Mrs. Reagan

Above is a three hour and five minute video uploaded by the Reagan Library, (shot by Fox News), of Nancy Reagan’s funeral service from late this morning. It starts out slow, and for an unknown reason the audio cuts out, but then returns fourteen minutes in with footage of the bulk of the guest arrivals.

A good place to jump ahead to is the  1:28:30 mark— where First Lady Michelle Obama, Governor Jerry Brown, President George W. & Mrs. Bush, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady Hillary Clinton and U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy are led in together by a phalanx of Secret Service. This was appropriately done given the notoriety of this group, and the fact they waited until most of the rest of the guests were in and seated. Right after is the casket procession and then the service begins.

Caveat Emptor

A friend of mine today e-mailed me a couple of eBay listings he came across of Nancy Reagan’s autograph— and had asked me if they appeared authentic or not. Now I’m not an expert, but he knew I had met Mrs. Reagan years ago at her last book signing, and that I had seen my share of legitimate presidential signatures over the years. Quite a few of those were of both President and Mrs. Reagan. But the listings he showed me, which were going for not much at all, were highly questionable.

You gotta be careful with that.

Nancy Reagan • 1921-2016

Photo Credit: The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

Waking up this morning, I had texts and other messages awaiting me— all with the same notification: Nancy Reagan passed away.

It’s a surprise in a way, but obviously not a shock. She was 94 years old and had faced some serious health issues since around 2008/09. Even in frail health she continued to be involved with the Reagan Presidential Library, and even being a ceremonial host for quite a few GOP debates there.

As a political/presidential buff since I was about eight years old— I was thrilled when I had the chance to go on up to the Reagan Library back in 2002 to meet Mrs. Reagan. It was a book signing event that she held and she had those on a semi-infrequent basis. There were a few back in the 1990s, a couple in 2000/01 and then the one I attended in February ’02. It ended up being the final signing she ever did where the public could meet her. It’s a really beautiful place— done up in mission-style with Spanish tile roofs.