Nancy Made Sure All Of His Pals Were There (Liz Smith Reports from Reagan’s Funeral)

NY Post ^ | 6/15/04 | Liz Smith

[dead]

June 15, 2004 -- 'THE GREAT courage is still to gaze as squarely at the light as at death," said Albert Camus.

If you are weary of some of the salient reporting of the Ronald Reagan funeral, perhaps you can be tolerant just one more time for someone who was there in person — me. Mrs. Reagan had thoughtfully taken care of her coterie of New York friends in making the great plans that included five presidents and first ladies, Prince Charles, several prime ministers, Mikhail Gorbachev, presidential candidate John Kerry and his wife Teresa, the Supreme Court Justices and just about every major media person extant. She had most of us seated in the second section, near the front of the Washington National Cathedral. It was choice.

[dead]

Liz actually managed to be slightly interesting for a change, though she writes it like she was at a trendy movie premiere. That's her standard milieu, I guess.

I didn’t know that Natan Sharansky was there, sitting near Gorbachev, no less. Would have been nice if Liz could have spelled his first name right.

[SevenofNine]

I had feeling Merv would show up Dead

He is long time homey of Reagans

I try find out if Barbara Marx Sinatra was there represeting Sinatra family or maybe Tina or Nancy

[mrs tiggywinkle]

**I had feeling Merv would show up Dead **

Hmmm. I'm not following you on that comment, seven. Could you please explain? Thanks.

[SMARTY]

It was very dignified and proper. It is what the nation deserved... and high time. There is, and never was, an aristocracy in this country, so it is important to honor and defer to successful statesmen. Without the Military, what would it be? That's an interesting question all the way around. The Military was spectacular -IS spectacular!

[alisasny]

Dead is the poster of the thread, she should have put a comma : )

[OldFriend]

Not reassuring at all that Barbara Walters and Mike Wallace are long time friends of Nancy Reagan.

[alisasny]

Did you read Peg Noonans latest, she mentions her encounter with Natan. I would not be suprised to hear that Natan and Gorby spoke but I have no confimation of that yet.

[dead]

No, I haven't read Noonan's latest. I'll look around for it. Thanks.

And Merv Griffin is not dead.

[JennysCool]

Lots of Sinatras represented, Seven, among others:

Guests at the sunset ceremony included actor Charlton Heston, also an Alzheimer's sufferer, film star Kirk Douglas, actor Tom Selleck, hockey star Wayne Gretzky, Bob Hope's widow, Dolores, and singer Frank Sinatra's children Frank, Tina and Nancy.

Arnold Schwarzenegger -- like Reagan, a movie star who became California governor -- also attended, along with his wife, Maria Shriver, movie star Bo Derek, television producer Norman Lear, biographer Lou Cannon, entertainer Merv Griffin and crooner Johnny Mathis.

[surrey]

Henry Grunwald. Any relation to the Clinton's bud..Mandy?

[SevenofNine]

OHHH COOL

Rack itt alright Nancy

Yeah I didn't see Sinatra family that is good because everybody know that Reagan were homeys to Sinatra especially Frank with Ronnie

RING DINGY DINGY

[JackDanielsOldNo7]

television producer Norman Lear,

Why was he there? I think I saw Scott Baio.(Chaci)

[mass55th]

"I try find out if Barbara Marx Sinatra was there represeting Sinatra family or maybe Tina or Nancy"

I thought I heard that Frank, Jr. attended the sunset ceremony.

[kabar]

The world is not finished yet with Mrs. Reagan; I predict she will remain the force she has become — fighting for stem-cell research and keeping Alzheimer's in the forefront. I am glad I defended her when she was in the White House. For once, I was right.

Stay tuned....

[GreatOne]

Lear and Reagan were friends, and had engaged in letters back and forth discussing political issues. Reagan ended one of their dialogues by saying something to the effect of he was glad he was where he was, and Lear was where he was.