The Major differences between Reagan and Bush II.

[coloradodem2005]

One of the things that will be different between 1984 and 2004 has to do with a major difference between the Charisma of Reagan vs. Bush II. Reagan (and Clinton) had a lot of conventional charm. He was able to give a positive message even in hard times. The optomism may have been false but it worked on a lot of people. Whereas Mondale was negative. Bush II does not have a positive message. What kind of ad does he put out? One that taps into people's fears. While some may think that Bush is a regular guy, he is not charming and charismatic in the way that Reagan (and Clinton)are. Fear is a very basic emotion and it is easy to appeal to fear. The problem is, this is not what people want, while we have to acknowledge that there are many threats out there, we cannot live in fear because we do not want to. We need to feel some personal security and we cannot feel that way if we are manipulated in this fashion. People will get tired of it, if not in 2004, then by 2008.

[ablbodyed]

1. 2008 will be TOOOOOO late....

These thugs will be in total control by then. They are remorseless, ruthless, and have almost unlimited money. 2004 is the last election that will be anything like competitive. There may be a rump Democratic party by 2006, but is will be localized and isolated. The fundamentalist, neoconservative dictatorship is imminent.
The sheeple don't care; Hell, they don't even understand what they are throwing away. Am I delusional? I FERVENTLY HOPE SO, BUT.... if someone can come up with refutation I'm all ears (eyes, actually)

[VOX]

7. Sad to say you are *not* delusional...

The GOP is driving down everything in its path -- relentlessly and remorselessly.

People should be screaming in the streets at the countless outrages perpetrated in the past two years.

But they aren't.

Things are teetering on the brink as it is, but if * is reelected, is it fair to say that the people got what they deserved, for their complacency in the face of such clear and present danger?

It's a horrible possibility.

[coloradodem2005]

8. You're right, however...

I did not vote for him in 2000, and I sure as hell will not in 2004, so I sure as hell don't deserve it. Nor does anybody on this forum.

[citizen snips]

2. Bush

Bush does not have charsima so the only thing he does is try to play the patriot card.

[wryter2000]

3. Thanks

Interesting insight. I hope you're right. But you're 100% right that we need a positive message. Or several positive messages.

[corporatewhore]

4. Bed time for bonzo

Have any of you seen The movie bed time for bonzo? The plot is a young ssscientist (reagan) raises a chimp (bonzo) like a baby for an experiment. The movie is really dumb there is not much plot except for dressing up bonzo in cute clothes.I have always thought bush waslike bonzo only there to entertain us by dressing up like a cowboy and some one who did not go awol inthat flight suit and so on

[MarianJack]

5. Don't Forget...

...that Reagan was democratically elected!

[AntiCoup2K4]

9. True, though even that was only through Poppy's secret dealings ....

...with Iranian terrorists (known as October Surprise)

[Say_What]

6. Charisma of RayGun?? Not for those of us who lived through that debacle

the difference between the two puppets is that one had alzheimers and the other is a certified f*ck'n lunatic with his finger on the trigger.

On edit: Living in CA under RayGun was also no picnic, and I'm certain that hundreds of thousands of the DEAD from Central America would have found RayGun about a *charming* as Augusto Pinochet's victims in Chili find Pinochet.