Media Coverage of Reagan's Death
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And now the most absorbing two minutes in television, the latest from the political grapevine:
Media Coverage of Reagan's Death
The day after Ronald Reagan died, the Washington Post ran a front-page banner headline saying -- "Ronald Reagan Dies. Fortieth President Reshaped American Politics." Four stories on Reagan were below it.
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The Washington Times devoted its entire front page -- with three stories -- to Reagan.
But to the New York Times, Reagan's death was only worth one three-column headline, saying Reagan -- "fostered cold-war might and curbs on government."
Again today, the Washington Post ran a banner headline, this time above three stories, saying -- "A Nation and the World Pay Tribute to Reagan."
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The Washington Times had four stories, all under the headline -- "Reagan's state funeral set for Friday." But the New York Times, under only a single column, reports -- "Reagan Legacy Looming Large over [Presidential] Campaign."
Reagan's Role in Ending Cold War?
As for Reagan's role in ending the cold war, the New York Times says -- "It was Mr. Reagan's good fortune that during his time in office the Soviet Union was undergoing profound change, eventually to collapse."
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And in an editorial today, the Times took a hit at both Reagan and President Bush, saying -- "Looking back now, we can trace some of the flaws of the current Washington mindset -- the tax-cut-driven deficits, the slogan-driven foreign policy -- to Mr. Reagan's example."
Single Most Treacherous Person?
Three and a half years after losing his run for the presidency, Al Gore now says -- "Not all who claim to have been supportive and loyal truly were," and he's singling out Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas as the -- "single most treacherous and dishonest person I dealt with" during the campaign.
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Gore did not specify why -- though, according to the Miami Herald, the two had a falling out before the 2000 election. Penelas, meanwhile, insists he worked hard for Gore and that Gore is now just -- "bitter ... over the election." And Florida Democratic Senator Bob Graham has come to Penelas' defense, saying -- "People in Florida who know Alex Penelas know he is a quality person and ... it is not easy in Miami-Dade County to be a vocal [Cuban-American] Democrat."
Backed Out of Bi-Partisan Mission
Senate minority Leader Tom Daschle has dropped out of what was supposed to be a bi-partisan fact-finding mission to Iraq -- for reasons that are not entirely clear. But that didn't stop three Republican senators, including Majority Leader Bill Frist, from traveling to Iraq.
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According to Roll Call newspaper, Daschle and Frist met several times last week to plan the trip, but when it came time to commit Daschle withdrew. A Daschle spokesman says -- "Senator Daschle had some specific things he wanted to see and do in Iraq, and ... when he had to make a final decision the schedule was still fluid."
The spokesman says Daschle is rescheduling his trip to Iraq for later this year.
— FOX News' Michael Levine contributed to this report