RONALD REAGAN CENTENNIAL - THE REAGAN HUMOR

Whenever I think of President Reagan I always think of the great sense of humor that he possessed which had the ability to make you laugh in the most serious moments as a relief from the trouble at hand and also could disarm even his most harsh critics.

Sam Donaldson the ABC White House correspondent during the Reagan years was always trying to trip up the President or get him to admit to something rash, in other words a typical Washington reporter except that Donaldson was louder and much more persistent than most. I cannot remember a time when President Reagan was tripped up by Donaldson or when he was not able to disarm Sam or give him reason to laugh. Donaldson mentioned Reagan's marvelous sense of humor when inteviewed while covering his funeral in June of 2004.

Another highlight of the President's humor was concerning his age. Reagan was the oldest man ever elected to the White House and as such our oldest President. His age was always used against him during campaigns and Reagan as usual disarmed this attempt with his sense of humor. When quoting Thomas Jefferson he referred to the quote in the first person as if he was there in conversation with the third President. During a debate with Walter Mondale he said that he would not make his opponents youth and inexperience a subject of the campaign.

Reagan's sense of humor was always a bright spot in many of his speeches and in his press conferences. Always the gentleman and always one step ahead of reporters opponents and political adversaries.

Ken Taylor