Ronald Reagan Dies at Age 93

[Blake]

Ronald Wilson Reagan (search), the 40th president of the United States, died today at his home in California. He was 93 years old and had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Reagan, known as "The Great Communicator," was elected to office in a landslide victory over incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1980 and is credited with revitalizing the country's stagnant economy and forcing the end of the Cold War (search) during his two terms in office from 1981 to 1989.

His charismatic personality and staunch conservatism led the nation in a Republican resurgence that kept the GOP in the White House for 12 years.

Reagan remained largely out of public view since announcing he had Alzheimer's disease (search) in November 1994. He came to symbolize Alzheimer's, which has no cure, during the last decade of his life. Reagan turned the disclosure of his disease as an opportunity to make a final address to the nation, expressing in an open letter to the American people the same patriotic fervor that had catapulted him into the presidency.

"When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future," Reagan wrote at the time. "I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead."

The Reagan Revolution

Ascending to the presidency on a pledge to restore "the great, confident roar of American progress and growth and optimism," Reagan -- a former actor and two-term California governor -- remade the Republican Party in his own image of fiscal and social conservatism. Reagan brought a grandfatherly warmth to Republican issues and values that attracted supporters across a broad political spectrum.

He successfully implemented most of his campaign promises: reducing government bureaucracy and regulation, cutting taxes in favor of "trickle-down, or supply-side economics -- which became known as Reaganomics (search) -- and building a strong defense while fighting the spread of communism. These moves won him wide appeal and an even wider margin of victory in 1984, when he won the electoral votes of 49 states.

The role of president would prove to be more dramatic than any screen role Reagan had assumed in his pre-politics career in Hollywood. Just 69 days into his first term, Reagan was shot in Washington by John Hinckley, Jr. (search), but his quick and full recovery from the assassination attempt elevated him to new levels of national popularity.

His health was a recurring theme of his presidency as Reagan underwent major surgeries in 1981, 1985 and 1987.

Reagan was hawkish in foreign policy, staunchly committed to thwarting the spread of communism. His administration gave strong financial and military support to the Contra Rebels who were fighting Nicaragua's communist government and supported the government of El Salvador's fight against communist guerillas and rebels resisting the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He dispatched U.S. troops to the island of Grenada when it was perceived as succumbing to Cuba in 1983.

Reagan's war on communism led to an escalation of Cold War rhetoric and defense spending that mushroomed the national debt and brought harsh criticism upon his administration. But the efforts eventually resulted in a series of high-level summit meetings with Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, arms reduction pacts with the Soviets and eventually the break-up of the Soviet Union. That success was dramatically symbolized by the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

His fight against communism also led to the darkest moment of his presidency, when he confessed in November 1986 that the United States had secretly sold arms to Iran as part of an arms-for-hostages deal, and then used the proceeds from the sale to fund aid to the Contra rebels. The scandal resulted in the indictment of high-level government officials.

Reagan waged war not only on communism, but on terrorism, most visibly in 1986 when he sent jets to bomb Libya in retaliation for the death of Americans in a Berlin dance club.

Star Power

Born Feb. 6, 1911, in Tampico, Ill., Reagan graduated from Eureka College in 1932 and worked as a radio sportscaster in the Midwest before being discovered by a Hollywood agent and being signed by Warner Bros. He made his acting debut in "Love Is in the Air" in 1937, made Air Force training films during World War II, and went on to make 52 movies. Reagan also served as a spokesman for the General Electric Company, hosted and acted on the General Electric Theater television series, and was also host of the television series, "Death Valley Days."

Reagan and his first wife, actress Jane Wyman, had two children, Maureen and Michael, before divorcing in 1948. He married actress Nancy Davis in 1952 and had two more children, Patricia and Ronald Prescott, who goes by Ron. Maureen Reagan died of cancer in 2001.

Reagan moved from acting into politics as a five-time president of the Screen Actors Guild. Originally a Democrat, Reagan's ideology shifted to the right as he sided with the government attack on the influence of communism in the entertainment world.

But it was a well-received televised speech on behalf of Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater in 1964 that catapulted Reagan's political career from the sound stage to the world stage. Reagan was elected California governor in 1966 and again in 1970. He made two failed attempts at the White House in 1968 and 1976 before his 1980 victory.

Known for his personal charm and talent -- and for making masterful speeches to win support for his policies -- many of the foreign leaders with whom he met were said to have been more impressed with his star quality than his intellect.

"You could see it in the faces of the foreign leaders -- Mitterand, Thatcher, even Gorbachev," a U.S. official who accompanied Reagan on many trips abroad was quoted as saying by Lou Cannon in his biography, "President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime."

"They didn't pay much attention to what he was saying. Either they had heard it before, or they realized it was just talking points. But Reagan the man, the politician, fascinated them. It was almost as if they were saying, what does this man have that works so well for him? It was like they wanted to bottle it and take it home and use it themselves."

The question of whether the commander in chief had a harder-edged side behind closed doors was the subject of some speculation and even humor. In a "Saturday Night Live" skit in the late 1980s, the late comic Phil Hartman portrayed a Reagan who was gentle and grandfatherly to Oval Office visitors but, behind closed doors, transformed into a sharp-minded scowling dictator who barked orders to his advisers.

While he wasn't always cooperative with reporters, avoiding unwanted questions by feigning deafness as he approached a waiting helicopter, he maintained a genial relationship with the White House press corps, whose members nicknamed him the Gipper in reference to the character he portrayed in the film, "Knute Rockne, All American."

Reagan's approval rating remained high through his eight years in office, and Democrats struggled for years against the image of old-fashioned values, patriotism and hard work that Reagan fashioned for himself and his party.

As a tribute to Reagan's legacy, Congress and President Bill Clinton officially changed the name of Washington National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in February 1998. And in 2003, former First Lady Nancy Reagan was on hand to christen the USS Ronald Reagan, the Navy's newest nuclear powered aircraft carrier.

But perhaps the image of Reagan that will be remembered most was his ability to unite the nation under the strength of his convictions, such as when he spoke to all Americans, and
specifically schoolchildren, in the wake of the 1986 explosion of the space shuttle Challenger:

"It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons," he said. "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them."

Reagan is survived by his wife and three children.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,121883,00.html

A bit harsh but I liked this version for awhile.

http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/pr...ronald-reagan/

[bfp]

A wonderful individual. A great president. He will be missed...

[Ryan]

All, politics aside for a moment, I think John Kerry's statement summed up best the reason Reagan was able to win 49 states in 1984 - a truly amazing feat.


"Ronald Reagan's love of country was infectious. Even when he was breaking Democrats' hearts, he did so with a smile and in the spirit of honest and open debate. Despite the disagreements, he lived by that noble ideal that at 5 p.m. we weren't Democrats or Republicans, we were Americans and friends.

"President Reagan and Tip O'Neill fought hard and honorably on many issues, and sat down together to happily swap jokes and the stories of their lives.

"The differences were real, but because of the way President Reagan led, he taught us that there is a big difference between strong beliefs and bitter partisanship.

"He was the voice of America in good times and in grief. When we lost the brave astronauts in the Challenger tragedy, he reminded us that 'Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue.'

"Now his own journey has ended – a long and storied trip that spanned most of the American century and shaped one of the greatest victories of freedom. Today in the face of new challenges, his example reminds us that we must move forward with optimism and resolve. He was our oldest president, but he made America young again.

"Our prayers are with his family, and the wife he loved in a way all the world could see. And to the end, she loved him with courage and complete devotion. She helped all of us better understand the cruel disease that took him away before it took his life, and what we must do to prevent and cure it.

"Teresa and I and our family extend our deepest sympathies to Nancy Reagan and the Reagan family. Today, from California to Maine – 'from sea to shining sea' – Americans will bow their heads in prayer and gratitude that President Reagan left such an indelible stamp on the nation he loved."

[Adam D]

Originally posted by Ryan
All, politics aside for a moment, I think John Kerry's statement summed up best the reason Reagan was able to win 49 states in 1984 - a truly amazing feat.

Not really, if you look at the actual numbers.

The 1980 and 1984 elections, the great "conservative revolution" won by a "landslide", comprised an abnormally small percentage of the population that actually voted. Of the entire voting population, I believe only like 30% of the population voted and of that Reagan only won in total 15%, maybe 20%, of the voting population. Hardly a landslide win.

[Cock Puncher]

I believe that he was a great, great man and taught this country alot

[Dionysos]

Originally posted by Adam D
Not really, if you look at the actual numbers.

The 1980 and 1984 elections, the great "conservative revolution" won by a "landslide", comprised an abnormally small percentage of the population that actually voted. Of the entire voting population, I believe only like 30% of the population voted and of that Reagan only won in total 15%, maybe 20%, of the voting population. Hardly a landslide win.

Adam, for such an obviously intelligent individual, you have a grossly underdeveloped sense of tact & timing.

[Adam D]

Originally posted by Dionysos
Adam, for such an obviously intelligent individual, you have a grossly underdeveloped sense of tact & timing.

I merely have no interest in seeing somebody who was a war criminal embellished upon and treated as some sort of glorious figure anywhere beyond the truth. You may see it as being tactless, I see it as merely representing his life as what it was.

[Dionysos]

Originally posted by Adam D
I merely have no interest in seeing somebody who was a war criminal embellished upon and treated as some sort of glorious figure anywhere beyond the truth. You may see it as being tactless, I see it as merely representing his life as what it was.

Maybe, but you don't talk badly about somebody at their own funeral whether they were a saint or scum. It's disrespectful, both to the deceased and those who are there to pay their respects.

[Adam D]

Originally posted by Dionysos
Maybe, but you don't talk badly about somebody at their own funeral whether they were a saint or scum. It's disrespectful, both to the deceased and those who are there to pay their respects.

I hope you hold the same standard if or when people such as Hussein, bin Laden, etc. are killed or die.

[Hey Bubu]

Originally posted by Adam D
I hope you hold the same standard if or when people such as Hussein, bin Laden, etc. are killed or die.

Hmm so you are comparing Hussein and Bin Laden to Reagan now?


Your pragmatism about certain things is "insteresting" some times.

[Ryan]

First Kerry and Hillary Clinton lead the new Nazi revolution and now Ronald Reagan is exposed as a radical terrorist. Whew, the revelations made in this forum are sometimes astounding...

[Adam D]

Originally posted by TypeH
Hmm so you are comparing Hussein and Bin Laden to Reagan now?


Your pragmatism about certain things is "insteresting" some times.

No, that wasn't the point at all.


I was merely questioning whether "you don't talk badly about somebody at their own funeral whether they were a saint or scum" is a universal standard, or if it is subjective to what one feels about that person.

[Cock Puncher]

wait, didn't one of reagan's daughters pose for playboy?

[Dionysos]

Originally posted by Adam D
No, that wasn't the point at all.

I was merely questioning whether "you don't talk badly about somebody at their own funeral whether they were a saint or scum" is a universal standard, or if it is subjective to what one feels about that person.

If there's a thread praising Bin Laden's achievements when he dies, I'll be sure not to say anything.