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I was just watching a Sunday morning program about stem cell research, and it really came off that Bush was cold-hearted for pig-headedly resisting research that could cure Alzheimer's and possibly cancer. Nancy's grief slammed home this point, making "resolute" Bush seem that he ignores both suffering and science for the sake of ideology.
It is interesting to think about the political ramifications on the part of Bush in terms of support. I think it would be a bump with swing voters and only piss off some of his most die-hard supporters (who aren't going anywhere). But, honestly, I don't think it's going to happen.
In any case, there is also the effect of comparison. Unfortunately (for him), Bush compares badly to just about every President since Hoover. Getting people to mentally imagine other Presidents in our history will almost certainly work against Bush.
So here is the question. Will Reagan's death cast Bush in a more favorable light of folksy jingoism, or bump him down yet another notch?
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