the torch passed tonight
So I just watched in rerun the flacid performances of George and Laura, followed by the video tribute to Reagan. Of course it says something the video was more welcome than the words of the Bushes, but beyond that —
Well I’m mostly struck by the talking points which tell us why Ronnie was a great leader — he inspired us, he brought people of all parties together, and he rejuvenated America’s belief in herself and got millions chanting, “Yes we can” —
No, wait, I think I’m getting him mixed up with our next president.
Actually I do want to make a serious point here. One of the things I’ve kept with me are words from my dad — who politically, as essentially a moderate Lamar! / Bredesen supporter is certainly the quintessential Tennessee swing voter, if not representative of large swaths of the American populace — well, he always told me that what made Ronald Reagan great was his ability to connect with the American people, to inspire them, and to motivate them to once again believe in their ability to create an America that makes us all proud, in a time when America needed hope above all else.
Clearly, we are at such a moment, and we have such a candidate.
This time around, he’s a Democrat.
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Jon, the two (Reagan, Obama) could not be more different. As your dad stated, Reagan motivated people to believe in their ability create an America to make us all proud. Obama’s thing is to make people believe that the government will solve all of their problems, that the government will make this country better. Reagan promoted individualism. Obama is a collectivist. The two are direct opposites.
Glen if you actually believe that, you haven’t been paying attention.
What part do I have wrong, Reagan as individualism or Barack as a collectivist, or are both about individualism?
First, you have both of them grossly overstated. Both candidates are only a few degrees off center when hype and spin are stripped away. Second you seem to think the swing voters in the center want an ideologue of either variety — they don’t. That’s why they’re in the center and that’s why they swing.
The strengths of both Obama and Reagan have very little to do with ideology and everything to with leadership skills.
Or personality. I want argue with you on that.