Oh Boy, Don’t Turn On The TV Today
Ronald Reagan, 1911-2004. And you know what that means. It means for the next week we’re gonna be seeing nothing but clips from his old movies, probably of Bonzo jumping into his arms.
It means somewhere, right now, someone is figuring out how to use this to help George W. Bush, ignoring the fact that Bush opposes research that could help people with Reagan’s affliction.
It means every single newscast will run tributes. It means there’ll be a funeral televised live on CNN, hosted by Larry King, with footage of a shaky-looking Nancy getting out of a black limo. In an even blacker dress.
It means George W. Bush will speak while trying to appear somber and grave but be curiously disengaged from the whole thing. Though he will use the phrase, “he and my dad” at least two or three or twelve times. Word will appear later he was “cutting a caper” backstage; just trying to relieve the tension, they’ll tell us.
It means people who actually believe Reagan belongs up there with Lincoln and FDR will have a field day trying to get him on Mount Rushmore, a coin, or a stamp (he’ll be on one of the three, to be sure).
It means Peggy Noonan will give tear-stained interviews smiling (through her tears) in wonder at the President’s great wit, and the example she will quote will be a line he stole from a movie.
It means at least one cheap shot will be taken at the CBS Reagans movie, for “raping a dying man” (you see if they don’t use exactly that phrase). It means there’ll be lots of heart-filling footage of Reagan saluting.
It means there’ll be lots of talk about what a good Christian he was, although he never attended regular church services while President, as others have. Oh, and people like Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh will use this as an opportunity to take vicious swipes at everybody from Bill Clinton and Hillary to Tip O’Neil. Bill Clinton’s comments on the subject will be uncommonly well-spoken, Hillary’s entirely correct but somehow clenched and very, very political.
Someone will hope this steals Clinton’s book thunder.
I should say this: I don’t believe in the leftist cartoon of Reagan, and I give him credit for helping to change the world (why and how is another matter). And obviously, apart from anything else, he was a man with family and friends that loved him. I hope he rests in whatever peace can be found, I do.
But what’s going to happen in the next week…defies contemplation.
