Quote of the Day: Sarah Palin Remembers Ronald Reagan (Or Does She?) Posted by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief in At TMV, Politics. Feb 5th, 2011
Our political Quote of the Day comes from Doug Mataconis who looks at Sarah Palin’s comments about Ronald Reagan and concludes that yes, she remembers Ronald Reagan — but seems to be missing an essential ingredient of who he was and why his appeal was so great that even some voters not inclined to agree with him were willing to hear him out (and be moved to support him):
The Ronald Reagan I remember was an optimist who spoke of America as being the “shining city on the hill,” and who, even if in the depths of the Carter Malaise believed that the country’s best days were ahead of it, a sentiment that appeared throughout his major campaign speeches in 1980. One of the reasons Ronald Reagan was successful was because he brought that message of optimism at a time when the American public was becoming increasingly pessimistic.
Modern-day conservative rhetoric, especially as practiced by the Palin’s and Glenn Beck’s of the world, seems to have thrown that Reagan optimism overboard in favor of a philosophy that seems to find enemies around every corner, and conspiracies behind every event. I don’t know what you call that, but it sure as heck isn’t Ronald Reagan, which just makes the efforts by such people to claim Reagan’s legacy as their own all the more pathetic, a point which was brought home with a vengeance recently thanks to comments from Reagan’s youngest son [Ron Reagan]…
Indeed, Reagan could energetically disagree with someone but didn’t paint all of his domestic foes as enemies of the United States who akin to villains in a James Bond movie, sitting around rubbing their hands as they plotted ways to end America as we know it. Reagan had an optimism and also came under fire for some off the wall comments. But his problems with language were often with accuracy versus some modern day conservatives who have a little problem with demagoguery. His optimism and willingness to engage politically without trying to whip up hatred is what made him win over the Reagan Democrats and get things done working with members of the other party. As historian Gil Troy has noted, Reagan also did plant some seeds that blossomed into modern day polarization.
But Troy has also noted that Reagan’s willingness to work with others and compromise put him in the class as (hold onto your hats conservatives) a moderate President. (Some details here..)
Read MOre:Quote of the Day: Sarah Palin Remembers Ronald Reagan (Or Does She?)
Posted by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief in At TMV, Politics.
Feb 5th, 2011
The Ronald Reagan I remember was an optimist who spoke of America as being the “shining city on the hill,” and who, even if in the depths of the Carter Malaise believed that the country’s best days were ahead of it, a sentiment that appeared throughout his major campaign speeches in 1980. One of the reasons Ronald Reagan was successful was because he brought that message of optimism at a time when the American public was becoming increasingly pessimistic.
Modern-day conservative rhetoric, especially as practiced by the Palin’s and Glenn Beck’s of the world, seems to have thrown that Reagan optimism overboard in favor of a philosophy that seems to find enemies around every corner, and conspiracies behind every event. I don’t know what you call that, but it sure as heck isn’t Ronald Reagan, which just makes the efforts by such people to claim Reagan’s legacy as their own all the more pathetic, a point which was brought home with a vengeance recently thanks to comments from Reagan’s youngest son [Ron Reagan]…
Indeed, Reagan could energetically disagree with someone but didn’t paint all of his domestic foes as enemies of the United States who akin to villains in a James Bond movie, sitting around rubbing their hands as they plotted ways to end America as we know it. Reagan had an optimism and also came under fire for some off the wall comments. But his problems with language were often with accuracy versus some modern day conservatives who have a little problem with demagoguery. His optimism and willingness to engage politically without trying to whip up hatred is what made him win over the Reagan Democrats and get things done working with members of the other party. As historian Gil Troy has noted, Reagan also did plant some seeds that blossomed into modern day polarization.
But Troy has also noted that Reagan’s willingness to work with others and compromise put him in the class as (hold onto your hats conservatives) a moderate President. (Some details here..)
Read MOre:Quote of the Day: Sarah Palin Remembers Ronald Reagan (Or Does She?)
Posted by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief in At TMV, Politics.
Feb 5th, 2011
