Reagan's funeral

I watched this from the comfort of my sofa and I must say I was a teenager when he was in power so I am aware of his pro's and cons but I have to say that you Yankies defiantely gave him a moving final farewell.

Very sad indeed.

Television coverage is still going on now, preempting the local news here. Not sure if they televised every single mile of the procession, but it sure seemed like it, plus all of the talking heads have been talking non stop about his presidency for the last week.

If there ever existed such a thing as a fantastic funeral, this sunset funeral in Simi for Reagan surely is it.

tonight's ceremony was lovely, and for perhaps the first time in my life i actually felt sympathy for nancy reagan, but i found the week-long pomp and circumstance a bit over-indulgent.

Well,after a hard night, i turned on the tv and saw the funeral.It was the bit with the flag draped over the coffin. And I thought that he looked like a big Big Mac bun.And when they swivelled him around, i thought they have to do that cause they cant toss him! I am sorry if anyone is offended. I have a very imaginative mind and was hungry. (And ex-MC Donalds employee many moons ago, and to the rich bastard boss, I stole a 1.5kg can of your chocolate sundae topping. I put it in my school bag that of course had no books in it, so there!!):D

Just caught the reruns off the funeral. thatcher's speech was very good. Bush Jr's a little long but the humor he put in it was enjoyable. Anybody notice that Clinton fell asleep??

BTW Princess Di's funeral coverage was much bigger.

Originally posted by twist BTW Princess Di's funeral coverage was much bigger.

true, but a) she didn't die expectedly at 93, and b) she didn't have the whole thing already planned out herself!

kennedy's funeral coverage was bigger for the same reason as the princess of wales'. still, i think di's was overblown, as well, and i'm not sure she would have approved.

I do not remember Nixon's. Johnson seemed to have wandered off and died without anyone noticing.

you can dress them up how you want. its all the same in the end. if you believe in hell, he's there (i personally dont).

im sure kim il sung had a great funeral too, and lots of heads said nice things about him, and thousands turned out.

Personally, I can't wait to watch Thatcher's funeral coverage.

Originally posted by twist I do not remember Nixon's. Johnson seemed to have wandered off and died without anyone noticing.

actually, johnson's was nearly as big as reagan's! at least according to tom brokaw's account yesterday.

i remember nixon's, but it was pretty small.

Originally posted by Rorschach Personally, I can't wait to watch Thatcher's funeral coverage.

Waiting in eager anticipation is the phrase.i will definately fall off the wagon for that one.

Originally posted by One Brain > Originally posted by AgentWood> > > > Originally posted by twist> > I do not remember Nixon's.>

i remember nixon's, but it was pretty small. Nixon had a private funeral as he didn't want a state one.

Reagan's funeral was the first state funeral in 30 years or so.

the first state funeral for a president, since lyndon johnson's. the last state funeral (or state service, to be more precise), in the national cathedral, was after sept. 11.

Reagan's funeral was the first for a president that was not ran out of office, quit in disgrace or was fragged. Remember he was elected by HUGE margins.

But I think it was appropiate that it got a bit more coverage than the last episode of Friends.

maybe a nice reality show "celebrity funerals" is needed

Originally posted by twist Reagan's funeral was the first for a president that was not ran out of office, quit in disgrace or was fragged. Remember he was elected by HUGE margins.

Reagan's "huge" margins:

1980 election: Reagan won 50.9% of the popular vote; Carter won 41.1%. Voter turnout was 52.56%; thus, Reagan was elected by 26.8% of all eligible voters.

1984 election: Reagan won 58.8% of the popular vote; Mondale won 40.5%. Voter turnout was 53.11%; thus, Reagan was elected by 31.2% of all eligible voters.

Sources: http://www.fec.gov/pages/htmlto5.htm

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/U.S.-presidential-election,-1980

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/U.S.-presidential-election,-1984

And what did Clinton win by???

I'm sure that every President wins with a minority of the vote. But it's laughable to hear Republicans crow about Reagan's "landslides," when the vast majority of registered voters clearly didn't vote for Reagan.

I caught the Reagan funeral (how could you avoid it, really?), and I thought it was befitting of a man who, for better or worse, was a president and a man. The eulogies on the California side of it were much better, I thought (couldn't bear to sit through the Washington ones after that fatuous Thatcher video).

Ron Jr. made what I thought was a pointed jab at Dubya when he said something about Reagan's survival of the assasination attempt as "not taken as a mandate" or something like that (I'd like to have put the actual quote here if I could recall it). Ron Jr's been pretty much opposed to Dubya over the whole "stem-cell" thing, and he may even be a little liberal (that's the impression I get of him, anyways).

Originally posted by Taboo # 7 I caught the Reagan funeral (how could you avoid it, really?)

I did, somehow.