Rest in peace...

The state funeral for Ronald Wilson Reagan is today. Take a moment and say a prayer for the repose of his soul.

One of the most powerful things I've read about him this week (and there's been plenty to read) is from this article at NRO, discussing Mother Theresa's visit to Reagan the June after the assassination attempt:

The late Mother Teresa, who visited the White House that June, told Reagan, "You have suffered the passion of the cross and have received grace. There is a purpose to this. Because of your suffering and pain you will now understand the suffering and pain of the world. This has happened to you at this time because your country and the world needs you." Reagan was speechless. Nancy Reagan wept.

On a more mundane & political note, I think that what Regan had that Bush 43 lacks is the ability to clearly articulate his understanding of the world... I have little doubt that President Bush has a clear vision of things, but I don't think he's so good at articulating that vision, something which Reagan had no problem with. As someone (I think his biographer, Edmund Morris) said Wednesday, Reagan wasn't an intellectual, but he was intelligent. As his letters show (Reagan in His Own Hand), he had spent years working out his understanding of the world, especially by means of interacting with others via the numerous letters he composed.

As has been demonstrated even by those in the mainstream media this week, Reagan wasn't the simpleton his enemies made him out to be while in office.

And above all, he was a good man, as no one seems to dispute.

Requiescat in pace.