Split open your gut, because I think the guy was a pushover. He deserves a lot of the blame for LISTENING to his (not necessarily conservative) supply side economists and budget director (who later wrote he had no idea what he was talking about). National debt nearly tripled under Reagan making us go from the world's greatest creditor nation to its greatest debtor nation. USSR scared? Likely. But their demise was partly due to their own poor economic/political model (see Communist thread).

Speaking talent (simple and easy for the masses) and charisma only go so far. Falling asleep during international summits, dufus quotes and mix ups and simply, like the B actor he was, reading his scripts well enough before his disease went up full crank. I was an adult during those years and I remember being embarrassed by him.

BUT, he wasn't all bad, I like him better than Wubya. I just strongly disagree with the "quintessential president" statement...there were FAR better! We may think of Clinton's cock but I think of Reagan as a Bozo.

(Guess I exposed myself to having my cyber-arse virtually kicked by 200 GBB'ers).