National Mourning Helps Bush Politically for Now

[AmyStrange]

National Mourning Helps Bush Politically for Now
Fri Jun 11,12:18 PM ET
By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

FROM: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040611/pl_nm/reagan_politics_dc&cid=615&ncid=1963&sid=96378800
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A week of national mourning for Ronald Reagan (news - web sites) has helped President Bush (news - web sites) politically by shunting Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites) to the sidelines and driving bad news from Baghdad off the front pages.

This week's burst of Reagan nostalgia, which included a flood of tributes to the Republican icon and reminders of Bush's claim to Reagan's legacy, could provide at least a short-term political boost for the president in his race for re-election.

But analysts and strategists in both parties caution that any benefits for Bush, who delivered a eulogy at Reagan's funeral on Friday, were likely to fade by the time voters cast their ballots in November.

"I don't think it hurts to remind people of a time when Reagan provided leadership that made people feel good about the country again -- that is a good atmosphere for Republicans," a Republican Party strategist said.

"But I don't think anybody is expecting this to last until November. Republicans aren't latching on to this as a rallying cry," he said

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[jpgray]

1. I don't think Joe Voter wanted a Reagasm to last this long

It may induce a backlash, but of course we will never hear of it. It also makes Bush small by comparison, since they are constructing a Reagan of mythic proportions that never existed.

[Mz Pip]

2. Bush can't lay claim

to Reagan's legacy. Bush is still an intellectually lazy and morally bankrupt jerk. Even those waxing nostalgic for Ronnie know that.

MzPip
:dem: