Maybe it’s a hoax, but what th’ heck: Wanna help solve a mystery?
It’s over at The Awl, it was found by Elon Green, and it features then-Governors George Romney and Ronald Reagan, their wives, and an as-yet-unidentified young boy. Trigger warning: I can’t believe MisterMix didn’t see it before I did.
Apart from being reminded how innocent “the media” was forty-odd years ago, what’s on the agenda for the evening?
Rathskeller
This is really stupid. The boy is the width of his mother away from Reagan.
Baud
Does some brave soul want to check this out?
scav
@Rathskeller: Are you casting aspersions on the massive endowments of the the Sainted Ronnie!?! Why do you think they keep calling for Rushmore instead of the normal sizes that fit on mantlepieces?
EthylEster
yes, really stupid.
blow job possible only if reagan’s dick is about two feet long.
which is more stupid…the linked pic or the post containing in?
Probably MisterMix saw it and thought “really stupid”.
Keith G
Interesting microphone peek-a-boo.
Anne Laurie
@Rathskeller:
For the record, the woman in question has been identified as Nancy Reagan.
JPL
@Rathskeller: yup It looks like an affectionate pat from Nancy for her son and a nice touch from Ronny.
jl
Godhead Reagan giving a blessing. What is odd about that?
JPL
BTW, Ron Reagan use to appear on the news giving opinions fairly frequently. What happened to him?
jl
Given my feelings about Reagan, I would call it a shake-ti-putz blessing. Godhead Reagan bestowed in those he deemed worthy.
Chuckles
I don’t think you need to have much love for the Reagans to think the linked post is pretty horrible. What possible purpose could it serve, knowing who the kid is? Being able to make more jokes and innuendoes that he was sexually abused? If the depicted person were an adult, this could be “politico-pornographic”. As is, it’s just sick shit to joke about. IMO.
Violet
Sure it’s just perspective that creates the impression, but it’s still funny. All the adults seem to be having such a good time and the poor kid looks trapped by Reagan’s hands cupping his head. No matter that Reagan is two feet from the kid, it still looks creepy.
Villago Delenda Est
@Chuckles: Your concern has been noted, Mr. Todd.
You may now find that fire to go die in.
jl
@Chuckles: I stopped reading when the article reached a certain threshold of salacious absurdity.
Which was pretty quick. Just how does it appear that the kid is receiving any kind of ‘job’ from old Ronnie (Edit: other than a trick of perspective)?
Edit: Sure it’s a funny photo, but the guy who is doing the ‘investigation’ seems to be serious, or is this some kind of pointless ironical snark, extra-dry, that I do not get.
Schlemazel [was Schlemizel till NotMax taught me proper yiddish!]
I used to have a full color poster of the Disney orgy. I remember it being more detailed than this example. It got ripped, I grew up & made the mistake of tossing it away. I bet it is worth a ton of money today. Even if it were not I’d love to show up on Antiques Roadshow with a copy!
Violet
George Romney looks every inch the patrician wealthy businessman. Look at that slicked back hair! And I note that Nancy Reagan is wearing a sleeveless dress. Wasn’t there all sorts of screaming when Michelle Obama wore a sleeveless dress for her official photo?
JPL
In real abuse news, why does Greg Hardy get a do over in North Carolina? Is that common?
Schlemazel
Also too on top of that. I used to have about two years worth of The Realist issues. It was a sporadically so you never knew when a new one would arrive. I donated them to an auction to raise money for a childrens theate & they did very well.
Hal
Came home last night to at least a couple of dozen flies in the kitchen, living room, and back stairs to the basement. This happened last year a little later in the year, and it turned out a bird had died in the chimney.
I’m guessing something else crawled up and died in the walls or in the basement. I managed to get most of the flies out the door last night and the remainder minus a few this morning. It didn’t seem like there were any new flies, and I noticed there were a bunch outside near a smelly garbage can, so I’m sort of hoping they got in via a hole in the screen, but I doubt it. Guess I’ll have to play find the smell on my day off.
mdblanche
So this happened.
Baud
@mdblanche:
That’s good. But it’ll take some more work to take the Supreme Court back.
Hal
@Baud: I would argue the appellate court could have a broader impact over time than the SC. I just wish Thomas, Scalia, or Kennedy would have the decency to retire in the next two years. I’m guessing we’re stuck with Alito and Roberts for decades.
http://www.civilrights.org/judiciary/care.html
Cervantes
That photo appeared in the August, 1967 issue of The Realist. The caption is from that issue and was written by Paul Krassner. It seems to me not useful to identify the child at this point, so I won’t.
Baud
@Hal:
True. Having the appeals courts is an important thing. But we’re still under the thumb of the five conservatives for the really big decisions.
Schlemazel [was Schlemizel till NotMax taught me proper yiddish!]
can I get a comment out of moderation. Need to shorten my nym.
Please and thank you
Baud
@Hal:
Also, the chances of them retiring with a Dem president are nil * ∞.
Schlemazel
@Cervantes:
You don’t have to admit it was you, we understand the trauma is still probably pretty fresh ;)
the realist was a sporatical – dang auto correct!
geg6
@mdblanche:
I consider that a Harry Reid accomplishment that doesn’t get nearly the attention it should. If not for Harry Reid, this would not have happened. It’s why I just love Harry Reid, despite the many times I wanted to strangle him.
Chuckles
@Chuckles: @Villago Delenda Est: Sorry if I gave the impression I expected better. Guess I’ll go die now.
Betty Cracker
Kee-rist, y’all! It’s clearly young Mittens! It’s probably some gross Repub successor anointment ceremony.
Schlemazel
@geg6:
Harry is a mixed blessing. I’d like to think he is doing the best he can. I know its a job I would not be successful at (I’d end up on MSNBC calling Graham a derogatory term for gay man & McCain an insane Fkcu). Like so much its frustrating. He is a good guy & deserves our support. I just wish we had “better guys”. Can’t let the ideal get in the practical though.
p.a.
Music question. Anything you recently listened to that you hadn’t for years, and reversed your opinion on? Whether an artist or an album. I always liked The Who Sell Out and Tonight’s the Night, but recent listenings convince my they are great great works of art. On the other hand I keep worrying more and more that The Beatles were “The George Martin Project”.
Tommy
how about two happy pics..
https://www.flickr.com/photos/webranding/7261049678/
That was in Baton Rouge. I have said here I want to go to Scotland. Notice to the top right my family crest.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/webranding/7261048368/
Oh a little older and yes we had that station wagon.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Tommy: That’s a new station wagon, we had a 59 Parkwood, with the cat eye tail lights.
Jebediah, RBG
since someone mentioned Politico:
ETA: I apologize if that gives anyone a har-har tattack.
Schlemazel
@p.a.:
If they were George MArtin is the greatest genius in the history of music.
I think the truth is that PM/JL were a great song writing team, perhaps one of the best ever & Martin brought their work to life. They sucked without each other. You could not get a dect 12 track album out of everything the 2 did single and Martin did great work but never reached those heights again. If only M/L could have swallowed their gigantic egos I bet there were still a lot of great works in there. To me Harrison ws the only one who had a body of work after the break up worth listening to.
Cervantes
@Chuckles: I’m thinking you’re right.
@Villago Delenda Est: I’m thinking you’re not thinking.
@Schlemazel: I’m thinking you’re thinking I’m as young as that? I guess I should feel flattered!
Baud
@Jebediah, RBG:
That snippet contains so many layers of Village-y goodness, it’s hard to know where to begin.
Cervantes
@Jebediah, RBG:
Gales of laughter did, indeed, ensue. Apology not required.
Comrade Scrutinizer
@Tommy: Love the SE/30 on the shelf! That was the last Mac I owned.
mdblanche
@Baud: Is it wrong to wish ill health on someone?
@geg6: If Harry Reid wanted credit for his accomplishments, then he never should have become a Democrat.
JPL
@Chuckles: It’s the first time in my life that I defended Reagan, so you are not alone.
also.. maybe the second since I didn’t mind his role in “King’s Row”
Tommy
@BillinGlendaleCA: My parents didn’t take me to Disney World. They took me hiking and camping. I’ve been close to every state in the nation.Did it in a car. Often at times in that darn station wagon.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Schlemazel: Band on the Run is pretty good from end to end. Harrison didn’t get alot of song on Beatles albums, so when the band broke up, he had a shit ton of stuff. That’s the reason that All Things Must Pass is a triple album. He even had some stuff he wrote while with the Beatles that didn’t make an album until much later, see Not Guilty.
Baud
@mdblanche:
I usually don’t, but for those whose tenure in office is defined by their lifetime, what choice is there?
But I’d settle for court packing — for civility’s sake.
Hawes
The boy is Mitt and by the laying of hands upon him, St Ronaldus Maximus cured him of empathy, originality and compassion.
Praise be Saint Ronaldus Maximus!
BillinGlendaleCA
@Tommy: Pretty much the same with me, even though I grew up 50 miles from Disneyland. In my first 15 years, I think we went to Disneyland 3 times.
p.a.
@Schlemazel: I think they were a damn good R&R band, but I always have considered psychedelia wrongheaded.
Mike J
Speaking of politicians with kids, I fucking hate that dumbfuck Fred guy from Tennessee. He does this commercial trying to convince elderly people to get ripped off by a reverse mortgage company. He’s strolling along beside the lake or some shit, and has a kid with him. Then he does that, “isn’t that right Billy?” thing that always pissed me off. You don’t give a shit what Billy thinks. If Billy dared to offer up an opinion that was different Fred would disown him and probably send him off to military school until he learned to keep his mouth shut. As a kid, I always marked the people who patronized us like bunny rabbits down as assholes.
(Yes, I know it’s scripted, and not necessarily a reflection on Fred. But he’s playing himself and is very, very convincing as an asshole.)
StringOnAStick
@Jebediah, RBG: I suppose none of us should be shocked that David Gregory is now a hireling of No Labels, if only for that panel moderating gig. And now he has a sudden attack of truth-telling about the Villagers?
Tommy
@Comrade Scrutinizer: LOL. It still runs I might add. Maybe the best piece of computer hardware I ever bought.
Jebediah, RBG
@Baud:
@Cervantes:
I had to look a couple times to be sure I was seeing correctly. Maybe he wants to re-position himself as a scrappy outsider?
mdblanche
@Jebediah, RBG: If only David Gregory were in a position to report on politics himself, or was in one until recently, I’m just sure he’d show all those lazy hacks a thing or two.
Baud
@Jebediah, RBG:
My hunch.
Baud
Is hunch a banned word?
Cervantes
@mdblanche: His talent for waiting by the telephone was second only to Tim Russert’s.
Gene108
@Violet:
If you go to the bottom of the article someone linked some footage of an event, wher Gov. Reagan hosted Gov. Romney at his personal residence in California. The background and outfits of the Romneys and Reagan’s seems to match the photo.
So as to why Nancy being sleaveless is no big deal, while Michelle forced right-wingers to see something they could never unsee, I’m reaching here, is because Nancy is in her own home and Michelle was on government time.
Baud
Moderation help please
Jebediah, RBG
@StringOnAStick:
In defense of his obvious integrity, I can’t think of any recent event, certainly nothing employment related, that would account for a sudden change of heart about pushing the narrative.
Baud
I mistyped my email address, so I now have a bunch of comments in moderation. Please free or delete. Thanks.
Tommy
@BillinGlendaleCA: I am a hiker guy. I walk a lot around. I always think my parents put that into me. Very happy about that.
Jebediah, RBG
@mdblanche:
I know! Sadly, with counterfactuals like that, we can never know for sure.
Violet
@mdblanche: Yes, what a shame David Gregory has never been in a position to comment on politics or veer from the “set narrative in Washington media.” Real travesty.
Cervantes
@Gene108:
That’s the event, you’re exactly right.
Nice try! Reagan was Governor of California at the time.
Hal
I was listening to Here and Now on NPR on my drive to work today, and host Robin Young referenced a poll regarding Scotland’s referendum saying the the no vote was at 52% while the yes was 48%.
According to Young, this makes them statistically tied. Her implication being the vote could really go either way. This is one of my big pet peeves with the media. This need to create a horse race between two competing candidates or referendums. Ralph Reed was on On Point several months ago and when one of the hosts mentioned polling showing support for gay marriage at 51% and against at 47%, Reed said that because of margin of error, they were tied. No challenge from the hosts.
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/10/one-last-encore-great-statistical-tie-fallacy
Violet
@Gene108: Thanks for letting me know about the video. That’s definitely it and you can see who the kid is pretty clearly, although that doesn’t tell me much. Just look like a kid.
I’m struck that Reagan looks like George Clooney–or the other way around. If there’s some Reagan biopic thing, Clooney could play him.
And yeah, I’m sure there’s nothing else about Michelle Obama that would drive the wingnuts crazy. Nothing at all. Can’t think of a thing. Nope.
Baud
@Jebediah, RBG:
So I decided to Google No Label’s National Strategic Agenda:
That is literally the entirety of the substance of the National Strategic Agenda.
And this is precious:
Really, read the whole thing. It’s amazing.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Cervantes: The Reagan’s only briefly were the last residents of the CA governors mansion. Nancy hated the place and they lived in a house in the SacTown area. They built a new governor’s mansion in Carmichael, but it was completed after St. Ronnie’s term was over and Gov. Jerry never moved into it. It was disparaged as looking like a supermarket and was eventually sold.
StringOnAStick
@Tommy: Tommy, I’m of the hiking tribe as well but I came by it on my own. There are few activities that are as good for you as plain old walking with a purpose! In 2 months we plan to be hiking to 16,000′ and hopefully 19,000′ in Ecuador, though the latter veers into technical glacier travel stuff that requires a guide; neither of us are novices at that sort of thing though. We’re trying to fit in as many of our local 14,000′ peaks as we can for training, plus fall is the best for that sort of thing around here – fewer lightning storms. Fall in Colorado is usually long and gorgeous.
Violet
@Baud: No Labels is such a dumb name. It sounds like a group for people who don’t like wearing logos on their clothes.
BillinGlendaleCA
@Tommy: I went hiking alot when I was a teen, though not as much after college. I’ve started walking around town and into the developments that go into the hills. I’m trying to get my wife and the kid to try some hikes in Griffith Park. The wife isn’t too enthused about it, the kid is willing but scheduling is a problem with her.
Cervantes
@BillinGlendaleCA: Sure, but my point, if you want to call it that, was that, by virtue of their respective husbands’ employment, Nancy was as much on government time when the photo was taken as Michelle is now.
Schlemazel
@Cervantes:
over 50 I take it? :) Eh, it was a cheap joke but I like it.
Mike J
@Violet:
Close: It’s for people who are embarrassed to call themselves Republicans.
Cervantes
@Schlemazel:
Cheap or not, it’s not a problem. Jokes at my expense don’t bother me in the least. Carry on.
Baud
@Violet:
I’d like to work for them. I feel like I could make good money doing very little.
Schlemazel
@BillinGlendaleCA:
I know tastes differ, I can’t name 12 songs from L/M solo that I want on my iPod. Maybe thats just me, M sure sold a ton of sewage since then so someone must be buying. I knew that Harrison had that backlog (and shame on L/M for not making H part of their team). But I will defend my original statement, Harrison has more good songs than the other two put together post breakup.
Schlemazel
@Hawes:
THIS is why we need like buttons!
scav
@Mike J: Or maybe for the wild ones that live dangerously and remove the tags from their mattresses and pillows.
Cervantes
@BillinGlendaleCA: Also, re the following:
The house where the photo was taken was (and is) at 1669 San Onofre Drive, in Pacific Palisades.
Violet
@Mike J: I know that. But the name is ridiculous. A group that identifies itself with the first word “No” is just stupid. Every lifeguard knows you say “Walk” to people around the pool–you don’t say “Don’t Run.” All people hear then is “run.” That’s just how human brains work. Same thing here–they may think they’re saying “No Labels” but what people hear is “labels.”
And if you can get past that idiocy, their name is just stupid. They’re not FOR anything. They’re AGAINST labels. That’s all we know. What kind of labels? On food? Name tags? Clothing? There’s nothing about the name that indicates politics. You have to know what they’re about even to guess. It’s just dumb.
Splitting Image
Martin’s main contribution was standing back and letting the boys grow as musicians instead of forcing them to sing songs written by professional songwriters. That’s what turned them from a good cover band into a formidable songwriting team.
That said, my impression is that both Lennon and McCartney were fiercely competitive and did their best work when they were in real danger of being shown up by the other one when they brought their material into the studio. Both suffered badly by not having the other around. McCartney’s most memorable work is the stuff he did with Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, and Elvis Costello, who could capably fill the role Lennon did, and I think that Lennon spent a few years under the impression that Yoko Ono would do the same for him. His catalogue from 1970-75 is probably the most underwhelming of any of the four ex-Beatles’. Not that there aren’t some real gems in there, just that it’s hard to look at without seeing a lot of wasted potential.
Harrison’s work on the Concert For Bangladesh and Handmade Films (which includes most of the Monty Python movie catalogue) makes him the most important and influential ex-Beatle by a country mile. Oh, and All Things Must Pass.
As for music I’ve re-evaluated over the years, Avalon by Roxy Music has become a personal favourite. Duran Duran’s music was ruined for me back in the 80s by my older sister playing them night and day for two years, but I’ve given the first two albums a few spins recently and really enjoyed them.
Amir Khalid
@Rathskeller:
You’ve been coming here long enough, surely, to know that we the Juicitariat take pleasure in thinking unclean thoughts.
Schlemazel
@Cervantes:
oh, it was meant to be a joke WITH you not AT you.
Cervantes
@Violet:
So when someone says “Never again” with reference to the Holocaust, what you hear is “Again”?
Mnemosyne
@Cervantes:
Given recent events in Gaza, it’s kind of hard not to.
Mike J
@Violet: I was very surprised that the list of things they’re for didn’t include ponies. They like to talk about a balanced budget and keeping social security solvent, but they refuse to publicly state how they want to do it.
Saying you want a balanced budget is a semantically null statement if you don’t address how you want to accomplish it. And that’s without even thinking about how you make Republicans accept anything that would be good for the country if a Democrat suggests it.
Hal
Given Newt’s track record, Dems just might do OK this fall.
Is Rand Paul on some shit list now? I wonder how much longer he can be his pure Libertarian self vs a conservative Republican.
Rachel Maddow had a really interesting question on her show recently regarding Rand Paul. She wondered if Paul was really a legitimate candidate for President, or was he in the business of running for President like his daddy. I’m wondering the same thing more and more as time goes on.
Violet
@Cervantes: It’s contextual. In the case of the lifeguard I mentioned above they are trying to get someone’s attention for a safety issue. If they say “Don’t run” people will hear “run”. That’s how the brain works. “Run” is a verb and it’ll be heard first. The “don’t” may not be heard depending on what other neurological input is happening. “Walk” will be heard more dependably, however, so that’s what lifeguards say.
As for “Never again,” it is meaningless without context. Never again what? Overeating at a buffet? Flying internationally with a toddler? People often say “never again” about any number of things. If you want people to know you’re talking about the Holocaust you have to provide context. If, in the context of a conversation about the Holocaust you say “never again” then people will probably hear it correctly because it’s contextual.
As for No Labels, if it’s in the context of a conversation about political organizations or new political parties or something, and gets introduced as a political group then it might get overlooked as a stupid name. If you knock on a door and say, “I’m with No Labels,” I’d expect people to look at you funny. You’d have to provide plenty of context. It doesn’t explain itself. There are plenty of better names they could have chosen.
bemused
Huh, I thought no labels was fizzling out but they have unending optimism and cash. The money they spend to keep the money at the top would feed a whole lot of people.
I admit to laughing at dumb 12 year old humor but 12 year olds would probably call that picture pretty lame.
Baud
@bemused:
No Labels exists in press only, IMHO.
bemused
@Baud:
Pretty much and in their own minds. Why, oh why, won’t anyone listen to me?!
Bob In Portland
Read it, Mnem.
Bob In Portland
And this.
I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet
@Bob In Portland: That’s the same linky as the one you gave in #96.
Try again?
Cheers,
Scott.
Villago Delenda Est
@Baud: Nary a clue as how to get there, of course.
Platitudes are so fucking helpful. Not surprising that an empty dickweek like David Gregory would land with them.
Villago Delenda Est
@Hal: It’s the grift. Always has been, always will be.
David in NY
@Cervantes: I think people who don’t get it also wouldn’t have gotten The Realist. At all.
Cervantes
@David in NY: I agree.