NationStates Jolt Archive

A democrat party senatorial candidate who was once secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan is running a campaign ad which contains footage of Ron praising him. Ronald Reagan's widow, Nancy, has written him a letter asking him to pull the ad, calling it inappropriate and unauthorized. Ed Meese, Reagan's old Attorney General said this of the ad. "improper, unethical and very possibly illegal. ... For him to use video of Ronald Reagan to appear in a campaign ad to favor him is fraud."

I don't see how it's fraudulent or inappropriate. The footage isn't doctored. Reagan did praise this man when he was a Republican. Should we assume the man is no longer worthy of Reagan's praise now that he's switched parties? Does switching parties in any way change his record of military and government service?

If Reagan were alive, I don't think he would care. I mean Reagan was a democrat at one point in his life, then turned republican.

Heh. I'd read about this. It's beautiful, because it shows how much of a difference there is between Reagan Republicans and the asshats in office now. I mean, Reagan was a dirtbag and all, and certainly doesn't deserve the lionization he's received, but he's head and shoulders over the assclowns who try to claim his legacy today.

Heh. I'd read about this. It's beautiful, because it shows how much of a difference there is between Reagan Republicans and the asshats in office now. I mean, Reagan was a dirtbag and all, and certainly doesn't deserve the lionization he's received, but he's head and shoulders over the assclowns who try to claim his legacy today.

Touching sentiment. *weeps*

Heh. I'd read about this. It's beautiful, because it shows how much of a difference there is between Reagan Republicans and the asshats in office now. I mean, Reagan was a dirtbag and all, and certainly doesn't deserve the lionization he's received, but he's head and shoulders over the assclowns who try to claim his legacy today.

Glad to see you make that qualification. I would have thought you were schizophrenic otherwise.

The big thing Reagan had going for him was that he had character. He might not always have been right, but he had principles and followed them. There're not many in politics today that can say that.

Glad to see you make that qualification. I would have thought you were schizophrenic otherwise.

The big thing Reagan had going for him was that he had character. He might not always have been right, but he had principles and followed them. There're not many in politics today that can say that.

It's funny that the people who were in Reagan's White House who were consistently slapped down by the folks in charge for, oh, overblowing the threat of the Soviet Union and the like are now in charge, and that they overblew the threat of Iraq. That's the biggest difference for me--Reagan had, if not good people, at least not stupid people surrounding him, and he listened to them, and listened to others outside his inner circle. Bush is surrounded by people with illusions of grandeur and they feed his fragile ego.

A democrat party senatorial candidate who was once secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan is running a campaign ad which contains footage of Ron praising him.

Well, if he was the Secretary of the Navy while Reagan was President you have a Republican President Reagan praising him. If Reagan gave him the praise, I'm sure it was well deserved. Now that the guy is running as a Democrat for political office, he is using that as part of his campaign to win favor with the Reagan Democrats and Republicans. I don't see a problem here and can't see why Nancy or anyone else would get their knickers in a bind. Besides, the footage he is using is probably in the public domain.

It's funny that the people who were in Reagan's White House who were consistently slapped down by the folks in charge for, oh, overblowing the threat of the Soviet Union and the like are now in charge, and that they overblew the threat of Iraq. That's the biggest difference for me--Reagan had, if not good people, at least not stupid people surrounding him, and he listened to them, and listened to others outside his inner circle. Bush is surrounded by people with illusions of grandeur and they feed his fragile ego.

More importantly, especially when it came to foreign affairs, Reagan acted like he gave a shit what other coutries thought. Hell, for someone who claimed so strongly what a threat the Soviet Union was, he and his admiistration spent a lot of time negotiating and engaging in diplomacy. Not like the current admiistration's relationship with Iran.

If Reagan were alive, I don't think he would care. I mean Reagan was a democrat at one point in his life, then turned republican.


That, and the fact he wouldn't remember....

I don't see a problem here and can't see why Nancy or anyone else would get their knickers in a bind. Besides, the footage he is using is probably in the public domain.
Nancy may have personal reasons for being upset--I don't know--but I wonder if she'd have any objections about Republican candidates doing the same thing.

I can say with some degree of certainty, however, that the political people who are twisted about this are mad because they've tried to turn Reagan into the Republican icon of the age, and so they want to control who gets to ally themselves with that image. In this day of hyper-partisanship, having a former Republican who is using as part of his campaign the idea that "this isn't the Republican party you used to know" has got to piss them off to no end, because some voters who still pull the lever for the Rs out of habit might think that they're not leaving the party, but that the party has left them.

The best thing about using praise from dead people is that they cant jump up and say "Sure you were good then but you are a gravedigging piece of reprehensible crap now"

More importantly, especially when it came to foreign affairs, Reagan acted like he gave a shit what other coutries thought. Hell, for someone who claimed so strongly what a threat the Soviet Union was, he and his admiistration spent a lot of time negotiating and engaging in diplomacy. Not like the current admiistration's relationship with Iran.
The USSR could have wiped out most of the US in a matter of hours over a typo on a Birthday card, so it was essential to keep them happy. Iran has never had anywhere near that much power, so they get less consideration.

SNIP...using as part of his campaign the idea that "this isn't the Republican party you used to know" has got to piss them off to no end, because some voters who still pull the lever for the Rs out of habit might think that they're not leaving the party, but that the party has left them.

It isn't the "Republican Party I used to know," and I left the party because I feel very strongly the "party has left me." :(

It isn't the "Republican Party I used to know," and I left the party because I feel very strongly the "party has left me." :(
That's obvious, and I think you're not alone, if recent polls are accurate. You're going a different direction, which I can understand and respect. Good luck with it.

That's obvious, and I think you're not alone, if recent polls are accurate. You're going a different direction, which I can understand and respect. Good luck with it.

Thanks.