Spotlight singed Reagan children

[kskiska]

NEW YORK — Ronald Reagan's children grew up in his shadow and spent most of their lives trying to escape it.

Three of them, Maureen, Michael and Patti, wrote tell-all books in which they described their father — the man who made the term "family values" part of the political currency — as a loving but often distant parent.

(snip)

Reagan's adopted son grew up bitter, angry

When Michael Reagan was a boy, his father called him "shmuck."

The love-starved youth was so proud and happy that his pop had bestowed a nickname on him he insisted everyone call him shmuck. Then he discovered what the word really meant.

Whether or not the future president realized he was calling his troubled boy the Yiddish equivalent of "jerk" is not clear. But the fact remains that the adopted son of Reagan and Wyman grew up bitter and angry. He was, at one point, so estranged from his father that he had to go through the White House staff to reach him.

more…
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001949930_family07.html

[JohnnyRingo]

1. I see Patti has another "Family Values" book due soon

To be released "only after his death".
This oughtta be quite a contrast to this weeks memorial.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usbook073837439jun07,0,4982039.story?coll=ny-nationalnews-headlines

With all the tell all books, the "Hunting of a President", and F911 movies it looks like a looong summer for the repubs.
Of course they still have "Dick" Morris and Ted Nugent to bail them out.

[physioex]

2. Ted Nugent what a moran...

He was conned out of millions as he was making it, then things went down hill when he joined Damn Yankees....I like Ronnie Jr, he has some progressive views...

[delete_bush]

7. Wonder if she'll include some of the

nudie pics of her in the book?

[kskiska]

3. I thought this was interesting

After dropping out of college, Michael loaded freight cars, raced speedboats, sold chain saws, worked as a game-show host, acted in soap operas, gave motivational speeches and made headlines that embarrassed the White House.

First he was investigated for stock fraud and exonerated. Then he came under fire for using his father's name to hawk aerospace equipment.

But the event that nearly ruptured the relationship with his parents came when the Secret Service accused him of stealing knickknacks from the White House — a charge Michael denied.

I wonder what Michael's response was to the bogus Clinton "vandalism/theft" stories?

[Occulus]

4. Just plain mean parents.

I know ALL about that one.

[Virginian]

5. Michael looks like

he was adopted from the Limbaugh family.

[kskiska]

6. I'll bet Michael is one adoptee who's not searching

for his biological parents. He's cashing in on the Reagan name.

[lebkuchen]

8. Michael didn't mention the "schmuck" anecdote in his eulogy

It beats "pulling earlobes," which was probably the least harmful comment Ron could have made.

On the otherhand, maybe Reagan was calling Michael a jewel. That's what "schmuck" means in German.