Clinton blasted for praising Nancy Reagan's AIDS response

By , Curt Mills

Published March 12, 2016

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Hillary Clinton was criticized Friday for praising Nancy Reagan's record on fighting AIDS at the former first lady's funeral in California.

"It may be hard for your viewers to remember how difficult it was for people to talk about HIV/AIDS in the 1980s," Clinton said. "Because of both President and Mrs. Reagan, in particular Mrs. Reagan, we started a national conversation."

Clinton's remarks drew immediate fire from activists who remember that era differently. The Reagans have been repeatedly criticized for their allegedly slow response to the epidemic, and Nancy Reagan in particular has been criticized for rejecting a dying medical request from actor Rock Hudson, who died of the disease and was friends with the Reagans from their California days.