From the LA Times:
Let it be remembered, then, that in the closing scene of his presidency Reagan embraced the peacemakers, rejecting the cheerleaders of Armageddon and was then loudly castigated by the very neoconservatives -- most vociferously Richard Perle -- who have claimed the Reagan mantle for the post-Cold War militarism of the current administration.
full article
Virtually eveything about the current administration suffers by comparison to Reagan's, if you're a Republican of anything other than the most livid neocon stripe. Far from being a gift to W., I'd say the attention drawn to Reagan's legacy this week is a net win for Kerry.