.S. President George W. Bush visit in Paris, June 5, 2004. Thousands of people in the French capital demonstrated against the war in Iraq as Bush met France's Jacques Chirac ahead of ceremonies commemorating the D-Day landings in Normandy. (Victor Tonelli/Reuters)
Thousands of protesters carry posters depicting U.S. President George W. Bush as Terrorist No 1 during a peaceful protest, in Paris Saturday, June 5, 2004. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush arrived in Paris Saturday before attending ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy Sunday. (AP Photo/Jockel Finck)
HE WAS BRILLIANT
This 08 December 1987 photo shows former US president Ronald Reagan (R) with former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev (L) during welcoming ceremonies at the White House on the first day of their summit.(AFP/File/Mike Sargent)
I have been struggling with writing what I’ve been witnessing and feeling since the news of Reagan’s death. He was the quintessential gentleman who, at least publicly, seemed to live by the “if you can’t say anything nice say nothing at all” code. And just maybe I should let bygones be bygones.
But I heard all those bellicose bastards from the Left pontificate on what a great man Reagan was: the price they paid for face-time on TV. Those who could make the claim babbled on about how they knew him well. Fine gentleman! Wonderful man! Great sense of humor! Ah, yes, knew him well. (harrumpf harrumpf harrumpf) Those who couldn’t, relied on the old standby: Great communicator! (harrumpf harrumpf harrumpf) Some even began to sound like long-time supply-siders! Just a bunch of swell guys, those Dems. Too bad they couldn’t have been that swell to the man when he was president and, even worse, when he announced he had Alzheimer’s.
Reagan was deeply hated and viciously ridiculed by the Left when he was in office, and afterwards. He was labeled a war monger who would plunge the world into a “nuclear winter.” Protesters gathered by the thousands around the world to shout their opposition to his military build-up. But Reagan understood that peace could only be won through strength, not through reasoning. No “can’t we y’all jest git along” pretty please request. He knew that the reason you built B-52s was so you’d never have to use them.
Reagan was thought of as daft, stupid, incompetent, an old codger of a cowboy who dozed through policy meetings. The rancor in Foggy Bottom was bilious.
So, when I hear these fatuous fatheads of the Left begin bloviating for the cameras on what a swell guy Reagan was, the bile rises in my throat. That old story about what great Irish pals Reagan and Tip actually were, how they’d spar mightily by day and schmooze by night. (barf) I’ll never forget when Tip, not long before he died, was being interviewed. He said that Carter was the most intelligent president we had ever had and Reagan was the most stupid. With friends like that …
If Reagan were here he’d take it all in stride. He’d smile and say, “There you go again!” I’m not that forgiving.
THERE SHE GOES AGAIN
BAD APPLES
(entire piece)
Give some Democrats credit: many of the comments released by party factotums on the death of President Ronald Reagan at least attempted to be gracious. But, while some of the words may have been magnanimous, the actions of some Democrats was not.
In California, according to a Democratic House leadership staffer, Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi's office refused until late in the day West Coast time to prepare any remarks by the leader on the passing of the President.
"A call went out around mid-day on the East Coast that Reagan might be in serious condition, and that party leaders should be ready. But Pelosi's people basically said they couldn't' be bothered. [Democratic whip] Steny Hoyer had to get them in line. We got the impression they just didn't want to say anything that would be construed as supportive of a Republican."
Pelosi's office also nixed sending flowers to the funeral home where the president's body was being prepared for burial.
Back in Washington, staffers at the Democratic National Committee stopped a couple of interns who were lowering the flags to half mast outside their headquarters.
"The interns were just doing what they thought was right," says a DNC staffer, who heard about the incident. "But somebody a bit more senior told them not to lower the flags until they absolutely had to, I guess when President Bush announced that all flags should be lowered. There was only an hour's difference. It was pretty petty, but that's how bad things have gotten around here."
Sunday, June 06, 2004
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On Saturday, Roberto at DynamoBuzz received some awful news.
Awful News
On February 17th I wrote about a young man who I had known for 15 years who was going to Iraq as part of about 200 New Jersey National Guardsman [link]. I found out last night that he was one of the two NJ soldiers killed in Baghdad.
Chris Duffy was 26 years old, recently married and had just had his first child before he was shipped out. We were in a couple of fantasy baseball leagues, and even though he was in Iraq he still participated in our league via e-mail and the internet. He was a great kid, whether we were talking sports or the latest heavy metal music. When I last saw him in August, he knew there was a chance he'd get called up for duty in Iraq, but like a good soldier he was ready for the challenge. If he's the kind of guy we have in our military, our country is in pretty good shape.
As we go about our daily lives, think about the soldiers putting their lives on the line over there in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting terrorists so that we can go about our daily lives here. Pray for Chris and his family.
THE DYNAMIC DUO
Reagan’s Leadership, America’s Recovery
By Margaret Thatcher
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article, written by Margaret Thatcher, who was at the time Britian's prime minister, ran in the Decemeber 30, 1988, issue of National Review.
The entire West, locked in a battle of wills with the Soviets, seemed to be losing confidence.
President Reagan's first step was to change the military imbalance which underlay this loss of confidence. He built up American power in a series of defense budgets. There have been criticisms of this build-up as too expensive. Well, a sure defense is expensive, but not nearly so expensive as weakness could turn out to be.
By this military build-up, President Reagan strengthened not only American defenses, but also the will of America's allies. …
For strength, not weakness, leads to peace.
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Nothing could be more short-sighted for the West today than to run down its defenses unilaterally at the first sign of more peaceful and stable relations between East and West.
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When we attempt an overall survey of President Reagan's term of office, covering events both foreign and domestic, one thing stands out. It is that he has achieved the most difficult of all political tasks: changing attitudes and perceptions about what is possible. From the strong fortress of his convictions, he set out to enlarge freedom the world over at a time when freedom was in retreat — and he succeeded. It is not merely that freedom now advances while collectivism is in retreat — important though that is. It is that freedom is the idea that everywhere captures men's minds while collectivism can do no more than enslave their bodies. That is the measure of the change that President Reagan has wrought.