Creating God in Reagan's Image

[Atman]

This is disgusting. He's been officially "dead" for just a few days, but already they've hooked up the Reagan cadaver to Bush, threw the big switch, and are transferring everything they perceived "great" about the "great communicator" to George W. Bush. We've all heard Bush called many, many things, but a pragmatist? Good grief!

One man's pragmatism is another's desperation and floundering.

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Protean Leader

By David Ignatius
Tuesday, June 8, 2004; Page A23

In the aftermath of Ronald Reagan's death, many commentators have described George W. Bush as his political heir. In making that link, they are probably thinking of both men's tendency to describe foreign policy in moral terms, as a struggle against an "evil empire" or an "axis of evil."

But the comparison may go deeper. Beyond Reagan's rhetoric, he showed a pragmatic willingness to change course. That pragmatism was clear in his handling of foreign issues from Lebanon to the Soviet Union. And a similar pragmatism under pressure now seems to be gathering force in the Bush White House as the administration struggles to find an exit strategy from Iraq.


Reagan was a Protean leader, capable, like the Greek god, of changing form depending on political needs and circumstances. He talked tough but generally acted with restraint. That ability -- to combine an adaptive and often compromising political approach with the reassuring, changeless language of values -- was part of Reagan's political genius.


Reagan demonstrated his willingness to alter course in Lebanon. In a burst of nation-building enthusiasm, he had sent troops into that war-ravaged country in 1982. But after suicide bombers destroyed the U.S. Embassy and Marine barracks there in 1983, Reagan decided to cut his losses and evacuate American troops. The political damage was eased by Reagan's near-simultaneous invasion of the tiny Caribbean nation of Grenada.


The pullout from Lebanon was either an amoral retreat under fire or a prudent exercise of realpolitik, depending on your perspective. But politically, it was obviously a winner. Most Americans agreed with Reagan that Lebanon wasn't worth the cost in American lives. A somewhat more dubious example of the Reagan administration's realpolitik in the Middle East was the decision to trade arms to Iran to secure the release of U.S. hostages in Lebanon. When the secret deal became public, Reagan managed the political fallout partly by insisting he had done nothing of the sort.

<snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23587-2004Jun7.html
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So Reagan was a genius in part because he was a masterful LIAR. Maybe Bush is, indeed, the heir apparent to the throne.

[mopaul]

1. riding reagan's corpse

[Atman]

2. Great, toon!

Check out my latest...a non-Reagan gag. I'm not letting up on Bush just because the old geezer was finally unplugged.

Things that go boom - a new cartoon

[Bronco69]

3. That toon

definately says it all! Thanks for that. :-)

[amber dog democrat]

4. And what is really sad is that this is the closest to greatness

the Chimp is ever going to be.

What does he have going for him beyond the myth...but at this point the Republicans would lionize Quasimodo if it suited their strategies. And sadly I would vote for Quasimodo in a flash if given the choice.