Peggy Noonan: Stop Trying To Be The Next Raygun

[Me.]

PEGGY NOONAN

An Incomplete Field
First impressions of the GOP's 2008 candidates.

“They stood earnestly in a row, combed, primped and prepped, as Nancy Reagan gazed up at them with courteous interest. But behind the hopeful candidates, a dwarfing shadow loomed, a shadow almost palpable in its power to remind Republicans of the days when men were men and the party was united. His power is only increased by his absence. But enough about Fred Thompson.

This is a piece about Thursday night's Republican presidential debates, but first I would like to note that the media's fixation with which Republican is the most like Reagan, and who is the next Reagan, and who parts his hair like Reagan, is absurd, and subtly undermining of Republicans, which is why they do it. Reagan was Reagan, a particular man at a particular point in history. What is to be desired now is a new greatness. Another way of saying this is that in 1960, John F. Kennedy wasn't trying to be the next FDR, and didn't feel forced to be. FDR was the great, looming president of Democratic Party history, and there hadn't been anyone as big or successful since 1945, but JFK thought it was good enough to be the best JFK. And the press wasn't always sitting around saying he was no FDR. Oddly enough, they didn't consider that an interesting theme.

They should stop it already, and Republicans should stop playing along. They should try instead a pleasant, "You know I don't think I'm Reagan, but I do think John Edwards may be Jimmy Carter, and I'm fairly certain Hillary is Walter Mondale." Cont…

http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=110010023

[bryant69]

1. She's probably right

But Conservatives are very interested in legacy and always have been - so I think it will be hard for them to transition away from Reagan's legacy.

I do think the line about John Edwards being Jimmy Carter could be an effective one however, but it seems like there are easy ways to counter it.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[UTUSN]

2. She reserves the RAYGUN-foot-sniffing only to herself. That would be a good thing. n/t

[Bandit]

3. One thing to remember Reagan is only idolized by Republicans

The majority of the country doesn't seem to agree he was any better than Polk......and we all know how Republicans are into fluff instead of content.

[valerief]

9. Excellent point. Most Americans old enough recognize Raygun

administration for the scourge it was.

Reaganomics and the climbing trade deficit

http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/historical/gands.pdf

[Supersedeas]

4. just say that you aren't Reagan, then immediately attempt to disparage the other candidates!?!

is that what makes for a good Noonian debate -- Coultergiest on Valium

[Me.]

7. "Coultergiest on Valium"

:rofl:

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

5. What Peggy Noon MEANT to say was this:

"Stop it! He's mine! Mine! Only I can love him right! You don't love him like I do! You don't understand! We're in love!!! He's mine! Mine!"

[tanyev]

6. Nobody can love that man as pure and fine and true as she does.

Not even Nancy.

[Mrs. Overall]

8. They all want to be like this Raygun:

[Me.]

10. Everyone Conveniently Forgets That He Was A 'B' Actor

playing his greatest role. It also strikes me as ironic that their so called greatest had Alzheimer's while he was president. I mean really, it happened suddenly, after he left office? It would seem that all recent publican presidents are mentally challenged.

[KharmaTrain]

11. Paul Was Termed A "Goldwater" Repugnican

...by Tweety. An interesting comparison...and Paul didn't seem bothered by that tagging.

The "Raygun" Repugnican is a myth that will rival the "New Deal Democrat" as an empty party label for people who have their own agendas but attempt to legitimize it by tracing roots so far back and distorted that it builds to the myth. Despite Raygun favoring Immigration reform, to hear Tancredo or Duncan Donuts say it...Raygun would be building electric fences, moats and small nukes along the border. Or to hear Rudy McRomney...Raygun wouldn't have hestitated to go after our "enemies", yet the only time he did strike back was dropping a bunch of bombs on Khadaffi's tent. Raygun's response to the bombing of our barracks in Lebanon was to "cut and run". Oops.

I think Nancy's seen a different light in recent years...on affected by her husband's illness and her getting closer to her children. The "Raygun legacy" has to be both wearing on her, but also bittersweet. While each candidate went over the top in being the "next Raygun", she knew that was all bullshit...but also that none of them wanted to be the next "booooosh"...the family she has never liked and whose "legacy" each of those toadstools were running away from.

[IDemo]

12. Face it. With the busload of candidates we have on both sides,

the repukes are going to try to paint '08 as being between Raygun and Bill Clinton. They aren't going to get away so easily with nudging their current five thousand pound chimp under the rug (how's that for mixing metaphors?)