Video: The obligatory “Obama praises Reagan” clip
posted at 10:16 am on January 17, 2008 by Allahpundit
Except he doesn’t even praise him. He simply acknowledges that Reagan’s election was a paradigm shift from big government to small government (one which the GOP failed to sustain) and, importantly to Obama’s message, from division over war and scandal to something new. The hope that he can pull off something similar if elected explains probably 90% of his appeal to Republicans and right-leaning independents. Naturally this is cause for much head-shaking among the nutroots, as it shows once again Obama’s alleged propensity towards conservative “framing” or whatever pitiful buzzword they’re using nowadays for Democrats who don’t quite have the fight fight fightyness that the nutroots cherishes in losers like, say, John Edwards.
Update: Who’s the real target here?
Blowback
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What’s congress looking like in 2009? Are the democrats going to be able to secure a veto-proof majority?
If so, I’d take this tax and spend end the war “uniter” over hillary’s tax and spend end the war “triangulation”
ernesto on January 17, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Let’s check out the taxes and displeasure of Americans under Carter, then Reagan, shall we?
On the plus side, if we want a few more Carters we can all live in poverty together!
amerpundit on January 17, 2008 at 10:22 AM
And, as an aside, is going after a man reelected in the largest electoral landslide in American history really such an, I don’t know, brilliant idea?
amerpundit on January 17, 2008 at 10:23 AM
It seemed at first like he was trying to make the point that Reagan was leading people away from big government, but realized what he was about to say and changed track and took and opportunity to get a hit on the Clintons.
MadisonConservative on January 17, 2008 at 10:27 AM
That’s what it sounded like to me, as well. He hit the Clintons right where they’re most sensitive – their inadequacy regarding the “legacy.”
Slublog on January 17, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Nutroots and Clintonistas won’t like this much. Stuff like this may cost him the Edwards vote. Can he win the nomination if Shrillary lurches left and regains her nutroots?
In any event, any person who may move toward restoring intellectual integrity and traditional values to the Democrat party has my best wishes.
petefrt on January 17, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Like I said when this was a headline: I’ve been seeing his ads here in Nevada, and they’re really good. The guy has some charisma.
p0s3r on January 17, 2008 at 10:52 AM
He has more personality than any Democrat in the many years I have seen them. I know Zell Miller was a people person with class. I think Barry is good at pulling the woolies over the misinformed but sure is so much better than any alternative.
bones47 on January 17, 2008 at 10:58 AM
Cult of personality.
regal on January 17, 2008 at 10:59 AM
No worries – you’re one of Three, my friend.
amkun on January 17, 2008 at 11:02 AM
Obama identifying with a re-elected president whose electoral votes were a landslide and not with a re-elected president that never received 50% of the votes is why the Clintons are failing. If Slick Willie couldn’t get 50% of the popular vote, why would anyone think Shrillary can?
volsense on January 17, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Ronald Reagan “Kid, I earned my reputation, and my legacy”.
Entelechy on January 17, 2008 at 11:20 AM
We know Ronald Reagan, and Mister Obama…you are no Ronald Reagan.
right2bright on January 17, 2008 at 11:41 AM
And in doing that, he’s been more honest about the Reagan presidency than any other lefty in recent memory. He also implicitly acknowledges that the desire for smaller government is not where the American public is right now. Most Americans want “free” health care, “free” prescription drugs, more money for public schools, and higher taxes on “the rich.”
The America that elected Reagan doesn’t live here anymore.
Enrique on January 17, 2008 at 2:02 PM
Is there any chance he just admires some of Reagan’s qualities? Is every single thing a Democrat says just a cynical ploy to peel a few votes away from an opposing candidate? I’d like to think that a few of them, every once in a while, express a sincerely held belief, and I’d really like to think that this was one such incident.
It makes no sense for Obama to praise a Republican icon in a primary just to score a few political points. It’s a blunder on his part, if anything. I guess one of his campaign advisers needs to tell him that he’s not supposed to sound moderate until the general. An appeal to Independants (maybe independence is a better word) and moderate partisans won’t get you very far in a primary election – see McCain, John. Must be that infamous Obama inexperience. I’m starting to think that a lack of political experience might be his biggest asset, assuming he stands by his statement.
On the bright side, for Republicans, anyway, it makes him that much more unelectable in the primary. Once again, our partisan primary system works to stamp out moderation.
Of course I’ll take it all back after his inevitable statement to the Democrtatic faithful that what he was really just pointing out that the trains ran on time in Nazi Germany; and that he thinks Reagan was a demented, frothing bigot – like every other good Democrat thinks. Gotta love politics.
RightOFLeft on January 17, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Hmm, not sure what to say, he sounds and acts like he believes what he says. If I cannot have Fred, I might just vote for him. The rest of the republicans on the ticket are really just more Dems, if I have to have a Dem, at least I would prefer an honest one.
MalkinFan on January 19, 2008 at 4:07 PM