Reagan Reports

And now the most intriguing two minutes in television, the latest from the political grapevine:

Reagan Reports

The day after Ronald Reagan's casket was carried by horse-drawn caisson through the streets of Washington, both Washington papers today have banner headlines on their front pages. The Washington Post, for example, says -- "A Day of Ritual and Remembrance," with two stories on the state funeral.

USA Today, which has a national circulation, says -- "A Washington Farewell," with a three-column story about yesterday's state funeral. But to the New York Times' front page, the day was worth only a photo and a one-column story about the back-room dealings of getting invited to tomorrow's funeral service at the national cathedral.

Not So Controversial After All?

Speaking of Reagan, he was very controversial as president, but apparently less so now. A new Fox News Opinion Dynamics poll shows that 65 percent of Americans say they supported his policies. And the number one thing Americans say Reagan will be remembered for is: ending the Cold War.

Reagan's optimistic outlook comes in second. Similarly, a new Rasmussenreports.com poll shows 67 percent of Americans now have a favorable view of Reagan, with nearly half of them saying he was one of the greatest presidents ever.

Democrats Support Stem Cell Research

Democrats are urging President Bush to ease limits on stem cell research, with Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle insisting -- "the best way to remember President Reagan is to ... find a cure to [Alzheimer's] disease." Reagan's wife, Nancy, has made similar calls.

But, according to the Washington Post, stem cell experts say there's very little chance stem cell research could help treat Alzheimer's. Unlike other diseases, Alzheimer's involves the loss of huge numbers of nerve cells in the brain -- a loss too great for stem cell treatment to overcome. One stem cell researcher from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says using stem cells to treat Alzheimer's is a -- "fairy tale."

Proper Controls?

A new report by the General Accounting Office says that over 6 years, the Pentagon spent an estimated $100 million on airline  tickets that were never used and could have been reimbursed. The report says that between 1997 and 2003, unused tickets went undetected because the Pentagon relied on individuals to report such tickets -- which never actually happened.

What's more, the report says, the Pentagon made matters worse by reimbursing employees for airline tickets that the Pentagon, not employees, paid for. The Pentagon insists -- "we take this deficiency in our procedures very seriously and are moving swiftly to establish proper ... controls."

— FOX News' Michael Levine contributed to this report