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Faith & CultureWhite House wreath placed in honor of Ronald Reagan’s birthday
Associated Press
February 9, 2007
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. – Former President Ronald Reagan was remembered in a ceremony Tuesday on what he would have called another anniversary of his 39th birthday.
Former Attorney General Edwin Meese III and Col. James B. Seaton III, commanding officer of the Marine Corps’ Camp Pendleton, placed a wreath of white roses on behalf of President Bush at Reagan’s grave at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Museum.
Bush said in a proclamation that the wreath and military honors were sent “in tribute to his distinguished service to a grateful nation.”
Two World War II vintage military aircraft flew over the ceremony and Marines offered a 21-gun salute.
Reagan, who died on June 5, 2004, at 93 after a 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease, was remembered by Meese as a Cold War warrior for his “peace-through-strength” mantra. Meese said Reagan led the United States out of a national malaise and ended the Cold War.
“He had integrity,” Meese said. “And he had perseverance…. We celebrate the legacy of Ronald Reagan.”
Seaton told the crowd of about 600 seated on a sunny lawn near the grave that Reagan was an inspiration to the Marine Corps during his presidency and that legacy lives on today as the military faces adversaries in Iraq.
“America didn’t become great because we took the easy road,” the colonel said.
Former first lady Nancy Reagan, reported feeling a bit under the weather and reserving her energy for an evening library fundraiser honoring former President George H.W. Bush, said in a statement that her husband would have enjoyed the tributes.
“It’s hard to believe that Ronnie would have been 96 years old today,” Mrs. Reagan said. “I know he would have been thrilled to see the military band and color guard, the Naval Academy Glee Club and the flyover at his library today, and he would have been touched that so many of his old friends are coming to celebrate on his behalf.”
On Tuesday night, Mrs. Reagan planned to present former President Bush with the 2007 Ronald Reagan Freedom Award during a gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The award is given to those who “have contributed greatly to the cause of freedom worldwide.” Past recipients include Colin Powell, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, Jordan’s King Hussein, Lady Margaret Thatcher, the Rev. Billy Graham, Bob Hope and Rudolph Giuliani.
“George was not only my husband’s dedicated vice president, but he was also Ronnie’s loyal friend,” Mrs. Reagan said in a statement.
“Working closely with Ronald Reagan was one of the great joys of my life, and receiving this prestigious Reagan Freedom Award is something I will treasure always,” former President Bush said in a statement.
— ON THE NET
Rod is one of our nation’s leading minds. He’s smart, original, and very committed—a combination that one rarely finds.
Rod Martin and [former Howard Dean campaign manager] Joe Trippi are America’s two foremost experts on online politics.
Rod Martin is a Reaganite-Thatcherite conservative…[and] a man who has spent much of his life ministering to and working for the benefit of others. I know Rod as an advocate for freedom, a leader who understands the real changes we need in Washington, and who has the drive and ability to make those changes happen.
Rod Martin is the kind of dynamic leader who has the knowledge, ability and experience to lead us successfully into the 21st Century. His vision for America is compelling.
Rod Martin literally wrote the book on excellence. Humble yet brilliant, a man of love and compassion, with penetrating clarity he illuminates the world around us, and we are both stirred and enlightened.
Rod Martin is a born leader and an outstanding political mind. Anyone who takes him on is going to have a serious fight on their hands.
Rod Martin is a man of uncommon vision and character. Ever since I first worked alongside Rod in the early days of PayPal, I’ve been struck by his powerful vision for the future. Rod understands the intersection of technology, politics and culture in a way that few others do.
Rod Martin wears with uncommon grace an uncanny ability to link his vigorous faith to the practical challenges of both the business world and the political arena. Yet the respect he shows for others carries a warmth and modesty that are both too rare among those who are strong advocates of feisty positions.
America badly needs more leaders who really get the future. We need more Rod Martins.
Rod Martin is a modern day philosopher-statesman. He is a capitalist intellectual, a conservative iconoclast, a gentle adversary and a kind prophet. He inspires us towards a fresh national vision built upon the original founding principles.
Rod Martin is not only effective and efficient, but he is also perceptive, wise and gracious. He gets things done. He is a great friend and a great ally.
Rod is one of the sharpest, most gracious men I know, and one of the most gifted political thinkers today. His ability to analyze issues and communicate thoughtful insights on them have earned him the respect of people across the political spectrum.
I am proud to have been Rod Martin’s friend for a quarter century, and I can tell you that he is one of the finest men and most outstanding leaders in our church and in our country today. He has a knack for turning everything he touches to success.
Rod Martin is a cornucopian entrepreneur and eutropic thinker whose influence radiates through an array of companies, institutions, movements and churches. A renaissance American, he is also a prolific friend of freedom and faith around the globe.
If Rod Martin represents the next generation of leaders, America has nothing to worry about.
A leader and a servant, in public life and in private, Rod Martin strides at the top of his profession, and has nowhere to go but up. He is in the truest sense of the word ‘outstanding’.
Rod Martin is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished thought leaders today. He is a wonderful mentor, a humble role model, and a deep inspiration for the next generation of scientific innovators and entrepreneurs.
Rod’s achievements pale beside his character and his brilliance. He sees what others can’t. He leads when others won’t.
Rod Martin is one of America’s finest young minds.