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Observations on the world today.

Saturday, June 05, 2004

 
Timing! 

Yahoo! News - Former President Ronald Reagan Dies at 93

First the obligatory sympathies. On the off chance that a member of the Reagan family should somehow stumble upon my little blog; I would like to offer my heartfelt sympathies and condolences. I'm sure that all of America is thinking of you in this, your time of loss.

Now, for the reason for this post. Earlier today, I heard a radio announcement that Reagan's death was imminent. In the piece, they suggested that it could be just a matter of weeks or months - not days or (as it turns out) hours. I have to confess, that upon hearing the announcement, my first thought was about how this would effect the politics of the election. If he died too close to the election - I thought - it could be disastrous. With sympathetic emotions still running high, the republicans could make a grand demonstration of their lost hero at their convention. And they could demonize any democrat who tried to interject some common sense by reminding everyone that this was the guy who had been responsible for the October surprise and the guns for hostages deal. Not to mention the Iran/Contra debacle.

And it would be of little use to note how the right had been so incensed over the Wellstone tribute. No, that wouldn't be appropriate comparison either.

Fortunately, Ronny had the good graces to go out when people are too busy planning their summer vacations to be too easily influenced by mourning rituals right now. After all, Ronny was sick and old, and he'd been suffering for a long time. And besides, Nancy already took the wind out of their sails by calling for stem cell research to help in the fight against the disease that killed her husband. That can be the way we counter their tributes come convention time. And you just know that there will be tributes come convention time.

It's perfect. Join in the tributes, and side with the widow. What could be better?

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