The national media watch group Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) posted this alert about Ronald Reagan. It’s a nice antidote to the current crop of encomia issuing forth from the press.
Posted by jim at June 9, 2004 03:41 PM | TrackBack“Ronald Reagan was the most popular president ever to leave office,” explained ABC anchor Elizabeth Vargas (6/6/04). “His approval ratings were higher than any other at the end of his second term.” Though the claim was repeated by many news outlets, it is not true; Bill Clinton’s approval ratings when he left office were actually higher than Reagan’s, at 66 percent versus Reagan’s 63 percent (Gallup, 1/10-14-01). Franklin Delano Roosevelt also topped Reagan with a 66 percent approval rating at the time of his death in office after three and a half terms.
This country so much wants to have a king. Reagan came close, more perhaps in retrospect. He delegated responsibility, like Louis XIV, but shrewedly moved the chess pieces on the board.
Someone interviewed on the news called RR a great "intellectual". I fell off my chair. Last Sunday Mike Wallace on 60' replayed an interview with RR just before leaving office. RR said he read a lot, so MW asked what he was reading. The great intellectual said that on his night table right now is George Burns' biography of Gracie.
Say goodnight, Gracie.
And of course, the full rap sheet on Reagan can be found at
Democracy Now
Yes, King Ronnie is how he always acted. Thanks for the link.
Posted by: jim on June 10, 2004 08:42 AMthis is also worth a read:
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=18874