My Dad and Ronald Reagan

My first political memory is walking precincts to elect Ronald Reagan as Governor with my Dad. WHY NOT AN ACTOR, WE'VE HAD A CLOWN FOR 8 YEARS. It's also my only policial activist memory with my Dad. He was a Barcalounge politician. Every night he'd watched the Huntley/Brinkley Report, every morning he'd read the Sacramento Union (the Bee was for liberals) and every night he'd pontificate at the dining room table. He thought that Nancy Reagan was one of the prettiest women he'd ever seen (besides my mom) and had his only brush with fame sitting next to her on a PSA flight to LA once.

In 1984, my Dad got cancer. We stepped up our travel schedule, cuz there were some places he needed to see or see one more time. We traveled to Ireland and drank a pint at the Ronald Reagan Lounge in Ballyporeen.

On October 17, 1984, just 2 weeks before the election, my Dad passed away. The day before he had asked my brother, his namesake, to go down to the polling place and cast his ballot for him, after all they had the same name. My brother said "Dad, that's a felony"

Perhaps they'll have a pint together now.



Thanks to All Posters for the photo.