Dionne: "If Obama is a Reaganite, then I am a salamander"
This is a terrific E.J. Dionne column. And even though it was forwarded to reporters by Barack Obama's campaign, we'll say, too, that it's worth a wider read. It perfectly crystalizes the lunacy of the Clinton attacks on Obama for praising Ronald Reagan. Once upon a time, Dionne remembers, Bill Clinton tipped his hat to Reagan for defending freedom and "advancing the idea that communism could be rolled back." In praising the Republican president, the Wash Post columnist writes, Clinton set himself apart as the candidate to watch in 1991 ...
A few snippets:
I have been thinking about that episode ever since Hillary Clinton's campaign started unloading on Barack Obama for making statements about Reagan that were, if anything, more measured than Bill Clinton's 1991 comments. Obama simply acknowledged Reagan's long-term impact on politics and the fact that conservatives once constituted the camp producing new ideas, flawed though they were.
Obama's not particularly original insight was a central premise of Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign. Clinton argued over and over that Democrats could not win without new ideas of their own. To reread Clinton's "New Covenant" speeches from back then is to be reminded of how electrifying it was to hear a politician who was willing to break new ground.
That's why the Clintons' assault on Obama is so depressing. In many ways, Obama is running the 2008 version of the 1992 Clinton campaign. You have the feeling that if Bill Clinton did not have another candidate in this contest, he'd be advising Obama and cheering him on.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Boo frickin Hoo.
Obama made the mistake of speaking about the republicans and Reagan in such glowing terms. He brought it on himself. I didn't see the media getting all upset when Obama twisted HRC's MLK/LBJ comments all out of context.
If the Obama camp is getting all weak in the knees about this he will surely crumble in the general.
Grow a pair, dude!
Oh please! and now you folks are operating as Barack Obama's press office? I know you guys were in the tank, but for the love of Pete, have the dignity of discretion hide your inclinations! I can but laugh my ass off every time I hear all this sanctimonious nitwits pontificate about the negativity of electioneering, and how it will result on a particular candidate being rejected because of it. Now is the impending doom of the democratic coalition because Hillary is too rough on Obama! Do you guys realize how silly and stupid all this sound? Politics is a rough sport folks. Like Harry Truman once said, if you cannot stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. What is it about Obama that make all you pundits think that he is so frail that cannot stand public scrutiny? If the attacks are unfounded, he will defend himself. If the depth of his political support is so shallow that he cannot survive this process, then he has no business with the democratic nomination, because, note to E.J., the republicans will be vicious in raising these same attacks!! And more, yes much more. Because that is the way it is in American politics.
Obama simply acknowledged Reagan's long-term impact on politics and the fact that conservatives once constituted the camp producing new ideas, flawed though they were.
He never acknowledged they were flawed.
The truth of the matter is that Obama sat in a meeting with the Reno Gazette-Journal talking about Reagan in order to get their endorsement in hopes of winning Nevada. He won the endorsement and lost the caucus.
And now he's whining to anyone who will listen that his comments were misunderstood. When that didn't work, he's trying "But Bill did it too!"
The bottom line is Reagan's long-term impact on politics was the appeal to people's bigotry and selfishness. He kicked off his campaign in Philadelphia, MS; his speeches were peppered with myths about welfare queens who collected their checks, ate steaks and drove Cadillacs; one of his first acts as president was to fire 11,000 air traffic controllers, a devastating union-busting move if ever there was. His policies facilitated the S&L crisis, not entrepreneurship.
Obama isn't running the 2008 version of the Clinton 1992 campaign. He's running the 2008 version of Reagan's 1980 campaign. It's "Morning in America" again.
All you need to know about Obama's comment is that Sean Hannity keeps repeating it and agreeing with Obama.