Tom Harkin: “our Nation has come together this week to mourn the passing of former President Ronald Reagan. However anticipated his…”

“our Nation has come together this week to mourn the passing of former President Ronald Reagan. However anticipated his death may have been, it is still a profound loss for the Reagan family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all and especially with former First Lady Nancy Reagan. However, knowing the kind of man Ronald Reagan was, knowing his relentless optimism and his sunny disposition, something tells me he would prefer that Americans spend this week remembering and celebrating his unique character and quality. ``America in mourning'' just does not seem Reaganesque because Ronald Reagan was always about ``morning in America.'' He always looked at the bright side of every situation or circumstance. I remember the story he told about the little boy who walked into a barn and encountered a huge pile of manure. The boy, who was not the least bit disappointed, broke into a big smile and said: I just know there is a pony in here somewhere. That was the Ronald Reagan we remember and admire. Iowans relate strongly to Ronald Reagan because his roots were our roots.”