The Day I Met Ronald Reagan

tervman

tervman

Member
In 1976, when Ronald Reagan was running for President, he and Jimmy Stewart were on a country-wide tour. One of their stops took them to Texarkana, TX, my home town.
They flew in to the small airport in T Town, and both RR and JS spoke to the crowd. Somehow, I ended up in the very front, against the fence, in front of the podium. And, somehow, I also ended up with a sign somebody had made, that said "Reagan for Pres.".
As Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Stewart came down the fence, shaking hands, I held out a pen and the sign, and asked them to sign it. Reagan signed it, then gave the pen to Stewart. The pen picked that moment to run dry. Without hesitation, JS pulled another pen out of his pocket, and finished the signature.
Yesterday, after the funeral, I managed to find the sign....still intact. After reflecting back on the events of this past week, that sign definitely means more to me than it did 28 years ago.
God Bless you President Reagan. You will be missed!
 
cindyski

cindyski

Active Member

Originally posted by polarpooch
Ronald Reagan AND Jimmy Stewart...don't lose that sign!
Great story.
ditto :yes:
 
tervman

tervman

Member

Originally posted by polarpooch
Ronald Reagan AND Jimmy Stewart...don't lose that sign!
Great story.
Thanks. I don't intend to lose the sign, or try to sell it or anything. I don't know what it would take to have the signatures verified, but it's not about the $. I figure I will pass it on to my nephew (I don't have any 2-legged kids of my own) and hopefully he will keep it in the family.
 
polarpooch

polarpooch

Active Member
I wish I had gone with my dad that day he got to meet Ronald Reagan. He was in Rockford, IL for a campaign stop...I decided (for no good reason) that I was going to vote for a democrat (even though I was a teenager and too young to vote)...and just to irritate my dad , I decided to stay home. How stupid of me. I could have met the president.
Since then, though...I have never missed a chance to meet anyone who might be president. I met George Bush 41 on a campaign stop (still voting Democrat at the time, I've since switched party affiliations)...Bill Clinton...and George W. Bush. I've also interviewed John Kerry on my show, though I haven't "met" him face to face.
BTW, I watched the whole public and private ceremony for Ronald Reagan. It's tough to get me all emotional---but when George Bush 41's voice cracked during his church eulogy, when President Bush talked of Ronald Reagan being whole again in Heaven, when Michael Reagan spoke at the private cermony, Nancy receiving the flag...Margaret Thatcher bowing at President Reagan's casket....my God---what an emotional day.
My producer put together a beautiful montage piece to Amazing Grace with cuts of yesterday's speeches, and some pieces from Ronald Reagan's speeches...if anyone wants a copy email me at polarpooch@charter.net. It's a 2mb file.
 
blueberryboomer

blueberryboomer

Active Member
polarpooch,
It sounds like you have an Awesome job!
I too watched the all the ceremonies yesterday, just couldn't seem to help my self. It was the most incredable thing I have ever seen. Something I will not forget the rest of my life.
When his kids started to talk about him, I gave up fighting the tears I had held at bay all day. When they played Amazing Grace on the bag pipes it was all over for me, then when Nancy broke done at the coffin, I felt my heart break into a million pieces. I could almost feel what she was going through, the poor women.
It was truely something to behold....I feel blessed to have been able to witness the whole thing. Lisa
 
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