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PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH

"This is a sad hour in the life of America. A great American life has come to an end."


"Ronald Regan won America's respect with his greatness, and won its love with his goodness. He had the confidence that comes with conviction, the strength that comes with character, the grace that comes with humility, and the humor that comes with wisdom. He leaves behind a nation he restored and a world he helped save.


"During the years of President Reagan, America laid to rest an era of division and self-doubt. And because of his leadership, the world laid to rest an era of fear and tyranny."



BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR

"At home his vision and leadership restored national self-confidence and brought some significant changes to U.S. politics while abroad the negotiation of arms control agreements in his second term and his statesman-like pursuit of more stable relations with the Soviet Union helped bring about the end of the Cold War."



FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND SENATOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, who called Reagan "a true American original."

"Hillary and I will always remember President Ronald Reagan for the way he personified the indomitable optimism of the American people, and for keeping America at the forefront of the fight for freedom for people everywhere."




SENATE MAJORITY LEADER BILL FRIST

"Above all, he was a true patriot, whose endless optimism inspired America's continued ascent to greatness. Undoubtedly, Ronald Reagan has left an indelible mark on our country and our global community."


SENATE MINORITY LEADER TOM DASCHLE

"America has lost an icon. Ronald Reagan's leadership will inspire Americans for generations to come. His patriotism and devotion to our country will never be forgotten."



FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER

"He will be missed not only by those who knew him and not only by the nation that he served so proudly and loved so deeply, but also by millions of men and women who live in freedom today because of the policies he pursued.


"Ronald Reagan had a higher claim than any other leader to have won the Cold War for liberty and he did it without a shot being fired."




FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC

"A great statesman who through the strength of his convictions and his commitment to democracy will leave a deep mark in history."



QUEEN ELIZABETH OF BRITAIN

"The Queen is saddened by the news," said a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman.



DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JOHN KERRY

"Ronald Reagan's love of country was infectious. Even when he was breaking Democrats hearts, he did so with a smile and in the spirit of honest and open debate."


DEMOCRAT SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY OF MASSACHUSETTS

"We often disagreed on issues of the day, but I had immense respect and admiration for his leadership and his extraordinary ability to inspire the nation to live up to its high ideals."



LT. COL OLIVER NORTH, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL OFFICIAL under Reagan

"Ronald Reagan was easily the greatest president of my lifetime -- and he will be regarded as one of the greatest leaders this country has ever had.

"...a man of extraordinary vision, great compassion and resolute leadership. He brought down the Evil Empire and made the world safer for my children and theirs."

MIGUEL D'ESCOTO, former foreign minister in Nicaragua's revolutionary Sandinista government of the 1980s when America was shipping money to the opposition, known as the Contras, called Reagan an "imperialist president."

"There is not the least doubt that President Reagan did Nicaragua much harm, caused many deaths.

"He may not have had much time or inclination to regret the damage he did, but regardless of that we ask God to take pity on his soul."

ADOLFO CALERO, former member of the U.S.-backed Contra rebel leadership

"After Vietnam, the United States was crestfallen, and he raised the spirits of the North Americans, he made them believe in their country, made them believe in themselves. For me his chief legacy is the tenacity with which he faced the world problem of communism, he beat it ... and freed a great number of countries from the communist yoke."

MICHAEL REAGAN, adopted son of actress Jane Wyman and Ronald Reagan

"I am the luckiest man in the world to have had him as father and to think that I was not born into this family but that I was chosen to be part of his family by Ronald Reagan."



U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL.

"President Reagan fueled the spirit of America. His smile, his optimism, his total belief in the ultimate triumph of democracy and freedom, and his willingness to act on that belief, helped end the Cold War and usher in a new and brighter phase of history."



FORMER CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER BRIAN MULRONEY

"He was... a delightful and loyal friend, a great joy to be with. He made clearly an unmistakable mark not only on history, but on the lives of everyone here today.



CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER PAUL MARTIN

"His wit, warmth and unique capacity to communicate helped to make him one of the most influential figures in the second half of the 20th century."



HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER TOM DELAY

"Like all heroes, Ronald Reagan's greatness was an extension of his goodness and billions of people around the world owe their freedom to both."



FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE SHULTZ

"He taught us the importance of freedom and sticking with it in the political life and economic life. He taught us the importance of security and we learned that it is attainable."



JAMES BAKER, FORMER TREASURY SECRETARY

"President Reagan restored America's source of pride and confidence in itself ... His willingness to stick to his principles changed the world."

Some Quotations From Ronald Reagan
By The Associated Press

Some quotations from Ronald Reagan





"This is the issue of this election: whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan for ourselves." — Oct. 27, 1964, televised speech for GOP presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.


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"I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Breen." — When someone tried to turn off his microphone at a Reagan-sponsored debate during 1980 New Hampshire primaries.


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"We have to move ahead, but we are not going to leave anyone behind." — Republican National Convention, July 1980


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"There you go again." — Responding to criticism during debate with President Carter, October 1980.


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"Government is not the solution, it's the problem." — Inaugural address, Jan. 20, 1981


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"All of us need to be reminded that the federal government did not create the states, the states created the federal government. ... Steps will be taken aimed a restoring the balance between the various levels of government." — Inaugural address, Jan. 20, 1981.


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"Honey, I forgot to duck." — To Nancy Reagan in the emergency room after he was shot by a would-be assassin, March 30, 1981.


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"It's just plain common sense that there be a waiting period to allow local law enforcement officials to conduct background checks on those who wish to buy a handgun." — Endorsing the Brady handgun control bill, at a March 1991 event commemorating 10th anniversary of assassination attempt.


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"Some argue that we should encourage democratic change in right-wing dictatorships, but not in Communist regimes. Well, to accept this preposterous notion — as some well-meaning people have — is to invite the argument that once countries achieve a nuclear capability, they should be allowed an undisturbed reign of terror over their own citizens. We reject this course." — June 1982 speech to British Parliament.

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"I was pleased last year to proclaim 1983 the year of the Bible. But, you know, a group called the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites)) severely criticized me for doing that. Well, I wear their indictment like a badge of honor." — January 1984.

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"I've always stated that the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth is a government program." — April 1986

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"A (nuclear weapons) freeze now would be a very dangerous fraud, for that is merely the illusion of peace. The reality is that we must find peace through strength. ...

"I urge you to beware the temptation of pride, the temptation of blithely declaring yourselves above it all and label both sides equally at fault, to ignore the facts of history and the aggressive impulses of an evil empire, to simply call the arms race a giant misunderstanding and thereby remove yourself from the struggle between right and wrong and good and evil. ...

"I believe that communism is another sad, bizarre chapter in human history whose last pages even now are being written." — Speech to the National Association of Evangelicals, March 1983. (He wrote six years later that "I could not in good conscience today call the Soviet Union an evil empire.")

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"If you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate ... open this gate ... tear down this wall." — June 1987 speech at Brandenberg Gate in Berlin. Remarks addressed to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

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"By 1980, we knew it was time to renew our faith; to strive with all our strength toward the ultimate of individual freedom, consistent with an orderly society.

"We believed then and now: There are no limits to growth and human progress, when men and women are free to follow their dreams. And we were right to believe that. Tax rates have been reduced, inflation cut dramatically and more people are employed than ever before in our history.

"We are creating a nation once again vibrant, robust, and alive. There are many mountains yet to climb. We will not rest until every American enjoys the fullness of freedom, dignity, and opportunity as our birthright. It is our birthright as citizens of this great republic." — Second inaugural address, Jan. 21, 1985

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"The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge — and pray God we have not lost it — that there is a profound moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest." — On 40th anniversary of Normandy invasion, June 6, 1984.

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"Sending the Marines to Beirut was the source of my greatest regret and greatest sorrow." — About the Lebanon bombing that killed 241 servicemen in 1983, from his 1990 book, "An American Life"

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"The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for the journey and waved goodbye and 'slipped the surly bonds of earth' to 'touch the face of God.'" — After shuttle disaster, Jan. 28, 1986.

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"A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that is true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not." — March 4, 1987, speech acknowledging dealings with Iran had deteriorated into an arms for hostages deal

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"You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You put things in perspective. You pull your energies together. You change. You go forward. My fellow Americans, I have a great deal that I want to accomplish with you and for you over the next two years. And, the Lord willing, that's exactly what I intend to do." — March 4, 1987, speech acknowledging dealings with Iran had deteriorated into an arms for hostages deal

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"I did not see it as trading arms for hostages because we were dealing with Iranian intermediaries, not the kidnappers themselves. I know it may be a fine line to most people, but it's what I believed then and what I still believe." — About the Iran-Contra affair, from his 1989 book, "Speaking My Mind"

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"My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes." — Joke while testing microphone, Aug. 11, 1984

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"So, you can see why, to me, the story of these last eight years and this presidency goes far beyond any personal concerns. It is a continuation, really, of a far larger story, a story of a people and a cause. A cause that, from our earliest beginnings, has defined us as a nation and given purpose to our national existence. The hope of human freedom, the quest for it, the achievement of it, is the American saga." — Last weekly radio address as president, Jan. 14, 1989.

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"If I ache, it's because we are apart and yet that can't be because you are inside and a part of me, so we really aren't apart at all. Yet I ache but wouldn't be without the ache, because that would mean being without you and that I can't be because I love you." — 1963 letter to his wife, Nancy, quoted in 2000 book "I Love You, Ronnie."

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"In closing let me thank you, the American people, for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your president. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead." — Nov. 5, 1994, announcing he had Alzheimer's disease (news - web sites).