Reagan Insider Refutes Obama Claim of 'Warm Conversation' After Press Conf. Insult

Sunday, November 9, 2008 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

Veteran reporter and talk radio host Andrea Shea King reported this weekend at her blog, The Radio Patriot that a close friend of the Reagan family has contradicted the claim by the Obama administration-in-waiting that President-elect Obama had a "warm conversation" with former First Lady Nancy Reagan when he called her to apologize for insulting her at a press conference Friday afternoon.

Responding to a question by Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times about whether he had consulted with "any living ex-presidents", Obama replied:

"In terms of speaking to former presidents, I've spoken to all of them that are living. Obviously, President Clinton — I didn't want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about, you know, doing any seances.

"I have reread some of Lincoln's writings, who's always an extraordinary inspiration.

"And, by the way, President Carter, President Bush, Sr., as well as the current president have all been very gracious and offered to provide any help that they can in this transition process."

Obama spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter issued a statement several hours after the press conference about Obama's call to Mrs. Reagan:

"President-elect Barack Obama called Nancy Reagan today to apologize for the careless and off-handed remark he made during today’s press conference. The president-elect expressed his admiration and affection for Mrs. Reagan that so many Americans share and they had a warm conversation."

Yesterday, a Reagan insider gave a differing account of the phone call:

"Nancy is at home, comfortable, giving her pelvic bone a chance to heal from what was in fact a minor break. I know that he called Nancy to apologize and she was not warm to him."

The Reagan insider also expressed their own opinion on Obama's remarks:

"I was not thrilled by President-Elect Obama's gaffe in his press conference when he said that he had consulted all the living presidents but couldn't talk to Ronald Reagan because he wasn't going to do a Nancy Reagan thing and have a seance. His wide grin after saying that, like "Am I clever, or what?" was, in my opinion, a very poor example of what he'll be like when he is on his own, without a script and a teleprompter, speaking with the tough leaders of Russia, Iran and North Korea."

King said in her report the Reagan insider wishes to remain anonymous.

Obama's remark was not only insulting, it was factually inaccurate, as ABC News' Jake Tapper reported Friday:

Incidentally, Nancy Reagan never held a séance at the White House, though she was reported to have consulted with an astrologer when planning her husband's schedules. It was Mary Todd Lincoln who regularly held séances.

When she was first lady, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., worked with spiritual adviser Jean Houston to access an "Eleanor Roosevelt-like consciousness" from within her own psyche. Clinton wrote in a column that Roosevelt "usually responds by telling me to buck up, or at least to grow skin as thick as a rhinoceros."

Based in central Florida, Andrea Shea King hosts a talk show on BlogTalk Radio weeknights at 9 Eastern. She previously hosted shows at WDBO-AM, WMMB-AM, and WMEL-AM, was an anchor and reporter at at WESH-TV and a columnist for Florida Today newspaper.

[April Lexington]

Yes. The leoretard!

[Ben Reyes]

“... if you don’t tell us who said it... it wasn’t said.”

The problem is if they tell us who said it, whoever said might be subject to MSM/Obama harassment a la Joe the Plumber or Palin. C’mon, you have to be one step ahead of these people. They are venomous, vicious, vengeful, and vindictive.

[ottbmare]

He has a lot of buried anger in there.

Wonder what exactly he has to be angry about. Certainly not his privileged upbringing, his looks, his gifts, his education, his opportunities, his wealth . . . Michelle, perhaps?

[Girlene]

His wide grin after saying that, like "Am I clever, or what?" was, in my opinion,.......

I can fill in the "what". It's a real three letter word. Starts with an A, ends with an S. :-)

[BradyLS]

I hope you’re right. I learned the hard way that you can’t be that way talking to or about people. It always comes back. President Bush, for example, as always been gracious at the podium to political friend and foe alike. Big difference.

[KTM rider]

...and whats with HusseinO's obsession with channeling Lincoln ?

is he anticipating a civil war ?

[Boardwalk]

After 4 years of this clown people will be begging for Bush!

[AndyJackson]

I can possibly see beforehand that he was "trying" to look Presidential by creating a seal. But afterwards

When I think of Reagan, the last thing I ever think about is whether or not he was standing around his seal "looking" presidential. Reagan WAS presidential.

[mass55th]

"The Kenyan Clown cannot handle speaking with friendly leaders of allies: Obama, Polish president at odds on call. "

This seems to be a pattern with him. He'll single-handedly destroy every allied relationship we've established over the last eight years.

[John S Mosby]

I was initially surprised, but then it confirmed what we have known about “Dear Leader” and his handlers.
That is, in front of Chicago organizers, liberationists, leftists, and friends from the “hood” he can handle a television level mentality crowd. He cannot handle anything more than that, and it must be carefully staged- we will see more staging. And it is only a very short while before some of the media turns, and the idiot voter's buyer's remorse sets in. The danger is in the doing, of course, especially in foreign policy.
“Dear Leader” is a tone deaf moron politically in front of the real America. In his thug manner at his debut press conference, just as he did in the debates, he chose to insult the surviving spouse of a REVERED popular Republican President. A conscious, arrogant punk in an empty suit. The people who tell him what to think and say (remember Bill Clinton's speech about BHO calling him to ask what to say about the bailout legislation?)-no doubt confronted him to call Nancy and apologize, and also to report the call to the press. Nancy and her friends the Annenberg’s descendants will not forget this.
We need to watch this useful agitprop every day.

[Girlene]

LOL. That’s who she reminds me of, also. I cannot get that picture out of my head whenever I see Mrs. O

[greeneyes]

Surly not Michael-wasn’t it Ron Jr?

[BradyLS]

I don’t know if anyone else is surprised that he was actually able to be forced to call her, but I sure am.

I can only think of one person that could order him to do it post-haste and without question.

[greeneyes]

Surly=Surely.

[StAnDeliver]

"Anybody want fries with that double standard?"

F'em. We've gone around them so long now, we're following a well-worn path -- and we're being heard; while their Das Kapital is about gone. Look for mega-layoffs 1Q09 from every single MSM print/broadcast/net!

[mass55th]

"I wonder what the little dancer thinks of zero now after he insulted his mom?"

He's probably planning a ballet recital with Rahm Emanuel.

[BradyLS]

I agree. That’s why, in court cases, a defendant is supposed to know the identity of their accusers. Why someone actually has to take the witness stand and undergo examination.

[red irish]

Now that will NOT bring on UNITY! That is one subject that most Americans are going to get greatly pissed about. Mr. O being a Christian,wink wink,forgiveness is the focus point in the message of Christ. People who continue to cause division with reparations demands are not the followers of the teachings of and example of Christ. I had a terrible father,are people such as myself going to bring lawsuits for the abuse we suffered as children by the hands of our parents? Mercy and forgiveness go hand and hand.

[StAnDeliver]

"His supposedly beloved "typical white person" dies and days later he's callously cracking lame jokes about dead people? Clearly this man has some, um, "isssss-yews"."

Nice catch.

[Deo volente]

There was a very telling moment in the debate moderated by Tom Brokaw that speaks volumes about Obama, in my opinion. When Brokaw admonished the two candidates to stop talking when the red light came on, Obama blurted out, “I'm just trying to keep up with John!”, while McCain said, “Right. I've got it, Tom.”

Obama sounded like a schoolboy, who, when corrected by the teacher, immediately tries to shift the blame to a classmate, while McCain calmly took responsibility and acknowledged the correction.