I had a V-8 moment reading the Jonah Goldberg’s conclusion on Obama’s new reelection strategy:
In recent weeks, it seems that the White House has discovered that, barring an entirely unforeseen economic boom, the Reagan analogy is a non-starter for them. That spells an ironic challenge for Obama, because it probably means that he will have to run a base election whereby he galvanizes his core supporters and hopes red meat and turnout numbers will save him. In short, it means the president will be emulating George W. Bush’s re-election strategy even as he pins all his problems on George W. Bush.
See, Obama was going to run as Reagan, because we were supposed to have this big economic boom. Only, as you might have heard, that didn’t quite pan out. And — follow me closely here — you can’t run on a Reaganesque economy unless you run a Reaganesque economy.
Obama ran as the anti-Bush, but has governed as the Mecha Bush — Bigger deficits, bigger spending, bigger Wall Street lunacy. And, predictably, the Mecha Bush has rampaged its way through the economy.
Like a rebellious teenager failing his classes, the President can either blame his parents, or come to grips with his own shortcomings.
It’s much more comorting to blame Bush. And besides, Obama has so much practice at it.
“The Buck Stops with the Guy Before Me” – classic
The Whine and his entourage simply do not get Reagan. It’s less the communication skills, and more the message being communicated. Dear Liar wants us to bow down and say “we believe in you and your vision for the future.” Ronal Reagan’s message was much simpler: “I believe in you.”
“And — follow me closely here — you can’t run on a Reaganesque economy unless you run a Reaganesque economy.”
Didn’t the left dismiss the Reaganesqe economy as it was happening? Something about it being an inevitable bounce back, and that any economy would revert to the mean?
Yes, they did dismiss it like that… and they actually believed it. This is why they acted as they did when Obama took office. They thought the economy would just automatically bounce back, no matter what they did. The economy is a just a great big mystery to these folks. The well of money is bottomless, because the money just falls from the sky. Rainbows and unicorns.
I can’t really remember what George W. Bush’s reelection strategy was, beyond having a doofus as an opponent. That’s the strategy that could save Obama.
Some days I want Rick Perry to be the nominee, just for that moment in debate when Perry is contrasting their records of economic growth and Obama says “But my predecessor was George W. Bush!” and Perry smiles calmly and says “So was mine.”
Nice! For that moment in time, I would vote for Perry. Brutal!
wow. i am in no way a perry supporter but you have just described a scenario that i would pay money to witness.
Barack: “Buck? What buck? I never saw a buck. Michelle, do you know anything about a buck?”
Michelle: “Racist.”