Flush twice... it's a long way to Sally Quinn's place!

Pundit Pap
for June 6, 2004
Bushwhacking the Gipper
by Sherrie Gogerty Geeting

June 6, 2004 (apj.us) -- It would be easy to spend my time this weekend making snide (but funny) remarks at Ronald Reagan's expense. However, I am not the person to do it. Not today.

Something about Ronald Reagan that women should be aware of is that as Governor he signed the bill legalizing abortion in the state of California BEFORE the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade.

You won't hear the Republicans talking about that little factoid, but it's something I won't forget.

Nor should it be overlooked that Nancy Reagan for some time has been vigorously supporting stem cell research, to the great dismay of the right wing whackoes.

About five years ago my father-in-law, a devout Michigan Republican, came to California for a visit. I live in Ventura County, California, about fifteen miles from the Reagan Museum. Dad did not drive in California, but he was determined to visit the museum, which meant that I would have to take him. As a Clinton Democrat, I could think of several things I would have preferred to do, including catching my eyelid on a rusty nail. However, I gritted my teeth and went, after muttering darkly and at length to my husband that he owed me big and bemoaning my noble sacrifice in the name of family.

[sighing deeply]

It's a beautiful museum. The exhibits begin with a video which is, of course, an unabashed tribute. This is as it should be; after all, it is his Presidential Museum. I sat sneering (hey, it was dark, Dad couldn't see me) for about the first 15 minutes.

Then the segment on "RonnieAndNancy" (it was always one word for them) began, with a focus on the Alzheimer's. Reagan, being interviewed, looked at her and smiled, and said "She is the love of my life. I cannot imagine life without her."

And, despite myself, I dissolved.

I know what is involved in caring for an Alzheimer's patient. I know that, no matter how financially able or how socially connected or how patrician and sophisticated Nancy Reagan is, the last ten years must have been the most painful and loneliest of her life, and she has suffered far beyond whatever petty nastiness I could have wished on her. I respect her, for whatever that is worth.

So now the spectacle begins.

As I mentioned, I am geographically close to the Reagan Museum, and I am also just down the road from the Point Mugu Naval Air Station. We have an up-close-and-personal view of the events of the next few days. My parents plan to visit the library, bringing Aaron along with them, and my son will have a piece of history to carry around with him to bore his children and grandchildren with.

It is what I can see coming in Washington DC that has me muttering, now.

Does anybody remember Paul Wellstone? Does anybody remember the despicable Republican response to attempts to celebrate Wellstone's legacy at his memorial? Does anybody care to speculate on how gracious they will be when the time comes for Bill Clinton's state funeral? I used to think that if Ronald Reagan died during Bill Clinton's term the Republicans would have run like lemmings over the cliffs into the sea before they would have watched Clinton give the eulogy. In just a minute I'm sure I'll be able to think of a reason why that would have been a bad thing.

And the thought of Gutless Wonder Boy smirking away as he attempts to paint himself with Reagan's legacy has me ready to throw something large and heavy at the television before he even opens his mouth. For all Reagan's faults, the man could have walked barefoot through a cow pasture and his toenail clippings would have had more class than GWB has in his entire body.

There is going to be more beating of breasts, gnashing of teeth and wailing displays of prostrating grief over the next few days than has ever been seen in this country. The vast majority of it will be coming from people who never ever demonstrated anything other than blatant hatred and utter disrespect for the President of the United States from 1992 to the year 2000, and who continue to this very day to accuse him of everything from murder to treason.

Ronald Reagan was an actor and, as such, always had impeccable timing. In the same week that the current occupant of the White House lawyered up to protect himself from NovakulaGate, and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency resigned before a devastating report on his failings leading up to 9/11 is released, Ronald Reagan provides both a profound distraction and some breathing room to an administration which deserves neither.

Commentary this weekend is on nothing but Reagan and, forced into szecond place, the sixteith anniversary of the Allies' D-Day landing that changed the tide of World War II in Europe.

John Kerry wisely made a few moving remarks on Reagan's death, cancelled some campaign appearances, and is stepping away from the fray. Nobody on the left will be attacking the former president during this period.

Given the former Texas governor's track record, it is entirely possible that he will make some brainless faux pas over the next few days which will haunt him right through November, especially in light of the pressure he will be under to conduct himself presidentially through not only the state funeral but the G-8 conference coincidentally scheduled to kick off this week in Georgia. It remains to be seen how handled he can be.

Watch and remember this week. While there will be some who choose not to make this a partisan run for the Academy Award® in the category of political drama, I promise that there will be enough hypocrisy and publicity-grabbing to keep us in business around here for weeks to come.