I felt so sorry for Nancy Reagan today. I think that the applause was in questionable taste. All in all, I think that the ceremony in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol was dignified and worthy of a President.

Wow! Lambda Chi Alpha is sure breeding some great men. Luckily my mother is far too classy to consort with a moron like you.

Now back to Reagan: I'm glad to see other people thought the applause was a little over the top. It just doesn't seem appropriate for funeral services to me.

Frankly, in this heat, I was worried that she would be able to hold up as well as she did.

Does anyone know if she & her children are staying at Blair House, or with someone? Or is that being kept a secret? Just curious.

I know that she is staying in the Blair House. I have not heard if her children or other family members will be. I would think that she would at least have one of her children with her.

I believe the two grandchildren are Michael's children. I wasn't sure, so I tried to find some info online - here's what I found http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resourc.../Rwrfamil.htm.

I thought Ron had children, as well, but I guess not!

i kinda thought it was sweet when ppl applauded her......i know that just being there shows respect for President Reagan, but i guess ppl just really wanted to show her how much they cared. i didn't think it was over the top. i admire nancy for loving her husband so much......but there's something off with her and her kids. i think she loved her husband more, and i think they knew that....which, i would think, strained the relationship.....i dunno. :confused:

she does look devasated, though, and it's heart-wrenching. :( my thoughts and prayers are with all of them.

I just saw the applause this morning, and I have to admit that, while it was inappropriate, I really think that it was genuine. At a funeral home, you would put your hand on someone's shoulder or whatever, but in such a public arena, I do think it was meant as "thank you" or "welcome home" type thing. I don't think that there were any evil intentions meant by it.

Thanks for the info about Blair House! With all the dignitaries who will be there, I was wondering who would be where!

I'm not saying that the applause was meant to be offensive - it just seemed tacky to me. I think a salute would have been more appropriate.

Times are changing. People applaud in some churches these days. That would never have happened in my youth.

I think that the applause was meant as a heartfelt show of compassion and also a thank you for her service and perserverance as well.

I do hope, before I die, that I will hear a round of applause without the "whoo's and whoo hoo's." That, in many cases, I find disrespectful.

Sympathy
 

Our prayers are with his family

I agree with this -- people couldn't reach out, as previously stated, and that was their way. I probably would have also. I thought it was really touching when the man yelled "God Bless you, Nancy" -- she smiled and waved, I thought that was really genuine on both parts.

I believe this is the last time a President will ever get such a farewell. I don't think Carter, Bush, certainly not Clinton, and GWB would deserve it considering that all did more to divide the country rather than unite it.

It was quite impressive to watch on TV. I wish I could get to DC to pay my respects. Reagan was a great man, IMO, and I hope that Nancy and his family will get some much deserved rest now.

Okay, I'm sorry... I don't mean to beat a dead horse. But what do you think you did by calling her a disgrace to her organization? I think you were attacking someone who disagreed with you! I said earlier that I agreed with you that it was inappropriate to post that story in a mourning thread, but that your reply was equally inappropriate. It seems as if you are the one who is being stubborn. And no, I'm not standing up for "my sister." I'm not a DG. I'm just a person who doesn't appreciate hypocracy. In other words... Practice what you preach!

Oh... topic... right...

I think that all of them will get a huge fanfare. I mean, they were all popular enough to get elected (well, maybe one of them wasn't... but that's another joke entirely!). They all served their country and the world in the highest position of power, and they will all get huge state funerals.

I don't think the clapping was horrible, either. I think the people there just wanted to show support and they didn't know how else to do it.

As civilians, we aren't entitled to salute the president. That is reserved for military only. The applause to me was ok. Peggy Noonan, a speech writer for Reagan, thought the applause was great!

R.I.P.
 

My prayers are with the Reagan family at this time. The former President was suffering for quite a while, but he is finally in the confines of his "Celestial Chapter".

To Ronnie:

Thanks for helping to get rid of that ol' Iron Curtain.

I truly hope you're wrong. I would hope that when it comes to the death of a (former) president, the powers that be would put partisanship aside. State funerals should not be predicated on what a president accomplished but on the solitary fact that he (or she someday) served this country in the office president. Period. And anyone who has served in that very demanding and difficult office, unless he was removed from office or resigned in disgrace, deserves respect, some gratitude, and an appropriate burial.

Not that accompishments should be left out of the picture -- this is a time to remember and celebrate them. But making decisions based on criteria like who divided/united the country can be so subjective. I can assure you that there were many, many people in the 80's who would have rejected the idea that Reagan united the country and who would still reject that idea. Right or wrong? I don't know. And Carter may not have been the most effective president we've ever had, but, as someone who has managed to use his post-presidential status to work for the good of many and not for his own self-aggrandizement, he has to rank as one the best former presidents we've ever had.

You can take just about any president and you will find those who think he is the Messiah and those who think he is the Antichrist. Neither is true -- they're people who do some good and some not so good, some we agree with and some we don't.

I hate to see us becoming a country where simple respect for the president takes a back seat to partisanship.

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