“We have lost a great president, a great American, and a great man, and I have lost a dear friend.

In his lifetime, Ronald Reagan was such a cheerful and invigorating presence that it was easy to forget what daunting historic tasks he set himself. He sought to mend America’s wounded spirit, to restore the strength of the free world, and to free the slaves of communism… His policies had a freshness and optimism that won converts from every class and every nation, and ultimately, from the very heart of the ‘evil empire.’

He won the Cold War, not only without firing a shot, but also by inviting enemies out of their fortress and turning them into friends.”