Nancy Reagan refused to help her friend Rock Hudson get a bed at an experimental treatment facility in France as he was dying of AIDS, BuzzFeed reports.
New documents discovered in the Reagan Presidential Library offer yet another glimpse into just how far the Reagans went to distance themselves from the AIDS epidemic as it swept across the country in the 1980s.
When Hudson’s publicist, Dale Olson, sent a life-or-death telegram on July 24, 1985 to the White House begging the First Lady to help get his client transferred to a French military hospital where he could be seen by Dr. Dominique Dormant, she flat out denied the request.
At the time, Dr. Dormant, who had treated Hudson before, was working on an early experimental drug believed to help bolster the immune systems of people living with AIDS.
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The telegram read:
Doctor Dominique Dormant, specialist treating Rock Hudson in Paris, reports only one hospital in the world can offer necessary medical treatment to save life of Rock Hudson or at least alleviate his illness. This hospital is Ministere du la Defence Centre d’Researches du Service de Sante des Armees Percy Hospital in the city of Clamart. Commanding general of Percy Hospital has turned down Rock Hudson as a patient because he is not French. Doctor Dormant in Paris believes a request from the White House or a high American official would change his mind. Can you help by having someone call the commanding general’s office at the Percy Hospital at the above number.
But Mrs. Reagan, who had known Hudson since the 1950s, said no, claiming “it” (a.k.a. AIDS) was not something she wanted to “get into” and instead suggesting Hudson try contacting the U.S. Embassy in France.
Mark Weinberg, Reagan’s deputy press secretary at the time, tells BuzzFeed that the First Lady’s decision had nothing to do with homophobia or the Reagan Administration’s AIDS policy (or lack thereof). Instead, he says the first family’s view towards Hudson’s predicament was: “Well, we’re so sorry, but were about treating everybody the same.”
“They were both very sorry for Rock’s condition and felt for him and all the people,” Weinberg says. “But it just wasn’t something that the White House felt that they could do something different for him than they would do for anybody else.”
AIDS activist Peter Staley calls the Reagans’ excuse “strange,” since they often pulled favors for their friends while in power.
“I’m sure if it had been Bob Hope in that hospital with some rare, incurable cancer, Air Force One would have been dispatched to help save him,” Staley speculated.
“There’s no getting around the fact that they left Rock Hudson out to dry,” he continued. “As soon as he had that frightening homosexual disease, he became as unwanted and ignored as the rest of us.”
Reagan, now 93 years old, does not grant interviews of any kind, but a spokesperson for the former First Lady told Buzzfeed that “she simply does not recall the incident.”
Related stories:
Thirty-Three Years Ago Today, Here’s What The New York Times Published About AIDS
On This Day In 1985, Rock Hudson Announced His AIDS Diagnosis
Ladbrook
shock
MarionPaige
Nancy Reagan is a repulsive entity on so many levels for so many reasons. However, of all the stories and events that demonstrate what a clown / idiot she was / is this Rock Hudson / AIDs story isn’t one of them.
I keep looking for this video clip I saw of Queen Elizabeth bouncing about and laughing at a ceremony in which Ronald and Nancy Reagan were in attendance. I mean, you had this thang (Nancy Reagan) trying to pull off REGAL next to the actual Queen of England, it highlighted the fact that Nancy Reagan was all facade and no substance.
We do know that The White House under Reagan was ruled by Nancy Reagan’s astrologer.
frenchjr25
After nearly 40 years are we sure the response even came from her? It could easily have come from one of her staff members but down in her name.
Boricuaex
She always was an old bitch.
tampaed
Just remember Karma is a Bitch. Bet ol Ronnie is burning in hell or worse and The wicked witch of the west Nancy will follow soon Hope she suffers as much as Rock did. I have NO sympathy for these pathetic excuses of human beings.
MarionPaige
there is a video of Nancy Reagan being escorted on the arm of a soldier and she starts to fall head first. The soldier had the presence of mind to pull her up by her one arm. However, it seemed clear that Nancy Reagan was so “out of it”, she wasn’t even conscious of the fact that she was toppling over. It just all seemed so “hand of God”. The free world was once at the mercy of This Thang and Her Astrologer.
SpunkyBunks
Shocking, yes. Surprising, no.
Wealthy people are a whole different breed of people compared to the middle class. People raised with money do not understand empathy or concern for others. That is a middle class trait. You learn this after dealing with wealthy people on a regular basis.
Conservative lower and middle class people think that the wealthy class cares about them. But in reality, it’s far from the truth. The wealthy find it perfectly normal to exploit others for their benefit. That’s how they are raised. It’s totally opposite to how middle class people view the world.
That’s why I don’t find Nancy’s behavior that unusual. But to a middle class person raised with middle class values, it would be atrocious.
ingyaom
They deserved each other… NR & RR, that is. (RH deserved better.)
robho3
What else do you expect from a Republican?
Bad Ass Biker
Some wonderful comments here so far. An agreed Nancy is a nasty little bitch (I am tempted to use a stronger four letter wird that begins with a “c”).
And MaironPage, to your point, Nancy always thought she was equal to Queen Elizabeth when she actually wasn’t worthy of wiping Elizabeth’s butt.
She and Saint Raygun were a despicable pair. I hope that they both roast in the bowels of hell
Kieran
I’m always a bit skeptical when these “stories” always seem to “come out” when the accused is either dead or 93 years old and senile.
MCHG
It would have been completely unorthodox for the White House to call in a favor for an actor. It could have easily been misconstrued as Reagan calling in a favor for a friend while the federal government had no strategy to help regular folk. Remember, there was no guarantee that France was going to allow Hudson in for treatment. This is dangerously being spun as Reagan letting a close friend die, a close friend whose sexuality he was completely at ease with. It’s also rather convenient that Ronald is not alive to give his take and Nancy is probably senile.
stanhope
@frenchjr25: bitch please and the tooth fairy really did leave that dollar under your pillow. Nancy Reagan was the Kim Kardashian of her era minus the ass.
MinnesotaNotNice
An item on my bucket list:
After Nancy’s death, visit California and make a trip out to the Reagan library and piss on their graves!
dhmonarch89
is anyone really surprised Nancy’s a bitch who would put political position ahead of a dying friend?????
Desert Boy
This heffa saw herself as American royalty. But in realty, she was nothing more than a ‘B’-actress, self-absorbed, petty, selfish and lacking in compassion.
She also owes me and every other American, $5,000 each for her psychic readings from the late Joan Quigley.
Pay bitch. Pay!
lykeitiz
@MCHG: I’m no cheerleader for the Reagan’s, but I completely agree with what you said. There is no way she could have done that without it becoming a national incident.
NoCagada
And her astrologist told her, “There is a problem in URANUS!”
polarisfashion
Princess Diana shook ungloved, barehanded AIDS patients to show early on that you can’t catch AIDS through casual contact. To me, that shows a real difference between her and Mrs Reagan. She died too soon.
dvlaries
I’m skeptical about how much real help Hudson might have counted on from Nancy. I read his authorized biography by Sara Davidson, and even in a book with his cooperation, Hudson comes off as far too shrewd a fellow to mistake genuine friends like you and I might might define them, from glad-handing, fair weather fellow celebrity ‘friends,’ mostly just available for photo-ops.
Unless there’s even a short list of items to suggest a history of Nancy’s spontaneous thoughtfulness toward Rock (or he to her, for that matter), I think he knew in 1985, perhaps better than any other time in his life, which individuals counted as his real friends.
StephK
I agree with most of the comments here re: Nancy Reagan. Whether the story is true,an exaggeration or a fabrication, the portrait portrayed here of Nancy matches so many other accounts and anectodes I have come across.
Now when Nancy’s already written obituary is inevitably published, it will probably be glowing, portraying this mean girl as a devoted companion & fashionista nonpareil. However,what will be left out among the many tributes is the ultimate compliment Peter Lawford gave our former first lady..” Nancy Davis was well-known for giving the best head in Hollywood.” Now gentlemen, have you ever heard anything like that said about any of the first ladies before?
odawg
The Reagans were pieces of garbage who deserved each other.
Cam
“but a spokesperson for the former First Lady told Buzzfeed that “she simply does not recall the incident.”
_____________________________
Wow, that certainly sounds like a Reagan.
Sluggo2007
Nancy will always be remembered as an untcay.
tdx3fan
I think in the end of things there are far more people who respected the Reagans than did not. I think that the fact that Elizabeth II has lived completely off of her people in a lavish palace her entire life while adding nothing of substance should show how grand she really is. I think that this would have been a major upheaval if she would have helped him.
I also think that the comment about the rich not caring is just pure BS. I do not know about what rich people the comment poster knows first hand, but the ones I know are nothing like the one he “knows.” You cannot make the argument that they simply do not care when no not for profit would even exist without their continued support. Anyone that is going to now come after the “tax right off” thing obviously fails to understand tax codes. When you donate for a right off your dollars actually lose value as compared to just paying the taxes.
1EqualityUSA
That’s some photo of Ol’ Nancy lying down with the “RR” pillow. I sort of gives me the heebie-jeebies. I want to find the video of her waving her arms in a sleeveless dress, but it has likely been eradicated from the planet’s surface.
darylsmith
If there is any consolation, she will very soon be burning in hell with ronald.
Johnny D. Moore
skanky stick figure slug-trail
Jim Platt
Hudson and integrity over ego.
John Michael Cox Jr
Ronnie’s waiting for you in hell Nancy. Hurry & join him!
David Sutton
Bitch!
Miguel Migs
Great reading for Gay Republicans.
John Termine
It’s amazing what Fear will do! Shame shame!
William Gilliam
Why is this Not suprising?? Yet people treat her like a queen when she Abandoned a friend in need???
Lewis Kinslayer
Did her astrologist tell her to.?
Kenith Austin
she a horrible bastard her and her hubby the thick twats
Robb Wood
Double bitch
Allie Pocket
shady cunt.
Anthony Lower
She just said no?
Nico Vasquez
What a major cunt bag.
Patrick Cremeans
She’s a cunt, just like her late husband.
Vincenzo Giuseppe Saulino
I have to believe a lack of understanding is what led her to say no. We’ve come a long way since the 80s.
Paul Higdon-Smith
just another Bigoted hateful Republican 🙁
Gary Franklyn Mosby
Yep. That wasn’t humane.
Octavio Roca
Of course she did. And her husband has AIDS dead blood on his hands.
Scott Hubred
HA!!!! Go figure…..ANOTHER HATEFUL STUPID REPUBLICAN!!!
Tommy Parlon
She and douchbag husband did everything they could/couldn’t to kill as many gays as possible. They are both scum.
Fredwin Palacio
..there’s a movie in the making here…
Danny Tidmore
“Just say no” … to that scabby hag. 🙂
James C Gray
Nice snuggie
Robert Castaneda
What a bitch ð???
Ron King
Everyone knows what a self-centered bitch she is.
John P Farinhas
she has a hot seat waiting for her when she takes her slow and painful breath
Bobby Smith
Bitch
Darryl Engerdahl
cunt
Carlos Manuel Perez
Such a Dear & True Friend……..
Lloyd Miller
So heartless!
Brandon E Donovan
You stupid hateful thunder cunt! You should die from aids and see how it feels for your friends to abandon you
Auxifur Wolfgram
Clearly that person wasn’t a real friend at all. #fakeasfuck
Stephanie Chu
What a bitch!!!!!
Dennis Miller
She’s not dead yet??? Evil never dies though does it?
Robert Matthews
There is a reason she always wore red.
Kevin J Desmond
I’m glad that old bitch is dead … hopefuly she’s burning in hell where she belongs !!!
Ariel Hans Christian
Once a bigot BITCH, ALWAYS a bigot BITCH
Kelvin Johnson
Please this lil boney bitch knew she wanted some of Rock,and was just pissed he was gay.And we are not even going to start on Reagan and his BS..and man who calls his wife mommy has issues.
Lindy-Lou Nicholson
Bitch
Alex Cameron
What do you expect she never know any gays only for the gay lifestyle of Hollywood and Washington where people suck up lick arsehole as for HIV AIDS she probably thinks you can catch it from a toilet seat sad b**ch
Charles Morgan
Let’s not forget that Ronny, the president at the time, went almost 2 years before ever even mentioning or acknowledging that the crisis existed
Denis Antler Blanchette
Not surprised
DC Sheehan
That photo.
James Witheridge
Both of them were terrible people
Johnny Mulkerrin
she’s a cold hearted bitch
Alan Burnside
Evil and bigoted bitch!
Mark Pilsnik
Has she fallin and can’t get up?
Mark Pilsnik
So did her gaggle of gay men friends..
Ronald Wei
Now that wasn’t very Christian.
Ken Gagne
She certainly did abandon RH along with tens of thousand more….
Joel Quinones
Why is anyone surprised?
James Dauria
BITCH!
Pepe Llinaz
Blair Andrew Charles Grisafi
Gary Joseph
Bitch and C, too.
Leonidas Aubin
what did you expect from her… in the 80s everyone who was dying of aids….we didnt know how we were catching it… and she had to protect her reputation… we were in the 80s guys….
Bill Crossfield
🙁
Kevin Hurst
Bitch
Wilson W Wong
“she simply does not remember the incident” lying republicunt.
Will Glitzern
Two questions: would the hospital have been able to help Hudson? Also, what are some examples of the Reagans pulling strings for other people?
Brian Fiddler
Bitch!!!
Helen Lawyer
Where were all of his liberal gay friends? As usual, blaming conservatives for not cleaning up the liberal messes.
Ben Amir
Cunt.
Ian Ameny-Luthi
Stuck up bitch is all I can say about Nancy Reagan. My best friend’s aunt had her on a flight she was working (flight attendant, not air hooker) and when asked if she would like a drink she sat silent & didn’t look at her. One of Nancy’s minions explained that “Mrs. Reagan doesn’t speak to public servants.”
Phillip Donkin
No Christian compassion just lusting after power and wealth!
Christopher Curley
Witch
Michael Walker
Cunt
L Daniel E Kaufman
To be truthful those were scary times. I was in high school and it was like the black death. We were terrified. Not surprising she fled. We didn’t know how it spread or anything.
Lotta Yadayada
Is anyone shocked? I heard she was preggers when she married Ronnie.
Ted Kosta
Someone should print out these comment’s and present them to her before she dies with this article, so she can feel the cancer that she is!
Bob Weber
Nothing new here. This has been public knowledge almost since it occurred. The Regans were asses!! Rock deserved much much better
Bob Weber
Ronald Regan actually was not told about this until it was too late! Nancy did this on her own!! Bitch
James Yeary
she’s a Republican – this surprises you ???
Judy Rae Jackson
Of course she did. Nancy Reagan was not as nice as people would like to think. She started as a B movie actress, set her sights on Ronald Reagan, DESPITE the fact that he was married with children & didn’t stop until she got what she wanted. Ronnie was no saint either, they deserved each other.
Joe Mcallister
Bitch comes to mind
Paul Bruce
Kind of a bite the way Karma came around and eroded your husband’s brain.
Debbie McNicol-Outch
Rock disappointed me as I was in love with him, such a very handsome man!
Scott Haltom
She wasn’t much of a friend was she?
Paulie Patterson
Stone cold bitch. Always was….
Tony Chaplinski
not surprised her husband abandoned all of Americans with aids
Bailey Bednar
twatwaffle.
Joshua Grubb
Booo
Bill Shepard Jr
Of course she did, stupid bitch.
Ray Mundo Rede
I read this years ago and still sad….
Sara Wigle
The just say no woman who popped prescription pills on a daily basis.
Paul Green
She and her husband were evil personified. Hope she suffers long and hard before she dies
Terry Simmons
Rachid old skank
Louie Mars
Cunt.
Joe Bump
Fucking Cunt!!!
Joe Bump
Just Die already!!!
JC Cash
And this surprises anyone, how?
Deon Letsoalo
If you could … you know … just stop fucking around without protection, perhaps you wouldn’t find yourself in this situation. I’m just saying!
Michael Craig
I’ve always hated this bitch. Worst first lady ever.
Joseph Davoli
the reagans were evil in many ways .
Nancy McIntyre
That does not surprise me one tiny bit! She is NASTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mark Johnson
I guess saying no to weed was important. Lol.
Jose Martinez
Typical Republican
Sean Hansen
I don’t hope anything other than her regretting that decision for all eternity. I can’t hate anyone anymore. There is too much hate in the world right now.
Ra Hill
Nancy & “Karma” are becoming closer friends… hopefully…
Barb Kipper
SELFISH
Barry Stradtner
She was as evil as most of the current Republican Presidential candidates.
Art Allen
that’s disgusting
Mickey Warnock
She was probably jealous he gave better blowjobs than she ever could…
Salvatore Licari
She would never do that I don’t believe it for a sec. If she did she was scared maybe
Bryn Thomas
Choose your friends well
Ariel Hans Christian
Shes a bigoted Christian bitch. I expected nothing less of an old cunt!
Ariel Hans Christian
Is she dead yet? May she be tormented in Hell!
Tom Lozza
I worked for her in the 80s . shes a bitch
David Bartlett
she’s not dead yet?
Ken Overholt
Evil bitch.
Kevin J Desmond
Die a painfull death you vile OLD BITCH !!!!!
Ant Adams
What an old fart
Jeffrey A Stinnard
This is not surprising given the fact she and the former president refused to do anything to help the cause.
Roberto Addoms
She’s 94 now? Proof that only the good die young.
Laurence Keith Sanders
cow ,
Richard Bradford
Your group as just stooped as low as anyone can get.
Murray Roberts
No surprises there. Like to see a pic of her today. A “Social X Ray” was what this type of person was called in that Tom Wolfe novel, Bonfire of the vanities.
Russell Howes
Silly unintelligent women bless her soul
Todd Drummond
BITCH !
Karl McConnell
What a rancid stain!
Judy Rae Jackson
Nancy Reagan was not a nice person. People forget that she had an affair with a married man & was a craptastic mother. It should surprise no one that she turned her back on a friend.
William Meyer
Just like her husband abandoned every single gay man with AIDS!
Mike Power
Of course she did, the evil old bigot. Maybe her astrologist told her not to do it!
Bob Ashworth
Her husband abandoned the whole population who had the disease.
Phillip Bernal
The Saint Ronnie was a snitch for Hover during the McCarthy trials in the 50’s. these GOP fucks have been wreaking lives all along. Karma already robbed him of his brain I hope She has something planned for this dried up OLD CUNT!
Ron Alose
She, like that snug bitch Barbara Bush, is abhorrent.
Michael Baker
Ah the old “I don’t recall” bit. I thought that was Ronny’s gag. They were both insufferable assholes that refused to help when they were needed the most. I hope they burn in hell.
Jim Fortier
She’s a bitch
Daryl Potts
Anthony Licursi Margaret Potts
David Harlem
I despised that evil Hollywood elitist bitch!
Faye Denton
Unfortunate choice for President and First Lady.
Richard Whytsell
well she was a bitch and so was her husband, wouldnt expect anything from these rich as ppl anyways, the revolution is watching.
Kal Andrews
She’s a high riding bitch
Timothy Warner
Nasty Girl
Kevin Elsasser
Thanks for posting this. With all of the happy Reagan memories of Saint Ronald that happens in the GOP, this is the Reagan crap I remember. I know I didn’t dream it.
D Kevin Keel
He could have done so much more. He didn’t even speak the word aids until 1987.
Tony Chaplinski
no news here. Republicans have been abandoning the sick and needy for years
Mike Cooke
can only hope she dies alone and unwanted
Hagen Schmitt
She and her husband rot in hell
Maxie Grant
Not surprising. They were some of the more hateful people to ever find themselves in charge of our nation. They abandoned this nation to a disease out of bigotry and spite. How small they will seem in the annals of history!
Johnny Mulkerrin
Shes a C**t.
Gloria Cowan
Typical!
Allen Bardin
The Reagans had lots of gay “friends” & threw them all away when the old fart became president.
Michael Claypoole
Typical Republican bitch.
Tom Gonzalez
Repubs are terrible…. Surprised….?
John Nunes-Schiller
She “Just said NO”! If it doesn’t effect her directly, she doesn’t care. Sounds about right for these fair whether friend, types. ie Republican party.
Rich Penway
Are we supposed to be surprised by this? I’m sure as hell not.
Creig Stearne
She is, was and always well be a “C”. A vile evil human being
Megan Llewellyn Hutchins
I grew up listening to my Dad yell at the news that Reagan was a horrible person, as I got older I realized how right he was. I should say my Dad was so Homophobic he stop listening to Queen when he found out Freddy Mercury was gay, but even he realized it was stupid beyond belief to ignore a disease like AIDS. The whole its “only a gay disease” excuse pissed him off, he would yell at the T.V. “its only a mater of time before its an everybody disease” I now don’t talk to my father, for many reasons,including his homophobia, but I have to give him credit for how right he was.
Jonathan Caplan
There’s a word that describes her, but I don’t use it.
Eddie Nickell
Ronald Reagan could have done allot to help stop the spread of HIV.. He choose to ignore it until it was too late.. Sad part of our history as Americans and sad for the world.. They should have acted swiftly to control the spread and worked hard to get a cure.. they ignored it … 🙁
Irene Gorman
Not surprised. -_-
Mark Jenkins
She’s always been a cold, heartless, bitch. Hopefully she suffers long and hard for it!
Johnathan
SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY!
Thomas Ross
She’s dead. Let’s let that terrible legacy die with her and focus on the future.
Tyrone Knight-Morgan
Why even mention her?
Mike Mitchell
Enough said!
Paul Proulx
Has anyone heard her side of the story or is this all rumor and innuendo.
Dustin G Loiselle
Her and her husband were terrible for this country.have fun in hell, Nancy!
Alejandro Padilla Jasso
Samuel Isaiah Wiser
Shame on you for shaming a dead women. We are a greater community than to act like fucking grade schoolers and chastise a dead women for something she did or didn’t do.
Patti Scarr
Once your dead. They try to put @!”$ on you. Seems happen all the time with celebrities, etc
Ethan Sabo
Wow. Liberals are really low. Doesn’t suprise me
Gus Anderson
Time always elevates the truth.
Jack Conklin
REPUBLICANS = ANTI-GAY… 3:)
Emilie Stoltzfus
Cindy Max Vicente!
Kayla Cooper
Isn’t there a saying about talking badly about a person who has passed and can no longer give their side of the story? I am not defending her, only being unbiased here.
RevTimmy Awestruckian
I remember the unreinvented past all too well. Am very disappointed with Hillary’s shocking ‘misstatement’ then prompt ‘apology’ that leave a dreadful taste in my mouth, having lived in NYC through the Reagan years of totally failed leadership regarding AIDS that has now become the largest epidemic in world history.
Hope this fowl taste disappears before November, otherwise will be tempted to write in “Rock Hudson” for President to honor the countless tens of thousands of Americans that died during Reagan’s inhumane callous inaction.
———-
“We shall overcome the lethal myth of heterosex-supremacy that dominates life and law on Planet Heterosex-Supremacy!” – Rev. Timmy, Ordained Awestruckian
Heterosex-supremacist politicians, regardless of their godstyle-choice, that choose to pervert the sanctity of our legal marriage into their political football choose to not earn our votes.
Welcome VIDEO: https://youtu.be/0GJN5JcjhOQ
Luis Mirabal
#ImWithHer
Freddie Gary
The true meaning of a unchristian cunt ,she’s below now with her beloved toxic trash Ronnie trying to get out of hell to late
Jenny Griffin Sunshine Moore
Pretentious BITCH! No respect for her before she died….and none now!
Tom Gouzoules
We know, we have know for decades…you are beating a dead horse. What is your ultimate point???
Brad Russell
I’m glad someone is calling out the HRC on this one. Still cannot believe they endorsed Hillary.
Blaze Woods
She deserves the same respect she gave Rock Hudson….None
Mark Steven Bertini
What a heartless bitch how many people died because of the Reagan’s ignorance???
Deborah Holbrook
?
Ed Hamtil