Beneath the photo from the REAGAN DIARIES is an actual quote that Reagan wrote about George 'W' in his diaries, recently edited by author Doug Brinkley and published by Harper Collins
"A moment I've been dreading. George brought his n'er-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the political one who lives in Florida; the one who hangs around here all the time looking shiftless. This so-called kid is already almost 40 and has never had a real job. Maybe I'll call Kinsley over at The New Republic and see if they'll hire him as a contributing editor or something. That looks like easy work."
From the REAGAN DIARIES------entry dated May 17, 1986
From Sott.Net via Doug.
UPDATE: It seems that this quote may not be from Ronald Reagan's diaries, but from a bit of satire by Michael Kinsley at The New Republic. I could not get into the site at TNR to check it out, but Snopes says it's there. Truth or Fiction says it's not a quote from Reagan's book either. I'm not knowledgeable about either of the websites that I linked to, but I tend to believe that it's satire by Kinsley and not from Reagan's diaries.
Note to me: check things out before you post. I was in a hurry this morning, and I wanted to get something up, because I would be gone for most of the day.
Yep, that's the Bush boy all over.
ReplyDeleteSnopes says it is satire. So true but false.
ReplyDeleteToo good to be true, alas!
ReplyDeleteProbably everyone already got this (the sourcing via Doug being something of a tip-off) but that phrase about "an actual quote" is so alluring. A later commenter over at sott.net points to snopes.com saying the quote is a bit of satire penned by Michael Kinsley for The New Republic last June. :-(
Such a disappointment, 'cause it does capture W so perfectly.
Grandmère, (I should introduce myself) I've been reading your blog since sometime in Lent and it's become one of my must-reads along with Jake and FranIAm and others. I'm so glad you're not going to stop blogging yet - as a NYC boomer I cherish the voices of experience from other places that I've 'met' online, and the great discussions.
Best thing I can say for Dubya is that this little chuckle inspired me to jump in and say hello and thanks!
True or not, it makes for fun reading.
ReplyDeleteWow! and we had him for 8 years!
ReplyDeleteAnn, I think maybe it's like some of the bible stories: Maybe it's not literally true, but it is true.
ReplyDeleteThank you Aitchellsee, for the kind words, and welcome, even if you're not new. I love NYC. It's my second favorite city. I'm glad my error inspired you to jump in and say "hello".
ReplyDeleteI try to get things right, but if indeed this is satire, it is far too close to the truth. It should be true, and Reagan was not fond of the Bush folks. I don't believe that Poppy and Barb ever got invited to dinner in the family quarters during Reagan's presidency.
As Lisa says, it's not literally true, but it's true, nontheless. It's too good a story and will likely become one of the "myths" that will speak to the ages.
Grandmère mimi: would I lie :>) ?
ReplyDeleteSnopes notes that the quotation I sent you is, and I quote:
"the putative quote from President Ronald Reagan's Diaries..."
As Ann mentioned 'true but false,' and lisa expanded: "Maybe it's not literally true, but it is true."
ANyway, I am glad youi all enjoyed it as much as I did :>)
Doug, OK, putative.
ReplyDeleteGrandmère mimi: would I lie :>) ?
No comment. That's a trick question. Besides, I don't dare piss off one of my best sources of material. What would I do without you?
I agree with Lisa. Like the Bible, I don't care so much for the "factual" nature of it... either way it's still true.
ReplyDeleteLisa nailed it.
ReplyDeleteI suspected it gave too much credit to Reagan's judgment to be literally true.
darn! need to read more closely next time!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Lisa ;)
ReplyDeleteAnd I bet it's what Reagan was thinking (if the dementia hadn't set in by that time...)
It's still the biggest laugh I've had all morning!
ReplyDeleteIt coulda been, shoulda been, and woulda been true, right? That works for me.
ReplyDelete