well, Larry K., in between all the glorious rhetoric all week, I have been hearing well-respected journalists (like the one just noted above) say about the same thing. Reagan was a charming ideologe--but he did NOT have a command of the issues and implications...not NEARLY as much as Clinton did..(whether you like Clinton or not!)

You have to read some of those articles VERY closely...saying he will be remembered and 'thought of' as great is not the same as saying he WAS great.

I saw an interview with some guy in line for the homage who had driven down from Pennsylvania. When asked what he admired about Ronnie, he said it was his 'charisma, character and optimism' and that "he made us feel good about ourselves"...NOT that his policies were effective...etc.
I gotta grant what the guy said, Ronnie had a way of putting a good face on things and smiling disarmingly as he raised my taxes and spent money like there was no tomorrow....and sadly, that is all it takes to sway a lot of folks these days who don't study issues, but go with image and smoke & mirrors.

   It's REALLY hard to say bad things about a guy who waves & smiles like that, so even his critics often feel awkward pointing out that such a sweet, charming Emperor has no clothes.

We shall see what history ultimately says once the hoopla is over.