The Reagan Family Split?

This is a partial transcript from "Hannity & Colmes," July 27, 2004, that has been edited for clarity.

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ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: All right. Let me introduce a man whose brother is speaking here at the convention. Ron Reagan speaking to the assembly here. Michael Reagan, however, not speaking or not even appearing at the Democratic Convention.

It's good to know there's a Reagan here, Michael. Have you talked to your brother, Ron, about it?

MICHAEL REAGAN, TALK-RADIO HOST: No, I really haven't talked to him. Ron doesn't talk to many people in the family. What are you talking about? He's talking to Democrats.

COLMES: He doesn't talk to many people in the family?

REAGAN: He's not talking to me.

COLMES: And you don't talk to other members of your family who happen to be Democrats?

REAGAN: I mean, we talk, but that's really about it. I don't talk about him going to the Democrat Convention and say whether I think it's right or wrong. I just like to see...

You know what would have been nice really, Alan? If he's going to speak at the Democrat Convention, which he is and he's going to speak there mainly because his name is Reagan — my father gave us a great name. Ronald Reagan gave us a great name, gave us a great legacy.

It would have been nice to see Ron last Friday, for example, at the home porting of the USS Ronald Reagan, to be there with his mother, and to be with her when she's there for christening, the commissioning, and the home porting of USS Ronald Reagan.

The only reason that he's able to speak is because of who he is. So I would have liked to see him honor his father.

COLMES: Do we know that he's a Democrat? I mean, as I understand it, I think he may have voted or supported Nader last time. I'm not even sure he's a Democrat.

REAGAN: Yes.

COLMES: But let me ask you: What does Nancy say? Have you talked to Nancy about her feelings about Ron appearing here at the Democratic Convention?

REAGAN: Ron can do no wrong. I mean basically that's it. Ron can do no wrong. I mean, she has always had him. He is her favorite and there's nothing wrong with that. So she's not going to get very vocal about it at all.

COLMES: Well, hasn't she been vocal on this topic of stem cell research, the topic he is talking about? Doesn't she agree with Ron Reagan about that issue and how the president has been on the wrong side of this particular issue.

REAGAN: Well, I don't think the president's on the wrong side of this, to be honest with you, Alan. The reality of it is this president was the first president to sign into law anything having to do with embryonic stem cell research. He put parameters on it. But Bill Clinton had a chance; Bill Clinton never signed anything into law allowing the government to get involved in embryonic stem cell research.

But the reality is that embryonic stem cell research is not turning out very good. There is embryonic research going on as you and I speak but the problem is, with embryonic stem cells, every time they inject it into rats and laboratory animals, for the most part, it causes downstream cancer or tumors to grow. And so there are not any human beings on the planet that are being injected right now with embryonic stem cells where when you take cord blood and cord blood is being used for lymphoma, it's being used for sickle-cell anemia, it's being used for all kinds of diseases so there are other stem cells, adult stem cells that are being used because embryonic stem cells right now don't have a good track record.

SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: Hey, Michael, thanks for being on the program here. As I told you about your dad's funeral, I thought both you and Ron and Patti hit a great note talking about your dad. All of you in your own way I thought gave very touching eulogies for your dad and I feel a little uncomfortable asking you the question I'm going to ask you but I'm going to ask you. Is he being used, your brother, by the Democratic Party, in your view?

REAGAN: Yes. But I think at the same time Ron is using the Democratic party and I think he has even stated that because he now has this issue of embryonic stem cell research and the press would have you believe that we're all against stem cell research. Everybody is for stem cell research. It's the embryonic side. But nobody seems to want to talk about what is going on in the labs with embryonic stem cell research. I don't think anybody wants to inject anything in anybody that's going to cause downstream cancer and that's what's going on with embryonic. So I understand he wants to cure everybody but let's look at the facts.

HANNITY: Without the Reagan name, he wouldn't be here.

REAGAN: No, he wouldn't be at all.

HANNITY: So this is an attempt to take a shot at Republicans and he is just taking advantage of the opportunity and that's how you view it. Have you had an opportunity to talk to Ron about it? Would you like to talk to him about it?

REAGAN: Oh, I talked to Ron a little bit about it really before and during the week we spent together with my father and the funeral and all that. My brother doesn't like George Bush. He is the typical liberal. He hates George Bush; he thinks he stole the election in 2000. To quote my brother, to be honest with you, when I asked him if he would show up for the USS Ronald Reagan, he said, "to me, it's a weapon of mass destruction, I'm a liberal and I don't honor that."

I find that really unconscionable. You have to put things aside. There are liberals I get along with. There were liberals at the home porting. I'm sure not everybody in the military is conservative but they showed up because they wanted to honor Ronald Reagan. All I'm saying is if you're going to be used by the Democrats as he is being used tonight, then understand why you're being used. You're being used because you're Ronald Reagan. You've got the same name as our father. Then also honor our father and be with your mother at these important engagements she's at. She needs to have her children with her. I can't take the place of Ron or Patti at these events. I'm (UNINTELLIGIBLE) because I remember my father's legacy. I would just like to have Ron do the same.

HANNITY: If he reads a transcript of these words do you think he will be mad at you?

REAGAN: No, I don't think so. He understands where I come from. I'm not angry with him. I'm disappointed when he doesn't show up for certain things of that nature. But I think he understands...

COLMES: Michael, we thank you very much for being here. Thank you very much for being here to talk to us tonight.

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