John Kerry made disparaging remarks after viewing Ronald Reagan's casket as the former president's body lay in repose at his presidential library.
After the passing of former president Ronald Reagan in June 2004, John Kerry - then a Democratic candidate for president - cancelled scheduled campaign events and suspended his campaign activities for a week as a display of respect for the former president. Senator Kerry also made a visit to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, to pay his respects as President Reagan's body lay in repose at the presidential library, and the Senator attended the state funeral held for the former president a few days later at Washington's National Cathedral. The words quoted above were never spoken by Senator Kerry; they're an e-mailed excerpt taken from a spoof news article ('Kerry Endures Heat and Low-Life Scum to Make Sure Reagan is Really Dead') published on kerrycore.com, a John Kerry parody site. What the press reported Senator Kerry actually said at the time he visited the Reagan Library was: 'I didn't agree with a lot of the things he was doing, obviously,' Kerry said of Reagan, whom he called a 'very likable guy.' But he added that he got along well with the Republican, was able to work with him and visited the White House a number of times during his two terms.
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