June 05, 2004
Reagan Died
Well, Reagan died. I'm not all, like, "good" but I'm not all, like, majorly traumatized, either. Reagan doesn't look all that bad compared to Bush. I also sort of like the rest of his family.So much for the conspiracy theories of them bringing out the news right in the middle of the Republican convention.
Political effect: It does seem that Bush has managed to engage the marketing machine for a little mini-rally. Something about the Chalabi and Tenet stuff makes it feel like some Bush opponents might be overreaching a bit. Plus, I think this "fence-mending" tour might relieve some of the on-the-fence voters a bit. And this Reagan stuff will get some wingnuts to write all sorts of flowery masturbatory essays about how great they are.
But I don't think it will end up giving Bush any boost to speak of. If anything, the contrast will make Bush look worse.
The mini-rally will last right up until the next thing... which might be The Plame Affair.
Re the conspiracy theories around this year's RNC convention. Watch--they're going to pull out all the so-called slurs dem evil liberals made against St Ronald of Reagan.
You make a really intriguing point about the potentially damaging comparison between Reagan and the Shrub. It'd be ironic if the neo-con's deification kick backfired on 'em.
Posted by: Joe Medina at June 6, 2004 07:39 PM