There She Goes Again

When Barak Obama praised Ronald Reagan you knew many folks on the left were going to be miffed. Obama said that, “Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not, and a way that Bill Clinton did not. We want clarity, we want optimism, we want a return to that sense of dynamism and entrepreneurship that had been missing.”

In other words, “we” need ideas to go along with the “change” rhetoric we’ve been using. (Read Mat Bai’s “The Argument” to understand how important new ideas are to the progressive movement.) But is Obama praising Reagan for the specific changes he made, or is he simply admiring the ability of Reagan to facilitate change? I think the latter. Whether you agree with the resulting conservative policy or not, there is no real way to argue that clarity and dynamism were not part of Reagan’s message.

John Edwards, naturally, came forth with some frothing-at-the-mouth nonsense about Reagan. But Hillary also attacked Obama for his crass sacrilege and, I believe, misrepresented what he said.

“I have to say, you know, my leading opponent the other day said that he thought the Republicans had better ideas than Democrats the last ten to fifteen years. That’s not the way I remember the last ten to fifteen years.

Again, Obama never offered up specific ideas (I wish he did.) But if Reagan is so foul, why did Bill and Hillary Clinton feel the need to praise him in very much the same way on the occassion of his death:

“Hillary and I will always remember President Ronald Reagan for the way he personified the indomitable optimism of the American people, and for keeping America at the forefront of the fight for freedom for people everywhere…

“We will always remember his tremendous capacity to inspire and comfort us in times of tragedy, …and we can rest assured that, as joyous a place as Heaven is, his wit and sunny disposition are making it an even brighter place to be.” President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Obviously, one former president will have pleasant things to say about another one. Yet, is praising Reagan, as Obama did, for his “dynamism” and “optimism” any worse (if you’re a Democrat) than praising him for his “indomitable optimism” and the “capacity to inspire.” Hard to see much of a difference other than circumstance. Methinks comparing Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton is whats really got that camp up in arms.