Reagan's Timing Couldn't Be Worse...

[KharmaTrain]

...for the regime. He passed at the wrong time. Someone didn't get the memo.

Back to the land of the living, we know RoveCo. is gonna try to ride the Raygun funeral, but I don't think the bounce is gonna be high, if at all. Here's a couple reasons:

While we'll be Raygunned to distraction for the next few days, so will the rest of the country. A couple years ago, I chatted with a friend who is an "archivist" for a major television network. His job is to maintain "the morgue"...or the files of films and other materials on famous people. I mentioned about how Raygun's archive must be huge. He joked that that was what his people worked on during a slow day...and there were many. Sure enough, there's years worth of Raygun memorials that will splash on the airwaves...but then we will reach critical max.

This will be where be so much Raygun in the next couple days it'll come out of people's ears. Add to the special, the funeral...which will hog up lots of airtime and people, mainstreamers, will be sick of it. In fact, if the wingnuts go overboard, this could backfire...and it's sure not gonna work into the Chimpster's master plans.

Had Karl Rove been able to call for Raygun's demise, it'd be just before the convention...all that nostalgia, drowning out the continuning bad war news and demonstrations in NYC. It doesn't work while Bunnypants is out of the country and now will have to rush back for the funeral...and a lot of other messes the boy blunder left behind...like what we'll hear about tonight on 60 minutes and back into the headlines as people want to hear about anything BUT Raygun.

Something interesting to watch will be how the Bush cabal are treated by the Rayguns...and who calls the shots at the funeral. Will Nancy and Pickles kumbaya? Will Bill Clinton be seen at all? Even better is if we get the obligatory "former Presidents picture" and see if Bunnypants dare get in the same shot with Clinton...or if Poppy will. The spinning and posturing will remind some of us oldsters of the placement of the "dignitaries" on the Kremlin Wall.

Expect Hate Radio to cry for everything to be renamed Raygun. Expect pregnant women to call in and say their unborn child will be named "Reagan" (just like the kid in the Exorcist, isn't it???) and we'll see memorial coins, maps, T-Shirts, bumper stickers, obnoxious flags that fly on SUVs, movie-thons and a deluge of self flagalation not seen since the age of the Pharoes. Of course, this is supposed to distract from all the other bad news that is going on, and bury Bunnypants even further with his base, as the Raygun grief will dominate for the next couple weeks.

As a media maven, I'll be interested in how the networks cover this thing...when they start backing off the "Raygonizing", as their research people start telling them that people are tuning into "Home Shopping" instead.

Relax, my fellow Democrats, we still have a lot of organizing and local work to do...and the problems that this regime has amassed hasn't diminished a bit and soon will be the main story in the news...and the Raygun "legacy" will be a dim memory. Soon the Clinton book, Moore movie and more failures by this regime will take this very important card out of the GOOPs hands. Now if this "bump" doesn't really bump, think bringing out Osama in October will do much?

Cheers!

[dbt]

1. Some things are beyond even Rove's kkkontrol, no?

I note that everything that the Regime has been saving for its Okkktober Surprise has so far had to be used up early.

:evilgrin:
dbt

PS: Nancy Pulls Plug On Ronnie To Thwart Bush Plans. Phlegm At 11:00!

[KharmaTrain]

3. Wouldn't A Nancy Snub Be Nice...

No love lost between her and the Bush Cabal...again, it'll be fun watching.

We'll find out whose hot and not in the GOOP world this week. Should be interesting.

[displacedtexan]

8. Plus, freepers will donate to the RayGun memorial instead of BushCo!

Karl has to be pissed about this little fact!

[Leilani]

2. Yup, who is watching Shrub

on the world stage? Nobody!!!

While Dubya tries to wow em in Paree, Reagan is sucking all the oxygen.

[No Mandate Here.]

6. Another take might be

that KKKarl set it up to divert the bad press that will most definitely be flowing- especially in Europe- about *s diplomatic triumphs (sic) while there. The idiotic and unprecedented gaffes and snubs are simply amazing. I am sure the French press is having a great time- waiting to see the next whopper.


Nahhh. he couldn't be that cynical.

[chelaque liberal]

14. No need to divert the bad press, it's not covered here anyway.

We had to go to foreign press to learn about what the Pope had to say or about the size of the protests.

[saracat]

4. Thank You Ronnie

for one good thing! Actually, I think it might have been Nancy because rather than the pneumonia that is given as the cause of death, I'm willing to bet she took him off a respirator.How else could she have told Mike Wallace" this is it." the day before? You don't ordinarily time a death.She knew it was over ,and contrary to the media lapdogs, she hates the Bushes and I don't think she would want them to benefit from Ronnie's death

[KharmaTrain]

11. I've Been Down Altzheimer's Road...No Respirator

Sounds like he passed very peacefully. Pneumonia is known as the "silent killer" and the best way that someone in his condition could have gone. If he had deteriorated as my mother did, his last days was a complete shutdown of his body, including his imune system that led to the onset of the pneumonia. It's similar to what happens in the advanced stages of AIDS.

I was thinking this last part could have taken days or even weeks as he drifted away, but I'm certain once they spotted the pneumonia, the family was notified and that's when the BOLOs went out. He must have been extremely weakened to go as quick as it appears he did.

Sorry, no tin foil on this one. Nancy may be a wench, but I always admired her love and loyalty to her husband. This is especially the case with this family with the cancer death of Maureen not long ago and this long-running episode. My bets are there is a great sense of relief with the family. This is an illness that tests the best and the worst in family and friends. And one that the responses of some out here shows how little people understand about this disease that is taking more and more of our parents and grandparents...and one day us.

[radfringe]

5. going to ummm...errrr....ummmm hurt bush* in the long run

one of the tactics bush* Inc. has used is to compare himself to former presidents..

he's called up the images of Kennedy, Lincoln, FDR and Reagan. He's also compared himself to Churchill. It's a ploy, in the hopes that some of their limelight would also reflect on his mis-administration.

don't be surprised if Reagan's name is invoked many many times in the coming weeks

Initially, I think bush*'s approval numbers will get a bounce -- call it the sympathy factor. However, once the media frenzy has calmed down -- his numbers will head back into the toilet. Meanwhile, he'll use Reagan's death as a politicial-security blankie. he'll need good advisors if he wants to avoid what could very well turn into extremely obvious explotation of a president's memory.

the problem with comparing yourself to someone else, it not only "highlights" the similarities - it also emphasizes the differences. Reagan was often referred to as the "great communicator" - bush* is more like a ummmmmm, errrrr, ahhhhh, errrr, ummmmmm "great mis-communit-tin-cator"

the stark differences between bush* and Reagan will be more apparant as the media starts running file footage of Reagan during newscasts that also has bush* tripping over his own tongue.

Once the funeral is over, and after a week or so -- I expect news stories regarding the Iran-Contra scandal will start to creep into the reports. Many in the bush mis-administration were part of that scandal and are now involved in the current scandals.

Stem-cell research will re-emerge as a hot topic, Nancy Reagan had recently asked that bush* change his position. Don't be surprised if we see Nancy advocating or creating a stem-cell research foundation of some sort. This may happen sooner rather than later -- and we will see the "dragon lady" take on "the shrub".

in the short-term - Reagan's death sort of puts a damper on bush*'s D-Day tour. The lead stories will be about Reagan and not bush*'s photo-ops.

[KharmaTrain]

13. More Reason Why This Is A Bad Time For Chimpy

It's been a non-stop meme of this regime to make Bunnypants into a "leader" and build him up in an attempt to prove he's legitimate. Remember, while we bitch about how the election was stolen, the wingnuts seem not to believe that their boy is considered legitimate and go overboard in glofirying him. It's so shallow!

Yep, listening to Chimpster in France today was painful. Stilted, boring and so obviously pre-rehearsed and not a single one of his own words. Raygun could pull off this shit, Chimpy can't and it was painfully obvious when one of the networks showed Raygun's remarks in '84 and Clinton's in '94.

I still haven't heard how if his assholiness will return early or wait until the last minute. I got an email...unconfirmed (thus no link) that said the GOOP RNC pushed Nancy for the state funeral...swiping Gipper's body for 24 hours...and she is not happy with how this has been arranged.

I'm just gonna avoid the Wolfmesiter. Every damn time he mentions Raygun, he says "the former President who died yesterday" and invokes Raygun's name even when he went to the bathroom. I don't know if it's his condescending tone, his overstating the obvious (yes, asshole, we know Raygun's dead) or his iritating delivery?

BTW...just heard someone kiss Raygun's ass for how appropriate it was he died on the 60th anniversary of D-Day. Wonder if that caller knows where Gipper was that day. Bets are it was on the backlot in Universal City. Not like my father and thousands of others who were either on the beaches, on the boats or getting their orders to move out. Kinda reminds one of Chimpster knocking back in the "Champagne Brigade" during Nam while Kerry was earning a Silver Star

Cheers!

[LTR]

15. Where Reagan was on D-Day

Making VD films for AFRTS.

As the Chickenhawk database says, he must have mistaken his war movies for actual service.

This is a very good thread. Once again, you make some excellent points, IM, and shows why I often stop to read your posts. Good job!

[namvet73]

7. If Maureen Dowd's review of Clinton's book is accurate...

It won't be much help to anyone, except to save them some money.
Too bad.

<SNIP>
But, having drained his poor Knopf editors of their precious bodily fluids as they labored to excavate the book from him, the former president was playing the statesman — or maybe just trying not to turn off Republican readers. He was in a "don't-worry- be-happy-why-can't-we-all-just-get-along?" frame of mind, not, as he likes to say, a "blister the hairs off a dog's back" frame of mind.

"I don't settle scores in this book," he told an audience that seemed eager to settle some. "I think you'll find my relationship with Newt Gingrich quite interesting. I like Bob Dole a lot. And I liked my predecessor, President Bush, a lot."
<SNIP>


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/06/opinion/06DOWD.html

[searchingforlight]

9. I said the same thing last night and the thread got locked. Good luck.

[izzie]

10. Well we know Barbara will not turn up for any of this--------------

She does not mess up her beautiful mind with flag draped coffins.

[Cheswick2.0]

12. Democrats should call for stem cell research in his honor

How could the republicans refuse?

[Champion Jack]

18. Best Idea yet!

They would HAVE to do it.

[elperromagico]

16. It's rather ironic that he died at this time.

Regardless of whatever else Reagan was (or wasn't), he was a skilled public speaker. As we all know, Bush is sadly lacking in that area.

Bush tries to be Reagan; he pursues similar policies and aims for that same "man of the people" image. Reagan's death on the twentieth anniversary of his speech at Normandy, and on the occasion when Bush is called upon to deliver a speech at the same location, is somewhat fitting. It illustrates that Bush is, essentially, a Xerox copy of Reagan... with the resultant loss of quality.

I can't help but think that some of those who supported Reagan during his years in the White House, who looked up to him as the greatest thing since sliced bread, are looking at this coverage of Reagan... and realizing that their current boy isn't up to snuff.

[KharmaTrain]

19. The Media Is Sure Noting It

We knew there'd be wall-to-wall Raygun when he finally went, but it's still playing even with the D-Day Coverage. Seems the priority I'm seeing is towards the WWII Vets (this is their last hoorah) and best it should be, followed by Raygun and then when time permits, bits of Chimpy's speech.

I'm thinking "Bush fatigue" is starting to set in (do I get credit for coining that term, yet???) where even his hive-dwellers need a break from the loser and these two stories do just that.

[Nay]

28. I would love to see the media do a story featuring Reagan speaking, and

immediately following that, a clip of * speaking in France. The difference is so painfully obvious to anyone that it can only reflect badly on *. And maybe the wingnuts will stop yakking about how goddam "presidential" Bush is. Reagan was an actor, and he did well in the role of a lifetime when he played the president, but * is a total loss in the role.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

17. I agree. Good job Ron! eom

[Selwynn]

20. American has an amazingly short memory - he died too early to be useful...

..as a political ploy.

[Cooley Hurd]

21. Like him or not, Reagan was a halfway-decent public speaker...

...and the endless footage of Reagan's speeches being played ad nauseum on the networks can only serve as a distinct contrast to the Chimpo's embarassing speaking skills.

I see the timing of this as a really good thing, actually...

[warrior1]

22. thankfully

this will pass in a week.

[LeahMira]

29. He was an actor...

... and even his press conferences were scripted. Nothing he said was unrehearsed. Nothing that was asked of him was unexpected.

[JNelson6563]

23. haha!! Loved it!!

I can tell you that ol' Nancy'll be callin' the shots. Right down to the X on the floor for her to stand on during her time on camera. She'll plan it as a theatrical event, down to the last second, the lighting, etc. It'll irritate the Bushies but they'll not be able to do much to change it. They'll make the most of it.

Here was my favorite bit out of all the fun stuff you wrote:

Expect Hate Radio to cry for everything to be renamed Raygun. Expect pregnant women to call in and say their unborn child will be named "Reagan" (just like the kid in the Exorcist, isn't it???) and we'll see memorial coins, maps, T-Shirts, bumper stickers, obnoxious flags that fly on SUVs, movie-thons and a deluge of self flagalation not seen since the age of the Pharoes.

<snarf> Even though I agree 100% with each and every point, and the truth of it is sickening, with the right perspective it is pretty damn funny. Very Molly Ivins-esque.

Well done. :toast:

Julie

[TNMOM]

24. I agree it could have been worse had it

happened right before the Repug convention. God Bless America. Ronnie finally did something right.

[comsymp]

31. Re: Repug Convention

Granted, that would have been worse, BUT...

Don't believe for a minute that they won't be milking it for all the convention bounce it's worth. Doubt Nancy will speak but you can count on a breathtakingly vulgar Canonization Night for St. Raygun, to energize the Con base-- and I'll bet you right now that *'s acceptance speech will include (probably end with) the line "let's win one for the Gipper"

Bookmark this post so y'all can buy me a beer when it happens.

ON EDIT: Just saw BBlood's "Gipper" thread- GMTA, but I'll still expect the beer.

[OneTwentyoNine]

25. They got literally NO bounce from the capture of SH....

Reagan croaking five months before the election means nothing. The Reagan's won't allow shameless pimping of their dead husband/father just for Chimpboys gain.

Ronnie's death can't pull Bush and his thugs out of the tailspin their in.....

David

[morningglory]

26. This may be the final death of tv. First Smarty Jones, fairly interesting

D-Day, okay, good, better than Laci Peterson, Shrub* in Europe, please help us. Now a solid week of syrupy Reagan memorials. We rented "The Fog of War". It was very good.

[ThomWV]

27. It Blew The Turd's Trip To Europe

Figuring that the Turd-in-chief went to Europe to shore up the Catholic vote (because its clear that they really aren't Christians in any meaningful sense) and to give some pretense of having an ounce of Statesman in him this sure takes the wind out of his sales. By Wednesday even his staunchest supporters will have forgotten where he rested his dainty little head last week, and the ones who will remember at all will be the ones who adamantly believe he had no business going over there to kiss the Pope's .....

So, yes, I'd say that the timing on old Ronny's side was off by a bit. It blew a week of the turd's fund raising time. Remember he had to balance that, the lost fund raising time, against what good they expected to get out of the European trip, and now all of that is lost. The turd is spending money at an unsustainable rate even for his fund-raising ability and he just can't be taking time off like that.

[hatrack]

30. Agree - WAY too early for convs., vote and Bush just disappeared

There'll be an orgy of sackcloth and ashes for a week while Chimpy struts the world stage, but beyond endless invocations of His Holy Name at GOPfest, this will have zero effect.

If anything, it should show that an era is over, but you won't hear that for months or years.