Rock Hudson, Nancy Reagan, Ronald Reagan - The Reagans refused to help Hudson move to a French military hospital for treatment after he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984. (Photo: White House Photo Office)
Our next president will have to deal with lots of issues. Among things happening in the world -- Global warming is going off of the charts. Libya is becoming a major 'terrorists' training camp.
Our economy is a disaster and being run by crooks. The middle class has been murdered.
Our leaders frequently speak after someone dies. When called upon to speak about the dead, one could come up with all sorts of stuff to say. The truth, however, is not even given serious consideration.
On Friday afternoon, in an interview with Andrea Mitchell coinciding with Nancy Reagan's funeral, Mitchell mentioned that Nancy Reagan had led efforts to fight gun violence and fund Alzheimer's research. Here is the full context of Hillary Clinton's reply:
When something happens to you, like a good, dear friend James Brady being shot and suffering, your husband having Alzheimer's, it can't help but change your perspective, and I wish more people would pay attention to those who have gone through these issues.
The other point that I wanted to make too is, it may be hard for your viewers to remember how difficult it was for people to talk about HIV/AIDS back in the 1980s. And because of both President and Mrs. Reagan — in particular Mrs. Reagan — we started a national conversation when before nobody would talk about it, nobody wanted to do anything about it. And that too is something that I really appreciate with her very effective, low-key advocacy. But it penetrated the public conscience and people began to say, "Hey, we have to do something about this too." |
Is it just a matter of attempting to pick up votes from the 'Reagan' camp... get some of those republican cross-overs?
Her remarks resounded across the internet, as journalists, activists, and social media users pointed out that Reagan's legacy on AIDS was, in fact, disastrous.
Journalist Glenn Greenwald tweeted, "this is offensive, revisionist bullshit."
Dan Savage, a prominent LGBTQI activist and advice columnist, wrote in a post for The Stranger:
That is a fucking lie. You could only say the Reagans started "a national conversation" about AIDS if terrified, desperate, and dying people screaming "WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING OR DOING ANYTHING ABOUT AIDS!" at the Reagans counts. It does not count.
[...] We watched our friends and lovers die by the tens of thousands while Nancy and Ronnie sat silently in the White House.
At the New Republic, reporter Gwyneth Kelly added:
Just how “low-key” was Nancy’s advocacy? So low-key that most people would characterize it as not advocacy at all. After the disease’s first cases were identified in 1981, President Reagan waited until 1987, almost at the end of his second term, to speak publicly about the disease. His communications director, Pat Buchanan, described AIDS as “nature’s revenge on gay men.”
Journalist Glenn Greenwald tweeted, "this is offensive, revisionist bullshit."
Dan Savage, a prominent LGBTQI activist and advice columnist, wrote in a post for The Stranger:
That is a fucking lie. You could only say the Reagans started "a national conversation" about AIDS if terrified, desperate, and dying people screaming "WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING OR DOING ANYTHING ABOUT AIDS!" at the Reagans counts. It does not count.
[...] We watched our friends and lovers die by the tens of thousands while Nancy and Ronnie sat silently in the White House.
At the New Republic, reporter Gwyneth Kelly added:
Just how “low-key” was Nancy’s advocacy? So low-key that most people would characterize it as not advocacy at all. After the disease’s first cases were identified in 1981, President Reagan waited until 1987, almost at the end of his second term, to speak publicly about the disease. His communications director, Pat Buchanan, described AIDS as “nature’s revenge on gay men.”
The original question did not mention AIDS. Clinton decided all by herself to bring up that subject and to include that lie in her answer. She has people doing research for her so we must conclude she has accurate information if she wished to use it. By the time president Reagan responded to AIDS, it had become an epidemic with 37,000 Americans and 21,000 Americans dead.
Think of it this way, Rock Hudson was a personal 'friend' and Ronnie and Nancy's son was a professional ballet dancer who witnessed the effect of AIDS among those on his career path. And yet, no substantial response from the white house.
The evidence indicates that to be viewed as presidential material, one must be prepared to say absolutely anything.
It is extremely difficult to see a distinction between 'front running' Clinton and the 'front runners' on the other side. They have a willingness to say anything and everything without regard for the truth... and that's the truth !!!
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