Posted on 06/09/2004 11:01:17 AM PDT by kattracks
WASHINGTON – It was a decade ago when Ronald Reagan made a triumphal final visit to Washington, delivering a feisty speech that accused Democrats of stealing his ideas on crime and welfare reform while trying to discredit his record. Speaking at a Republican fund-raiser, Reagan proudly defended his conservative legacy in a tone that reminded his cheering supporters why he was known as the Great Communicator.No one could predict that just nine months later, Reagan would pen a letter to the nation revealing he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and would never appear on the public stage again.
Reagan told the crowd that President Bill Clinton's 1994 State of the Union Address reminded him of the correlation between imitation and flattery. "Only in this case, it's not flattery, but grand larceny - the intellectual theft of ideas that you and I recognize as our own."
Reagan defended calling the former Soviet Union an "Evil Empire" and mocked those who criticized his military buildup, which he said hastened the demise of communism. He said Democrats, who often cite the soaring budget deficits during the 1980s, "will never forgive us for our success" and accused his critics of trying to rewrite history.
"Listening to the liberals, you'd think that the 1980s were the worst period since the Great Depression, filled with suffering and despair," he said. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting awfully tired of the whining voices from the White House these days.
"They were claiming there was a decade of greed and neglect. Well, you and I know better than that. We were there. Although the political landscape has changed, the bold ideas of the 1980s are alive and well," Reagan said.
Is there a transcript available? I would like to read this.
Speaking of grand larceny, I wonder how Reagan would have reacted to the looting of the White House when the Clintons left office?
I remember this.
Thank you, Nancy, for not letting the 'Toon speak
what this demonstrates most, is what is missing from the current white house political strategy - state the message bluntly about your opponent.
I saw the speech on C-Span the other night and again the next morning. Check on their site and see if it's available on video.
That's right. They stole Nancy's silverware. The same silverware they condemned her for buying in the Gipper's first Administration.
It was the silverware Nancy bought? Omg, she must have been furious. Only in America can the dregs of humanity end up in the highest offices in the land.
Mrs. Reagan must be biting her lip not to say all sorts of horrible things about the Stain and his "wife".
What a lady she is.
Especially when the lazy-minded sheeple of America elect them.
I still find it in(bleeping)credible that the draft-dodging rapist was elected president. TWICE!!
It was fortunate that President Reagan was probably unaware of the activities of the last Clinton term. I'm certain he would have been beyond furious over the extreme defilement of the White House with the Lewinsky scandal and it's attendant outrages.
On the other hand, he might have given a speech that led to a successful removal of Clinton in the impeachment proceedings.
President Clinton turned out to be Ronald Reagan's third term. The current President Bush, is Reagan's fourth term. President Clinton wanted to reverse the 80s but ended up signing welfare reform into law and declaring the era of big government is over. Only a Democrat could do the Gipper proud. The point is however disastrous Clinton was in other respects as President, even he couldn't escape the shadow of Ronald Reagan. There is every prospect that if Kerry should win in November, he will have to heed Reagan, too. Like they say, they may hate him, but they still have to do what Reagan wants for America. That may be President Reagan's most important legacy of all for our country.
I'm sure she's been thinking some things about the stain and his lovely sticky fingered wife.
She has too much dignity to say anything in public. Hope she's been keeping journals. She's a sharp woman. I'll bet she's filleted a few people in private ;-)
I do too. Hanging chads? I have a very good friend who voted for him the first time, but she said hell no the second time, and she's a democrat. She was absolutely disgusted with them.
This is true, except Reagan made the point with typical wry humor. This headline makes it sound like he was indignant.
Yeah, Clinton's antics probably would have given him a stroke. It's better that he didn't know, but if he had known what was going on, Clinton would have been toasted. Reagan was one of the best speakers we ever had.
Same here. I voted for him the first time cause he promised to cut taxes and keep America's military strong. I was a Democrat back then. I became a Republican later and voted Republican for the first time in my life in 1994. I didn't like the way his first term went, what with his broken promises and all. If any one asks, yes, I voted against him in 1996.
I would have loved to have heard RR, his voice dripping with indignation, saying "And to think I never even took off my coat in the Oval Office!!!"
Hmmmm?
Maybe that's why George W. Bush STOLE THEM BACK!!
Actually, it wasn't anything personal.
The plan is: the current president - Bush; Reagan's VP - Bush; Speaker of the House - Hastert; President Pro-Tem of the Senate - ?. All members of the government are represented.
The fact these people all happen to be republicans is just coincidental. This plan was written in 1989. Reagan had no way of knowing who would hold these offices when he died.
This whining by the dems that they were somehow overlooked is just their typical egotistical jealousy. Disgusting people.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.