Ron Reagan Jr.: Bush Hater?

Republicans were dismayed to hear Ron Reagan Jr. deliver what sounded like a rebuke to President Bush during a final tribute before his father was buried on Friday.

Referring to his dad as "a deeply, unabashedly religious man," the Reagan son added, "But he never made the mistake, the fatal mistake of so many politicians - wearing his faith on his sleeve to gain political advantage. ... "

"He accepted [his faith] as a responsibility, not a mandate," noted the presidential son. "And there is a profound difference."

Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley said there was no doubt the comments were a slap at Bush, but noted that Reagan Jr. "is somebody who's on the left more than on the right."

"He's never been in lockstep with his father or his father's legacy," Brinkley told WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg.

In fact, Bush supporters should probably consider themselves lucky that Ron Jr. was able to keep his Bush-bashing under wraps for as long as he did.

Commenting on the president's nomination four years ago, a less restrained Ron Jr. asked sarcastically: "What's his accomplishment? That he's no longer an obnoxious drunk?"

A for President Reagan's religion, he was indeed unabashed when it came to his Christian faith. He was the first president in over a century who openly professed his faith in "Jesus Christ." He used almost every major public opportunity to invoke God, God's name or prayer.

One of his most famous speeches, where he called the Soviet Union an 'Evil Empire', was at a conference of Evangelical ministers.

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