And yet, he persisted.
I remember a tearing Ellie Weisel begging Reagan not go honor dead Nazis. It made me sick. Up until this year, I don't think I've ever been as ashamed of my country as I was that day. Anyone who claims that Reagan was not (at the very least) a Fascist sympathizer didn't pay attention to the 1980's.
http://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/26/nyregion/cuomo-attacks-reagan-on-holocaust-comment.html
Riiight. No equivocating there.
ALBANY, March 25— Governor Cuomo today accused President Reagan of being ''extraordinarily insensitive'' about the Holocaust and said he had written a letter to the White House to express the view.
The Nazis' killing of six million Jews was ''unique in its savagery,'' and the world should never forget it, Mr. Cuomo told reporters.
In response to the Governor's comments to the reporters, a White House spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, tonight issued this statement: ''The President is very sensitive to the colossal tragedy of the Jewish population during World War II. He has often said that the Holocaust should never be forgotten. But we also have to look to the future of peace and sharing with the German people.''
The White House press office said there would be no immediate reply to the Governor's letter.
The President's comments at his news conference Thursday about his decision not to visit a concentration camp site in Germany, Mr. Cuomo said, could be seen as ''the same as saying, 'Let's forget about the Holocaust.' '' Mr. Cuomo brought up the matter in an impromptu conversation with reporters.
What Mr. Reagan said specifically, in response to a question about his decision not to visit Dachau when he goes to West Germany in May, around the time of the 40th anniversary of V-E Day, was this: ''Instead of reawakening the memories and so forth, and the passions of the time, that maybe we should observe this day as the day when, 40 years ago, peace began and friendship.''
''And I felt that, since the German people have very few alive that remember even the war, and certainly none of them who were adults and participating in any way,'' the President went on, ''they have a feeling and a guilt feeling that's been imposed upon them.''
http://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/26/nyregion/cuomo-attacks-reagan-on-holocaust-comment.html
Riiight. No equivocating there.