Drive-By Political Post

[connielane]

First of all, I already know who I plan to vote for in the Democratic Primary when it's my state's turn, and it's not Barack Obama, but if it comes down to it and he gets the nomination, I'll more than likely vote for him for President (the only other option being to not vote at all, which I really don't want to do).

HOWEVER...

Anyone who is trying to compare Obama to Ronald Reagan (which the mainstream media has done and even Obama himself seems to be doing) is ... how can I put this delicately ... NOT SELLING ME ON OBAMA AT ALL. I wasn't very old for most of the time that Reagan was President, but I remember enough to know that if America is now hungry for the kind of change that Reagan brought about ... America is even dumber than I thought. And that is saying something.

ETA: Yes, I understand that Obama is not actually comparing himself or his policies to Reagan in any literal kind of way, but that doesn't make the comparison any less disturbing to me. Maybe Obama's statement was meant to court Republican voters across the fence. But people should still be wary - exceedingly wary - of the kind of empty optimism that Reagan brought into the 1980 election and any candidate (regardless of party affiliation) that aspires to it.

I'm just sayin'. :)

Comments

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

Because associating yourself with a President who consulted astrologers about important decisions is a good thing, see! It shows you're, like, traditional.

*headdesk*

[connielane.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm positive he didn't mean to praise Reagan's actual policies or anything specific like that. The comparison still scares me a lot, though. Because that kind of optimism, hope, and "yay for change" without any substance behind it can be very dangerous.

[queenriley.livejournal.com]

He's trying to get the Republican voters before he really hits the southern states. That still doesn't mean it's a good analogy and he probably should have gone with something else.

And I hate the media. I really do.

They tried to turn nothing into a race issue between Clinton and Obama... ugh... media sucks. Fox News spent a few hours on it one night and I wanted to scream and kick things.

Lets see how far the media takes this little quote and runs with it.

*sigh*

[connielane.livejournal.com]

I'm sure courting Republican voters is his goal with this. It just scares me to see that analogy being made about anyone who has a strong shot at getting into the White House, even if they're on my side.

And man, I got so sick of the media playing up the "race war" (which was NOTHING, as you said). I thought all three candidates at the debate the other night fended off that nonsense very well and managed to keep the focus where it belonged - on the issues. I couldn't believe that chick asked Edwards "What's a white male to do?"

[ancarett]

Oh, geez. Reagan's presidency was such an unadulterated disaster. . . . I don't want a leader who's all show, no substance and lets the actual work of governance be carried out by whoever's best at being a bully behind the scenes! Please, Senator Obama, let's not go there again?

[peachespig.livejournal.com]

It is a little cringeworthy for me as a Democrat to hear that. But I mean, Obama's positions are a matter of public record and they are nothing like Reagan's, so it's not like he's going to suddenly transform his entire political nature. It seems he is trying to define the framing of his own narrative for the sake of capturing the moderate vote. I guess the way I feel about it is, I find it distasteful but if he and his people really think it will work.....

I admit to being baffled by what seems to me to be the near-fetishization of the memory of Reagan among the Republicans, as well. The way all the candidates fall over one another trying to compare themselves to him and claim his legacy looks ridiculous to me as an outsider who never had any use for the man, but I suppose with W's popularity (or lack thereof) they must have settled on Reagan as the last Republican leader everyone can agree on, or something.

*Doesn't have a political icon*

[prongssr.livejournal.com]

I wasn't really offended by his comments. It seemed to me to be a more thoughtful comment than anything else; reflective. I think that this is oneof his weaknesses as a candidate. He is almost too honest and lacks political savvy to gauge what is appropriate to say and what isn't.