William F. Buckley Jr. vs Ron Reagan Jr.

Following the death of former president Reagan the free world offered up condolences and comfort for the family of a great man. The tone was reverential, and nearly wholly positive. The one exception was the return to public light of Ron Reagan Jr. On CNN he stated that his “father did not know George W. Bush from Adam,'' adding: ''My father was a man -- that's the difference between him and Bush.'' His use of the passing to engage in political attacks went for a time unanswered. That is until recently. In a letter to Ron Jr., William F. Buckley Jr., close friend of president Reagan and his wife Nancy, attempts to set the record straight. Robert Novak brought the letter to the public in a recent piece. Here are Ron's quotes followed by Buckley's responses:

RR Jr.: The nude picture of his sister Patti in Playboy was "just something that is not too exciting."

WFB: "Why then was there so much excitement about it?"

RR Jr.: As for his father's reaction when he dropped out of Yale to join the ballet, "That was fine with him."

WFB: "It wasn't fine with him and he enlisted my aid in trying to persuade you to stay in college."

RR Jr.: Having three cats while being childless "is like having children."

WFB: "No, it's not like having children."

RR Jr.: As to whether his mother helps him out financially, "Of course not. My father felt that children should make their own way."

WFB: "I know, and you know that I know, something about that question. But to say that 'of course' your mother does not help you out suggests she will not do so even if there were a need. Are you saying she would not acknowledge you in her will?"

RR Jr.: As to the Abu Ghraib prison abuses, "How can Christians tolerate it?"

WFB: "I don't know of any Christians who 'tolerate it.' The perpetrators are reviled."

RR Jr.: In an answer to a question, he said he did not vote for Bush in the last election.

WFB: "Odd that you should permit this invasion of privacy whose only purpose is to remark the political infidelity of the son of Ronald Reagan."

RR Jr.: His father "worked hard to impress upon his children the value of kindness."

WFB: "If he did, he was manifestly unsuccessful."

 Ron Jr. has signed on to MSNBC and is this week serving as a commentator for their convention coverage. He will also continue to pillage his fathers legacy by speaking Tuesday before the Democrat's convention. Wayward son is an understatement. Ron Jr. is an atheist, a failed ballerina, and commentator for dog shows. Now, being used by Dems for his name, he has somehow sunk even lower. John Lennon once asked people to imagine there's no heaven. If Ron Jr. ever imagines there is a heaven, perhaps he also is forced to imagine what The Gipper thinks, when he looks down upon his progeny .