February 6, 2003
ALWAYS A BRIGHT DAWN AHEAD:
Former President Ronald Reagan Turns 92 (Reuters, February 6, 2003)Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan turned 92 on Thursday, increasingly isolated by Alzheimer's disease from both his family and a troubled world over which he once held sway.Reagan, one of the most popular presidents of the United States and now the longest-lived, spent his birthday at his Bel-Air home where he has been cared for by his wife Nancy, away from the public eye, for almost 10 years. He told the nation in 1994 that he was suffering from the degenerative brain disease.
Spokeswoman Joanne Drake said a "quiet celebration at home" was planned with Nancy, possibly including visits from his daughter Patti and son Michael. "My guess is that there will be chocolate on the menu somewhere," Drake said, referring to one of Reagan's favorite foods.
Drake said Reagan was "comfortable." [...]
Reagan, who has not been seen in public for several years, underwent hip surgery in 2001 after a fall at his home. He was born in 1911 when William Howard Taft was president. Only two other former U.S. presidents lived to see their 90th birthdays -- John Adams and Herbert Hoover.
What do you get for the man who gave you everything? Posted by Orrin Judd at February 6, 2003 4:00 PM
It appears that Dubya is a fine heir to the Reagan legacy.
There's no end to what we can accomplish, when we don't care who gets the credit.
The thing that impressed me most about Reagan was an old film clip of his appearance before the HUAC in the '50s. He was certainly no friend of communism - no surprises there - but I was surprised (at the time) at his vigorous defense of the ability of democracy and the American people to handle it, and his willingness to scold the powerful committee chairman where he thought the action had moved into simple political gamesmanship.
Posted by: mike earl at February 7, 2003 3:12 PMmike:
The moment that startled me was at the time of the turnover of the Panama Canal a couple years ago. C-SPAN played an old debate where Reagan led those who were against surrendering it and Bill Buckley led those who wanted to give it to Panama. Most of us only recall Reagan once he'd lost something off his fastball, but this performance was something to see--he whipped Buckley's nether region.