I'm a self-confessed political animal. I was going to keep my macabre thoughts to myself, but Dan Biaz at WaPo is talking about it.
The death of former president Ronald Reagan has put Sen. John F. Kerry on the political sidelines, elevated President Bush to center stage and touched off a debate tinged by partisanship about the possible impact of Reagan's legacy on the November election.
And, gosh darn if it didn't work out pretty well. We weren't sure about this Western cowboy at the time but his hard road was the right road. Many will recoil at the profligate 43rd pres’s laying any claim to the legacy of #40. But I predict this: no good Reagan vibes are going to rub off on Senator Kerry. Take that one to the bank.
I must give Senator Kerry high marks for his good words about President Reagan. Even though there is documented (Kerry) opposition to his (Reagan's) policy, his statements have all seemed very statesmanlike.
Posted by: jk at June 9, 2004 11:56 AMShould the sad but inevitable death of President Reagan coincide with a "gapping up" of Bush's poll numbers, the likes of the NY Times may well credit the former for the latter. I can see it now: "Bush good fortune - Reagan death buoys candidacy," in the same way that Reagan was in office at the right time to "benefit from" the "coincidental" fall of the USSR.
Posted by: johngalt at June 9, 2004 03:57 PM