Posted on 06/05/2004 3:46:11 PM PDT by Archangelsk
C-SPAN missed the full statement. Anyone have a copy?
It was pretty generic, and it sounded like he was talking through a 100 year old phonograph.
I hope tomorrow he'll have something that has some personal talk.
I heard it on FOX... he sounded like he had been crying to me. Maybe because I have been weeping for America's loss too.
I didn't find it generic at all. I found it very touching.
He said President Reagan will soon be in a shining city. That was touching and beautiful.
I think it would be very fitting for Bush to take parts of Reagans D-Day Speech in rememberance.
Is it possible that Reagan II just eulogized Reagan I?
President Bush: "His Work is Done and Now a Shining City Awaits Him"
me too. The president's statement was lovely and graceful.
Agreed - Fox said that staffers wanted to just release a statement, but W. decided he wanted to speak, and tossed on a suit and went on camera..
Fox just ran the video tape. It was a beautiful tribute and you could see he was deeply touched.
PARIS, June 5 - The White House confirmed that former President Ronald Reagan died on Saturday and that President George W. Bush had been informed.
A White House spokeswoman said Fred Ryan, a Reagan aide, telephoned White House chief of staff Andrew Card to inform him. "Andy told the president that President Reagan had died," spokeswoman Claire Buchan said.
She said the White House planned to issue a statement shortly about the death.
Bush, on a trip to Italy and France, was at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Paris when Card told him of Reagan's death less than half an hour after Bush left a working dinner with French President Jacques Chirac.
Bush was expected to make public remarks about Reagan on Sunday, a spokesman said.
After attending D-Day 60th anniversary ceremonies on the Normandy beaches, Bush planned to arrive in Sea Island, Georgia, late on Sunday to play host to a Group of Eight summit.
The White House left open the possibility of a change in his schedule later in the week for Bush to attend to Reagan memorial duties.
Bush considered Reagan a hero and in many ways has tried to emulate Reagan's sunny optimism and firm conviction that the United States must advance peace through strength.
Bush spoke about Reagan's legacy in christening the USS Ronald Reagan at Newport News, Virginia, on March 4, 2001.
"As president, Ronald Reagan believed without question that tyranny is temporary, and the hope of freedom is universal and permanent; that our nation has a unique goodness, and must remain uniquely strong; that God takes the side of justice, because all our rights are His own gifts," Bush said at the time.
There was no lip biting. The emotion was raw and real.
I hope tomorrow he'll have something that has some personal talk.
Generic? You will be completely embarrassed when you see and hear the remarks again. They certainly were not "generic".
As to the old phonograph--blame the media. They played the audio via a cell phone to the studio. I just saw a video clip replay it and the audio was perfect. GWB was clearly moved as he loved and respected Ronald Reagan and knows better than most what he meant to America.
I've been searching for the text. It is very moving and meaningful.
I need to leave so expect someone else will find and post shortly.
He also said that Reagan had said for America the best was yet to come. GWB noted that the same was true for Ronald Reagan.
I agree. There is something very Reaganesque about Dubya, but something also very unique about Dubya as well. They share the same passion for people and country- and both have been underestimated by history. And both know/knew the value of poking fun at yourself.
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