Obama Apologizes To Nancy Reagan For Joke About Seances

UPDATE: AL BROOKS: LIGHTEN UP AMERICA

WASHINGTON — President-elect Obama called Nancy Reagan on Friday to apologize for joking that she held seances in the White House.

At a news conference in Chicago, Obama said he had spoken with all the living presidents as he prepares to take office in January. Then he smiled and said, "I didn't want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about doing any seances."

The 87-year-old former first lady had consulted with astrologers during her husband's presidency. But she did not hold conversations with the dead.

Obama spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said the president-elect later called Mrs. Reagan "to apologize for the careless and offhanded remark." She said Obama "expressed his admiration and affection for Mrs. Reagan that so many Americans share, and they had a warm conversation."

It actually wasn't Nancy Reagan who was linked to conversations with the dead; it was Obama's top Democratic challenger for the presidency, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.

In either case, use of the word "seance" might be overstated.

Nancy Reagan consulted an astrologer to help set her husband's schedule, wrote former White House chief of staff Donald T. Regan. The revelation created a furor and President Reagan even broke with his policy of not commenting on books by former White House staffers.

"No policy or decision in my mind has ever been influenced by astrology," Reagan said.

In his book "The Choice," Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward described how Clinton consulted with a spiritual adviser who led her through imaginary conversations with her personal hero, Eleanor Roosevelt. Newsweek magazine, which was promoting the book, characterized the visits as "seances," a term that White House officials quickly tried to squelch.

"These were people who were helping her laugh, helping her think," said Neel Lattimore, Clinton's spokeswoman. "These were not seances."

Comments

[nerakami]

I just wish we weren't so uptight... I think humor will go a long way in helping us get through these truly difficult times... The main thing is NEVER to intentionally be mean-spirited about it or to deliberately belittle someone else....

but truly we can't be watching every word that comes out of his mouth to pick apart because God knows, we're going to end up taking the joy and spirit out of the man and he will just become another typical politician and not the inspirational voice we so desperately need to hear from time to time to keep us engaged and fired up ....

[forthepeople1]

Yes he can.

He said it. He apologized. It over. Move on!

[JohnKevari]

KEVARI SNOWFLAKES

Although it was unintentional, I think Obama's little Joke could turn out to be a good thing for Liberals.

First off, how many times have conservatives made funny comments about liberal icons we find objectionable? A million I suppose.

Do we ever do anything?

Of course not.

When the right-wingers question John Kerry's war record-------- WE SAY NOTHING.

When the right-wingers attack Max Cleland------- WE SAY NOTHING.

But God forbid we should even criticize one of the heroes of the conservative movement! If we do it is a national scandal.

If we are lucky; the right-wingers will play this to the hilt. All of the right wing radio guys and columnists will spend the next week or so telling their listeners and readers how offended they were that the "smart-mouthed" Obama dare say anything about Nancy Reagan other than she's a saint.

BUT GUESS WHAT

Nancy Reagan did consult with astrologers. Read Bob Woodward's "SHADOW: Five Presidents And The Legacy Of Watergate" and you'll learn first hand how Nancy wouldn't allow her "beloved Ronnie" to hold a news conference until it was cleared by the White House Astrologer.

Now does the average "Evangelical Christian" know this? The group that is the base of the GOP?

Of course not. But if the right-wingers want to talk about it, the news media just might have to reacquaint the public with the stories of Nancy and her tarot-card Advisor.

[Scott1560]

Astrology is seen by most as something fun & entertaining. Most newspapers & magazines have sections devoted to it. There is no dark connotation to it for the masses. However, Ouija boads, seances, communicating with the dead tend to evoke dark, evil, sinister thoughts & emotions. There is a vast dif between the two. Getting the names wrong on who practices the darker art is pretty difficult to do given the press coverage of the past..
And I've posted it before.........Google Podesta along w/aliens, UFOs, etc..

[Sherzie]

Fodder for Leno, Lederman et.al.
This week alone - calling himself a 'mutt' and his reference to seances!
He's human, but he's a smart and competent human.

[Ramirez]

They will give the O a pass and just rehash the Nancy Reagan jokes.

[pattyfish]

He looked really tired and it was a dumb joke.....I cringed and now let us move on......

[Danvanh]

Sometimes apologizing just makes it worse... it likes screaming out, "I was wrong, I was bad, I am sorry". There are those who can't wait to jump on you for that. Remember "sweetie gate"? yeah, pathetic CNN was referring to it as "sweetie gate", when in reality it was really nothing but Obama made it something by calling and apologizing.

[mcfried]

Very classy- it was nice to apologize. He is a better person than I am.

[billyboil]

Get a life, seppos!
Your country's going to ruins, and you are focussed on a trivial joke?
I guess when you ain't got the brains to deal with the real issues, you get stuck on the crap.
Viva Obama!

[acslaterson]

He had to apologize for that? No offense, but if you are in the White House and you do stuff like that you should be criticized.

[forthepeople1]

WHOOP DE DOO.....It wasn't that serious. PERIOD!!!

The man just lost his grandmother, has to bury her this weekend, and pull together a team of folks to push his agendas forward, and is facing some serious issues to fix. Everybody that is anybody is in his ear. He's probably had little sleep, and a zillion things running through his mind while he tries to understand the economy and foreign issues at hand. Under the circumstances, he did well.

[acslaterson]

I meant the former First Lady, not President Elect Obama. ;-)

[CNBCSucks]

I think the sensitivity was around low-information people thinking Barry was making fun of Nancy holding seances to talk with the late Ronald Reagan (my first Presidential hero), when the President-Elect (my second Presidential hero) was actually referring to her reported association with astrology. Barry was smart to apologize immediately, but the joke was innocuous at best.

Re-elect Obama in 2012!

[ljmoffice]

I have to admit...I cringed when I heard it...not like him. He was probably more than a bit nervous. This will pass quickly. Too much other news on the horizon.

[forthepeople1]

Whoop de doo, who cares? He said it. He apologized. Move on.
It's over and onto more important things!

[carlgt1]

Faux News chyron running now about this -- "YOUNG BLACK MAN BEATS ELDERLY WHITE WOMAN!"

[klandish]

"Faux News destroys Journalistic Ethic"

[forthepeople1]

WHOOP DE DOO.....

The man just lost his grandmother, has to bury her this weekend, and pull together a team of folks to push his agendas forward, and is facing some serious issues to fix. Everybody that is anybody is in his ear. He's probably had little sleep, and a zillion things running through his mind while he tries to understand the economy and foreign issues at hand. Under the circumstances, he did well.

[AlFranken4Senator]

Never, never, never, never ever apologize to a Republican.

[forthepeople1]

Agreed. They probably wouldn't return the favor. But OBAMA is gracious. He just needs rest and to continue to be careful/cautious.

[nextpres08]

This whole Nancy Reagan thing is just stupid. After he said it CNN jumped right on it. Why?? He didn't mean the woman no harm people. He was just trying to make a joke (maybe not the best joke) but he's human.

He had to apologize because he is a classy guy and I think he knew that the right wingers would jump all over this considering they are jumping all over everything he has done since winning the election last tuesday.

They need to get a LIFE.