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DonViejo

(60,536 posts) Thu May 15, 2014, 01:05 PM May 2014

Biographer Insists Reagan Left Office 'As Sharp As The Day He Went In'

TOM KLUDT – MAY 15, 2014, 12:36 PM EDT

A conservative writer strongly disputed on Thursday the suggestion that Ronald Reagan was already mentally diminished before he left office.

During an appearance on "Morning Joe," Craig Shirley, the author of two books about Reagan, pushed back after co-host Mika Brzezinski said that even White House insiders acknowledge that the late president "certainly suffered from the effects of age in office."

“No, no, absolutely not,” Shirley said. “No, he did not suffer from the effects of age. If you’re talking about Alzheimer’s or mental deterioration, no.”

Brzezinski shot back, saying she "knew people that were in the room with him and he definitely had effects of age in office, especially in his second term," but Shirley indicated that he's heard different from Reagan's staff.

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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ronald-reagan-alzheimers-craig-shirley

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Biographer Insists Reagan Left Office 'As Sharp As The Day He Went In' (Original Post) DonViejo May 2014 OP

Or as dumb as he went in. nt Guy Whitey Corngood May 2014 #1

Ding, Winner. NightWatcher May 2014 #11

HorseSHIT, Craig. HughBeaumont May 2014 #2

Maybe he was just as senescent, ignorant and indifferent on Day One as on Day 2920 hatrack May 2014 #5

It is true Old Codger May 2014 #3

I interviewed people who worked in the Reagan white house Sen. Walter Sobchak May 2014 #4

Well, he never was Turbineguy May 2014 #6

Look for his books in the humor section at your local book store. lpbk2713 May 2014 #7

Well, I'm one of those EC May 2014 #8

That's not saying much mindem May 2014 #9

Okay. I'll buy that NV Whino May 2014 #10

Reagan was sharp, all right-- Jamaal510 May 2014 #12

My dad, at 80, also passed those tests "with flying colors".... Hassin Bin Sober May 2014 #13

That maybe true, but Ronnie was never the sharpest knife in the drawer. sinkingfeeling May 2014 #14

And I'm sure Bush left the WH 'As Sharp As The Day He Went In' edbermac May 2014 #15

Zing! n/t Orsino May 2014 #16

Guy Whitey Corngood

(26,501 posts)

1. Or as dumb as he went in. nt

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Thu May 15, 2014, 01:07 PM

May 2014

NightWatcher

(39,343 posts)

11. Ding, Winner.

Reply to Guy Whitey Corngood (Reply #1)

Thu May 15, 2014, 02:06 PM

May 2014

He was a senile puppet on day one and day (how many days in 8 years?) when he left.

HughBeaumont

(24,461 posts)

2. HorseSHIT, Craig.

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Thu May 15, 2014, 01:14 PM

May 2014

I think I'll take the word of the world leaders, the White House insiders, the correspondents and the son. We had someone who was physically incapable of running a nation in his second term, and that's damned frightening.

Of course, "as sharp as he went in" could be all relative, right?

hatrack

(59,587 posts)

5. Maybe he was just as senescent, ignorant and indifferent on Day One as on Day 2920

Reply to HughBeaumont (Reply #2)

Thu May 15, 2014, 01:22 PM

May 2014

Old Codger

(4,205 posts)

3. It is true

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Thu May 15, 2014, 01:21 PM

May 2014

He went out the same as he went in,dumber that a sack of hammers...all he ever had at all was the ability to act a little and be able to memorize lines and fake all else.

Sen. Walter Sobchak

(8,692 posts)

4. I interviewed people who worked in the Reagan white house

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Thu May 15, 2014, 01:22 PM

May 2014

And they made it sound like he spent most of his time in meetings just staring into space and had to be hounded by aides and cabinet members just to express an opinion on anything.