Republicans Upset Over Bush Plan to Use Reagan Images, Speeches in Campaign Ads

[gldstwmn]

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ne...morrissey.html

'Bush should have died, not Reagan': Morrissey

CONTROVERSIAL: Morrissey

MANCHESTER music legend Morrissey sparked controversy when he announced Ronald Reagan's death live on stage during a concert - and then declared he wished it was George Bush who had died instead.

Thousands of fans at Dublin Castle, in Ireland, cheered when the ex-Smiths frontman made the announcement that the former American president, who had battled with Alzheimer's Disease, had passed away.

And an even bigger cheer followed when Morrissey - who is no stranger to controversy - then said he wished it had been the current President, George W Bush, who had died.

Fan Tony Murray said: "He commented about the death of Ronald Reagan and when he wished that it was George W instead the crowd went wild."

The Dublin concert was the latest leg of Morrissey's European tour, which began at the M.E.N. Arena last month when the ever-popular performer made his first appearance in the city for 12 years.

He is due to appear at the Move festival at Old Trafford cricket ground next month.

A spokesman for Morrissey's record label, Sanctuary Records, said: "We do not have a recording of the gig, but as far as we can tell, Morrissey was just alerting the audience to the fact that Ronald Reagan had died.

"He then simply followed that up with his comment about George Bush, which was his own opinion. He is no stranger to controversy."

[madformac]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ne...morrissey.html

'Bush should have died, not Reagan': Morrissey

CONTROVERSIAL: Morrissey

MANCHESTER music legend Morrissey sparked controversy when he announced Ronald Reagan's death live on stage during a concert - and then declared he wished it was George Bush who had died instead."

Yes we tend to speak our minds here in Manchester...

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by madformac

Yes we tend to speak our minds here in Manchester...

Good on you! They're trying to outlaw it over here.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Good on you! They're trying to outlaw it over here.

...she says from the free speech zone she's been relegated to.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by dissention

...she says from the free speech zone she's been relegated to.

Hee. The DNC showed up at my front door today for some grassroots fundraising.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Hee. The DNC showed up at my front door today for some grassroots fundraising.

I already gave more money than I could afford to them this year.

[strandinthewind]

A little harsh LOL

Ron Reagan, a television commentator who has frequently been critical of Mr. Bush, has already said as much. In 2000, he fired a shot at Mr. Bush in Philadelphia during the Republican convention, which featured a tribute to his father. "What's his accomplishment?" Mr. Reagan asked then. "That he's no longer an obnoxious drunk?"

_______________________________________________________________

Reaganite by Association? His Family Won't Allow It

June 15, 2004
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG

WASHINGTON, June 14 - As Republicans try to cloak President Bush in the mantle of Ronald Reagan, their biggest obstacle may be Mr. Reagan's own family.

Even before Mr. Reagan died, Nancy Reagan and her daughter, Patti Davis, made their opposition to Mr. Bush's policy on stem-cell research well known. But on Friday, at the culmination of an emotional week of mourning for the former president, his son Ron Reagan delivered a eulogy that castigated politicians who use religion "to gain political advantage," a comment that was being interpreted in Washington as a not-so-subtle slap at Mr. Bush.

The remark has provoked intense debate among Republicans about precisely what the younger Mr. Reagan meant. Some saw the reference to religion as a message to the administration on stem-cell research. Others saw it as a possible critique of the war in Iraq. Still others insist there was no deeper message at all.

But a friend of the Reagan family, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr. Reagan, who did not return a call seeking comment on Monday, was deeply uncomfortable with the way the Bush administration intertwined religion and politics and felt compelled to say so at the burial of his father, a ceremony watched by millions.

"I think he was making a more profound statement about style," this friend said, "and the danger of religion in politics."

First families often cause trouble for presidents. Jimmy Carter, Richard M. Nixon and Bill Clinton each had brothers who made them uncomfortable from time to time. But rarely does the family of one president step on the toes of another. The Reagans and Bushes, who have had famously strained relations throughout the years, may be an exception, as Nancy Reagan and her children guard Ronald Reagan's legacy, fending off efforts by both the right and left to trade on it for political gain.

"I think Nancy would not want that," said Barbara Kellerman, a Harvard expert on leadership who has written a book on first families. "She is not mad about the Bush family, and the last thing she intends is for W. to inherit her beloved and sanctified husband's mantle."

Ron Reagan, a television commentator who has frequently been critical of Mr. Bush, has already said as much. In 2000, he fired a shot at Mr. Bush in Philadelphia during the Republican convention, which featured a tribute to his father. "What's his accomplishment?" Mr. Reagan asked then. "That he's no longer an obnoxious drunk?"

Last year, in an interview with the online magazine Salon, Mr. Reagan renewed his critique, making clear his distaste for the Bush administration.

"The Bush people have no right to speak for my father, particularly because of the position he's in now," Mr. Reagan said then. "Yes, some of the current policies are an extension of the 80's. But the overall thrust of this administration is not my father's - these people are overly reaching, overly aggressive, overly secretive and just plain corrupt. I don't trust these people."

Mr. Reagan was not quite so pointed on Friday night. "Dad was also a deeply, unabashedly religious man," he told mourners gathered at sunset at the Reagan presidential library. "But he never made the fatal mistake of so many politicians - wearing his faith on his sleeve to gain political advantage. True, after he was shot and nearly killed early in his presidency he came to believe that God had spared him in order that he might do good. But he accepted that as a responsibility, not a mandate. And there is a profound difference."

The remarks caused jaws to drop in California and Washington. One Republican strategist, who would not be identified for fear of repercussions to his business, said he interpreted the remarks as a clear reference to stem-cell research, which Mr. Bush opposes on moral grounds because they require the destruction of human embryos.

"I thought clearly Ron Jr. was sending a message to the administration to be tolerant and understanding of this issue," the strategist said.

He said he was also struck by Mr. Bush's eulogy during the service at the National Cathedral. "I thought his speech was deliberately biographical in nature about Reagan, to try to show people that his biography is close to Bush's."

A number of Republicans are openly making that association. "Bush's name may be Bush," said Kenneth M. Duberstein, Mr. Reagan's former chief of staff, reiterating a comment he made last week, "but his heart belongs to Reagan."

But Mr. Duberstein, who is close to Nancy Reagan and guided her in her advocacy of stem-cell research while her husband was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, said that did not mean Mrs. Reagan would let the stem-cell issue subside.

"Nancy Reagan is not somebody who walks away from anything," Mr. Duberstein said. "When she takes on a cause and a belief, she is very much like her husband. I think this one is very dear to her heart."

It is also dear to her family. Ms. Davis wrote passionately about her father's illness in the online version of Newsweek, this week and last month. "A messy, horrible war that has spun out of control could very well determine the next election," Ms. Davis wrote before her father's death. "So should the miracle of stem-cell research - a miracle the Bush White House thinks it can block."

Such pronouncements could spell trouble for the president, said James A. Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University. "Nancy Reagan is now an icon, related to someone that America thinks very highly of who had the disease that might be cured by stem-cell research," he said. "That's pretty powerful."

But Republicans who are promoting the idea that Mr. Bush is Mr. Reagan's political heir say the dispute over stem cells and the Reagan family's comments will not put a dent in the association.

"Ronald Reagan has to be looking down from heaven and smiling at the way the current president, generally speaking, stands and the things he's doing, even though they might well disagree on some specifics," Newt Gingrich,
the former speaker of the House, said Monday. He added, "In eight days of nonstop nationwide focus, you get on the ninth day a slight hiccup."

Funeral Draws 35 Million Viewers

Just over 35 million viewers tuned in to the channels carrying the funeral of President Ronald Reagan on Friday night, the high viewing point for the coverage on the Reagan funeral events last week.

That was a big increase for the cable news networks that carried the events, though it represented a small decline compared with the entertainment programming on the broadcast channels the previous week. Among the broadcast networks, ABC had the largest audience, with 8.1 million viewers. On cable, Fox News had by far the biggest audience with about 5 million viewers.

Compared with other news events covered by all the broadcast networks, plus CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and CNBC, the funeral did not have an especially high number of viewers. The last State of the Union address, for example, was watched by 43.4 million viewers on those channels.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/15/po...baf22243bd4051

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

A little harsh LOL

Ron Reagan, a television commentator who has frequently been critical of Mr. Bush, has already said as much. In 2000, he fired a shot at Mr. Bush in Philadelphia during the Republican convention, which featured a tribute to his father. "What's his accomplishment?" Mr. Reagan asked then. "That he's no longer an obnoxious drunk?"

At least in public...but that could be up for debate.

[Johnny Stew]

I watched very, very little of the Reagan-related news coverage last week, but I happened to catch a replay of Ron Jr.'s eulogy over the weekend, and was VERY surprised by the religion comment.

To me, at least, it was a clear jab at W.

As I've said before, I have a lot of respect for the Reagan family, even though I didn't care for Ron Sr. as a president... and I think a LOT of people will pay very close attention to their opinions in regards to Bush.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

I watched very, very little of the Reagan-related news coverage last week, but I happened to catch a replay of Ron Jr.'s eulogy over the weekend, and was VERY surprised by the religion comment.

To me, at least, it was a clear jab at W.

It was. When asked about it at his press conference today, between bitching about the heat, Bush said he "didn't hear it." You can watch it on CSPAN or they might have it linked on their website, if you're interested.

[gldstwmn]

Originally Posted by dissention

I already gave more money than I could afford to them this year.

Now they've got me interested in giving money to Stan Matsunaka in his run against the "one trick pony" Marilyn Musgrave. It's not even my district and I think Matsunaka can win. Mrs. Musgrave is a one issue candidate, with her platform being that she never, ever wants to see homosexuals marry each other. She is of course, a Republican.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

Now they've got me interested in giving money to Stan Matsunaka in his run against the "one trick pony" Marilyn Musgrave. It's not even my district and I think Matsunaka can win. Mrs. Musgrave is a one issue candidate, with her platform being that she never, ever wants to see homosexuals marry each other. She is of course, a Republican.

Musgrave is a cold sow. She's made an ass out of herself so much this past year, I hope she gets the boot. She makes me sick. Maybe I should donate money to Matsunaka...and I live a thousand miles away.