A tiny tale about Ronald Reagan one holiday season long ago
Here's a sappy little holiday politician story that has nothing to do with large headlines and tax cut conflict in Congress. So it can't be very important.
However, it might fool some people into believing that famous public figures who become icons in our country's unfolding life can also be human at the same time.
The story concerns Ronald Reagan, the notoriously cold-hearted conservative from California. One day in the middle of his eight years as governor (1967-75), Reagan received a letter from two sisters -- Bertha and Samueline Sisco. According to their story, they had promised their dying mother they would always care for their brother, Buzzy who was, as they phrased it in those days, retarded.
The sisters were seeking guidance to some kind of state help in caring for their 43-year-old sibling and the governor's office steered them toward it.
But Gov. Reagan heard a about the family's situation and made some inquiries. He discovered that Buzzy had always wanted a rocking chair to sit in with his teddy bear.
For some inexplicable reason, this touched the ruthless Republican who was clearly already plotting to become the 40th president, bankrupt the Soviet Union and end the Cold War.
Shortly before Christmas that year California Highway Patrolman Dale Role delivered a rocking chair to the Sisco home, along with a note explaining that it came from the governor's personal family furnishings and he wanted Buzzy and his teddy bear to be rocking in time for Christmas.
Reagan apparently kept in touch with the family for many years before his incapacitation from Alzheimer's in 1994 and his death 10 years later at age 93.
On Thursday at the RR Auction house in Amherst, N.H. an anonymous buyer purchased the old Reagan family chair and a related handwritten letter for about $14,000, according to the firm's Bobby Livingston.
And now we know that even 40 years ago the former movie actor was clearly conniving for some positive blog publicity during the holiday season of 2010.
We now return to our normally scheduled tales of modern-day political conflict and duplicity.
-- Andrew Malcolm
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Photos: Associated Press (Republican Gov. Reagan tries to goad a Democratic donkey); RR Auction.
My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes. - R. Reagan 8/11/1984 While President and Commander in Chief of US Armed Forces. One scary wacko.
Posted by: Advised by "Psychics" | December 10, 2010 at 10:08 AM
What a miserable, partisan individual Andrew Malcolm is. Clearly his comments, while trying to be positive about Reagan, were clearly nasty. His disdain came out and showed his true colors.
Posted by: JGNY | December 10, 2010 at 12:39 PM
Thank you for the wonderful story.
Posted by: FJ Harris | December 10, 2010 at 02:28 PM
Thank you Andrew Malcolm. Great story about a great president.
Posted by: Kimberly | December 10, 2010 at 03:57 PM
Cold-hearted is right. Why, our current pres would have appointed a furniture czar with a fifty million budget to investigate the "chair shortage". And Ronnie just sends a chair? That's all? Jeeze.
Posted by: JR Dunn | December 10, 2010 at 03:58 PM
; )
Posted by: xKarenx | December 10, 2010 at 05:57 PM
You're full of beans Advised by. I saw the live TV press event when RR said this. It was a joke he told when they asked for a sound check. We were told later that RR and the soundmen did not know the cameras were on. I think he knew, and wanted to send a message to the USSR. Crazy like a fox Reagan was.
Anyway it was damn funny. Even the Ruskies thought so.
Posted by: DodAederen | December 11, 2010 at 08:10 AM
Great story but it was not necessary to call Reagan "cold hearted" and "ruthless" in the article.
Posted by: Michael Boyer | December 11, 2010 at 11:48 AM
The comments on Ronald Reagan will not surprise those who knew him. I was on RR's senior staff when he was governor of California. Those of us who knew him would never characterize him as being"cold hearted". Never.
Robert C. Smithwick
Los Altos Hills, California
Posted by: Robert C. Smithwick | December 11, 2010 at 02:51 PM
This is the Ronald Reagan I knew. I was on his senior staff in Sacramento when he was governor of California.
Robert C. Smithwick
Posted by: Robert C. Smithwick | December 11, 2010 at 03:20 PM
You people are seriously retarded. Wow.
The "cold hearted" and "ruthless" comments were sarcastic. The entire article highlights a form of parody. Holy God in Heaven are we dumb.
Posted by: Colin | December 11, 2010 at 06:52 PM
He was the last great American president.
My god do we need another one like him. Despite all the liberal slanders and distortions, while he was alive, and the posthumous liberal attempts to claim his legacy, Americans know the measure of the man and his astonishing achievements.
I still get a thrill hearing about him, and a visit to his library in Simi Valley is always worth it. Go there, you won't be disappointed
( http://www.reaganlibrary.com/ ).
God bless you, Ronnie, wherever you are!
Posted by: No Liberal President Can Hold A Candle to Him... | December 11, 2010 at 09:50 PM
May I recommend the following: "The Greatest Speeches of Ronald Reagan"
NewsMax.com, 2001
Posted by: terry | December 12, 2010 at 04:59 AM
Nobody is more cold hearted than the liberal media, especially the gringo liberal media, who supports illegal aliens and represses any criticism of illegal aliens by american citizens.
Posted by: sakara | December 12, 2010 at 03:14 PM