President Bush speaks at Air Force One exhibit
By Daniel Wolowicz danielw@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers VIPs VISIT SO. CALIF.—President George W. Bush, flanked by former First Lady Nancy Reagan, left, and First Lady Laura Bush, shares conversation with Mrs. Reagan during last Friday’s grand opening ceremonies of the new Air Force One exhibit at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

With President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush standing at her side, former First Lady Nancy Reagan lifted the silverplated scissors and snipped the ribbon stretched across the entrance of the Air Force One airplane now on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley.

The ribbon cutting was part of an all-day event last Friday to celebrate the opening of the library’s newest addition.

“I am proud to stand in this magnificent pavilion that is now home to a celebrated symbol of democracy and freedom,” Bush said during his speech to some 700 supporters and officials. “It was President Reagan’s dream to share Air Force One with the American people by bringing this plane to his presidential library.”

Bush spoke about the famed Boeing 707 and its place in American history. Although the plane flew for nearly 30 years and served seven presidents, it was Reagan who used the plane most extensively, particularly during the last years of the Cold War.

“This plane brought President Reagan to Berlin, where he challenged General Secretary (Mikhail) Gorbachev to ‘tear down this wall,’” Bush said. “This plane has found a home beneath the Pacific sky alongside the president she so ably served. It’s appropriate that this symbol of American strength, resilience and optimism has come to rest at the library that bears Ronald Reagan’s name.”

The president’s speech compared Reagan’s battle against communism to America’s current war on terrorism.

“Because of Ronald Reagan’s leadership, America prevailed in the 20th century’s great struggle of wills, and now in this new century, our freedom is once again being tested by determined enemies,” Bush said. “Like the ideology of communism, Islamic radicalism is doomed to fail.”

Nancy Reagan reminisced about her time spent aboard Air Force One during her eight years as first lady. She recalled the thrill of her first flight aboard Air Force One and the mixed emotions of her final flight home.

“The completion of this project is the realization of Ronnie’s dream: to attract individuals from all walks of life to his library so they might learn about the presidency and American leadership in the world,” Reagan said.

A fly-over by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds capped the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Before Bush left later that afternoon, he visited Reagan’s gravesite.

A number of top-ranking political officials attended, including former California Gov. Pete Wilson, former U.S. Attorney Gen. Edwin Meese, along with U.S. Representatives Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) and David Dreier (R-San Dimas).

Also in attendance were entertainment mogul Merv Griffin, Forbes magazine editor-in-chief Steve Forbes and Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens.

Although invited, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger did not attend. Schwarzenegger said he was preparing for the upcoming state election and needed time to campaign for the four initiatives he is supporting on the Nov. 8 ballot.

While thanking local officials for hosting the event, Bush chided Simi Valley Mayor Paul Miller about the condition of the city’s roads, advising Miller to “fill the potholes.”

Miller said the president’s remark was “in jest” and did not offer any further comment.

The Boeing 707, which dominates the three-story pavilion and faces out of the 30-foot-high glass wall overlooking Simi Valley, was commissioned in 1973 and was first used by President Richard Nixon. Air Force One flew over 1.3 million miles before it was decommissioned in 2001 by Bush.

In his first four years as president, Reagan flew more than 120 official trips and visited some 200 cities at home and abroad. He eventually logged 211 missions on Air Force One.

Visitors can now tour the inside of the plane, which has been refurbished to look exactly as it had when used by Reagan. Details aboard the plane include candy jars filled with jelly beans, the president’s flight jacket and even a letter personally written by Reagan still attached to the pad of paper he used aboard the plane.

Deconstruction of the plane began in 2003 and took nearly two years to be reconstructed in the 87,000-square-foot pavilion.

The Air Force One display also includes Marine One––a Sikorsky helicopter used by President Lyndon Johnson––and the motorcade used by Reagan in 1982.

“It’s gorgeous,” said Thousand Oak’s Mayor Pro Tem Dennis Gillette, who attended the opening ceremony. “It’s an honor to have such a piece of history in this area.”

Capt. Paul Grossgold, commanding officer of Pt. Mugu Naval Base, said the recently installed F-14 Tomcat, also part of the exhibit, last served on the local base.

According to library officials, the exhibit is entirely paid for with private donations. Texas oilman Pickens recently donated $10 million to the library’s foundation. The money will finance the completion of the Air Force One exhibit, library officials said. Bush’s visit, his second to Ventura County since being elected president in 2000, drew a small group of protesters a few blocks from the library at the corner of Madera Road and Country Club Drive. Simi Valley police did not report any arrests.

The exhibit and the library are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.