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Grassroots Campaign Launched to Rename Coronado Bridge for Reagan

Vince Vasquez, economist with San Diego's National University System Institute for Policy Research, has launched a petition to rename the San Diego - Coronado Bridge after Ronald Reagan: Ronald Reagan - Coronado Bridge

eCoronado.com visited the official website and found this additional information:

The time is now to recognize the special connection that Ronald Reagan had with San Diego throughout his life. Public support is needed to dedicate a new landmark here in his honor. Sign the online petition to press our city, county and state public officials to dedicate the San Diego - Coronado Bay Bridge as the Ronald Reagan-Coronado Memorial Bay Bridge. It is urgent we receive your signature before February 6th, so that we can present them to the politicians who can push forward legislation to make the Reagan Bridge a reality.

eCoronado.com also reached out to Vince Vasquez and here is the response we received earlier today:

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Thank you for your email.

Yes - please inform your readers that I have begun reaching out to Coronado residents about the name change, and those I have spoken to have been supportive of the idea. I'm eager to speak with more residents about the proposal, and earn their support. The name change has great merits, and it is a worthy proposal for consideration.

I believe the name change strikes a balanced approach that is respectful of the bridge's identity as the "Coronado Bridge." The bridge still remains the "Coronado Bay Bridge," it's only the "San Diego -" part of the name that would be modified.

History has shown that President Reagan was a strong admirer of Coronado, and often vacationed with his wife Nancy at The Del. Reagan's special bond with Coronado spans decades. It was in fact during the planning for a trip to Coronado that a young Ronald Reagan realized Nancy Davis was the woman he wanted to be with (according to Reagan's autobiography).
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According to the website that hosts the petition:

Reagan's ties to the San Diego region extend beyond his presidency:

- The 1957 film "Hellcats of the Navy," which featured Ronald Reagan and his future wife Nancy Davis, was filmed in San Diego. It was the only film that starred both Ron and Nancy.
- On August 2nd, 1969, then-Governor Reagan gave the dedication speech for the San Diego-Coronado Bridge.
- Reagan was a frequent visitor to the Hotel Del Coronado during his terms as governor and president, and held events at the iconic hotel, including a meeting with the President of Mexico in 1986.
- Ronald Reagan nicknamed San Diego his "lucky city."
- Reagan won the majority of votes in San Diego County in the 1966 and 1970 gubernatorial elections, as well as the 1980 and 1984 presidential elections.
- San Diego has played host for many of the significant events and speeches that would mark the life of Ronald Reagan, including events at the El Cortez Hotel, UC San Diego, the Embarcadero, and the San Diego Concourse.
- Ronald Reagan ended both of his presidential campaigns in San Diego. When he joined George H.W. Bush on his 1988 presidential campaign, he shared with San Diegans the reason behind his special bond with our community:

"I closed both of my campaigns for the presidency right here in San Diego. And you see, there was a reason for that. You see, when the parades have ended, the shouting is over, the speeches are done, and the final bell has sounded, a fighter wants to return to his corner and be with his family and friends while he waits for the verdict of the judges. And whenever I finish in San Diego, I feel I'm with family, and I know I'm with friends. I love San Diego." - Ronald Reagan

Learn more about the petition here.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment area below.

Tags: coronado bridge, politics

1 member likes this

Comment by Jeffrey Atencio on February 1, 2011 at 6:26pm: That is the worst idea I have ever heard. He did NOTHING for our city. In fact, he cut many jobs at North Island and laid off many of the civil service employees there when he was elected - including me. That is not who I would chose to represent Coronado / San Diego Bay Bridge (I intentionally reversed the name). Marilyn Monroe did more for Coronado, Bob Hope did more for Coronado, Dick Van Dyke LIVES in Coronado, Maurice Shaw gave us a great school system, John D. Spreckles gave Coronado a great reputation by moving and building here, Mr. Story probably is the single most important person in the history of Coronado - why not him?

Here's my choice and suggestion: The Emerald City Bay Bridge. Reagan? - Give me a break. We should decide who the bridge is named after because it's OUR bridge!

And leave politics and politically polarizing figures out of it.

Comment by Jeffrey Atencio on February 1, 2011 at 6:44pm: Here is the e-mail I just sent to the committee for changing the name of the bridge. Fight this early and hard. Send Vince Vasquez a clear message by our grass-roots effort to stop the renaming of the bridge. Thanks

Dear committee,
Reagan did more to hurt Coronado than any other president. I personally lost my career because he cut thousands of civil service jobs at North Island so he would look better. He didn't even consider the effect it would have on the economy and the people of San Diego and Coronado. He is the last person our bridge should be named after.

If you want a real suggestion, why don't you name it the San Diego - Emerald City Bay Bridge? The author that wrote the Wizard of Oz was an actual resident of Coronado. Landmarks should be named for people that aren't polarizing. Reagan had Alzheimer's during his presidency. We're not even sure he knew what he was doing most of the time.
Come on, Really? - I mean REALLY? Don't you have something better to do with your time than come up with an idea such as this?

J. Michael Atencio
Lifelong resident of Coronado

Comment by Story R. Vogel on February 1, 2011 at 9:57pm: Give me a break!

First I thank all the folks above who exhibit great common sense in seeking to oppose this asinine idea. Who is this guy Vasquez? Apparently he confuses the City of San Diego with the City of Coronado.

I know the far Right is doing somersaults over the one hundreth birthday of perhaps one of the worst presidents this country ever had, but the rest of us are not so easily gulled by this propaganda campaign to venerate a president who went on TV and lied about his selling weapons to our enemies in Iran and then funneled the proceeds to the Contra terrorists in Central America, violating the Boland Amendment and in the process the Constitution.. Never mind that he hung people out to dry in the process .Never mind the tripling of the national debt and all the other outrages and members of his administration convicted of various criminal offenses in pursuit of perhaps one of the most ideologically extreme administration's agenda. An absolute disgrace. For a primer of what really occurred under Reagan in case folks have forgotten I suggest the noted Haynes Johnson's fine tome, Sleeping Through History

http://www.amazon.com/Sleepwalking-Through-History-America-Reagan/d...

If this guy wants to build a shrine in his house to Reagan, knock yourself out. But leave your crackpot idea where it belongs...on your kitchen table.

Comment by Jeffrey Atencio on February 1, 2011 at 10:17pm: Well said... What great eloquence Mr. Vogel has.

Comment by Lynne Harpst Koen on February 2, 2011 at 7:23am: Looks like Vince Vasquez (inadvertently or not) just opened the Coronado Chapter of "The Reagan Haters Club" The real subject at hand is renaming the Bridge. Vince is way off base, but then so are the wannabe politicos who fell right into his trap. You boys need to understand-This is what Vince WANTS. He's mapping his infamy and you're actually helping him.

Comment by Jeffrey Atencio on February 2, 2011 at 9:44am: It's hard for me to admit it but I believe you may be right Ms. Koen. We do have to figure out a way to deter Vince while denying him his fifteen minutes of fame. Thanks for calming me down. I tend to get excited when felling threatened. I guess it's a guy thing.

Mr. Vogel, I just bought the book you suggested through Amazon for one cent! Talk about a great deal. Thanks

I always thought they should paint the bridge blue on the San Diego side and transition it to green as it descends to Coronado. I still like the Emerald City name though. That's been around since I was a kid and it gave Coronado a magical aura and atmosphere without taking away from its roots. There should be a sign at the foot of the bridge that says " Welcome to Coronado - the real Emerald City" but that's just me.

Comment by David Alan on February 8, 2011 at 2:48pm: If you are opposed to renaming the Coronado Bridge, please sign the petition to keep the name unchanged:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/coronadobridge/