Condoleezza couldn't stand to see Big Bird so down. Neither could Bob.
He put his arm around Big Bird. "Someday, Big Bird, you will meet men who will try to tell you that Ronald Reagan was not a great man. That he did more harm than good to our country, and did nothing to benefit the working class. That his corrupt foreign policies set the stage for the world's strife today. Don't believe these men. Yes, President Reagan was responsible for Reaganomics and the Iran-Contra scandal. But it was a small price to pay for the hope he gave this country. And we all make mistakes sometimes. Remember that time he forgot to turn off the blender and birdseed milkshake spilled all over the place?"
Big Bird smiled. "Yeah...that sure was funny!"
Condoleezza spoke. "Reagan was one of the most beloved leaders that this country has ever had. For those who are just now embarking upon adulthood, Reagan was President when they were born. Politics and partisanship aside, losing the President who led your country as a child is a starkly bittersweet experience. We have shed many tears for him, and we will shed many more. But they will change nothing; death is final. We shouldn't feel sorrow, but instead cherish the time we had with him."
Still confused, but feeling a little better, Big Bird managed to break a reluctant smile through his sniffles. "They should call you 'Console-leezza'," he said.