Monday, June 07, 2004

A Bowling Green attorney has a special connection to the former president whose death the country is mourning. Herb Smith met Ronald Reagan who died Saturday after a 10-year battle with Alzheimers when Reagan spoke at a free enterprise fair in Bowling Green on Sept. 23, 1977. About 7,000 Western Kentucky University students gathered, along with the rest of the community, to hear the future president speak. He talked about his philosophy about how to run the country if he became president, Smith said. It was one of his normal speeches. Smith served as Reagans host and source of transportation when he was visiting. Before coming to Bowling Green, Reagan was in Des Moines, Iowa, and would need a way to get to Kentucky and then to New York City. Smith quickly raised some money and called a pilot who flew for Fruit of the Loom, and they took a plane to pick up the future president in Iowa. Smith recalls a moment when Reagan realized he had been on that particular plane before he recognized the gold fixtures in the planes bathroom. Turns out, Fruit of the Loom had bought that plane from Frank Sinatra, Smith said. The two remained in contact and, as a gesture of thanks, Reagan later invited Smith to a sit-down dinner at the White House. He had a hell of a lot of sense, Smith said. He was one of the most interesting men Ive ever known or talked to. Reagan preferred to stay in a Ramada Inn, rather than at Smiths house, during his stay in Bowling Green. However, Smith said Reagan did spend a few hours talking to Smith in his home. He had two aides with him, Smith said. After the banquet at Western, he stayed two or three hours at my house and we talked about banking, inflation, investing and Jimmy Carter. Smith said he even recommended an economic adviser to Reagan named Jerry Jordan, whom Reagan did appoint. At the time, Reagan was in the middle of his political career. After serving as Californias governor from 1967 to 1975, Reagan announced he was vying for the Republican nomination in the 1976 presidential election. He lost the candidacy to then-President Gerald Ford, who lost the election to Democrat Jimmy Carter. Reagan visited Bowling Green again on Oct. 21, 1988, to campaign for then-presidential candidate George H.W. Bush. About 13,000 people packed Westerns E.A. Diddle Arena to hear him, and more gathered outside at the oversold event. He did his standard speech on God, patriotism, strong national defense and the flag, said Jonathan Jeffrey, special collections librarian at Western. He also focused on the achievements of his administration. Smith said he was upset when Reagan died. But theres no question in my mind that he was one of the greatest presidents of this century, he said.  Daily News ·813 College St. ·PO Box 90012 ·Bowling Green, KY ·42102 ·270-781-1700