Political Irony

Nancy Reagan always had something of an undeserved reputation as a dutiful but meek wife, probably because of the way she looked adoringly at Ronnie whenever they appeared in public together. But on Friday, Reagan showed that she can still be dutiful while also making it clear how she really feels. She appeared with McCain and endorsed him with the less-than-exuberant words:

Ronnie and I always waited until everything was decided, and then we endorsed. Well, obviously this is the nominee of the party.

That’s all she said during the entire event. Why the freezer treatment from the former first lady? It turns out that Nancy Reagan is good friends with McCain’s first wife Carol. You know, the one he cheated on and then dumped (along with his daughter) for the much younger, much richer Cindy. Nancy even hired Carol McCain as a press assistant after Carol was dumped. In his memoirs, John McCain says:

My divorce from Carol, whom the Reagans loved, caused a change in our relationship. Nancy … was particularly upset with me and treated me on the few occasions we encountered each other after I came to Congress with a cool correctness that made her displeasure clear. I had, of course, deserved the change in our relationship.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-divorce11-2008jul11,0,5924926,full.story

http://www.demconwatchblog.com/2008/07/sunday-with-senators-sports-edition.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/05/AR2008100502589.html