No Reagan Bump for Bush
While there was a break in the news from the endless stream of scandals and misdeeds of the Bush administration, Bush has seen no bump from Reagan’s passing. Though they tried in every way to capitalize on the event, from Bush giving the eulogy to transforming their campaign web site to a Reagan shrine.
But three polls have come out and shown no gains for Bush; all three new polls show Bush treading water with the same positives as before, and his negatives rose in two of the polls.
Perhaps it was in part because people got tired of the incessant media coverage, for an entire week (right-leaning Larry King will likely keep on the Reagan topic for a whole month), and became disgusted with how Republicans were trying to politicize the event, rewrite Reagan’s record and rename everything after the former president.
Or maybe there was so much love and respect for Reagan, that people looked at Bush and said, “man, he is not even close!”
Post script–New drinking game: turn on the news and talk shows, and take a stiff belt every time you hear the name “Reagan.” You’ll be dead from alcohol poisoning within a few hours.
Ronald Reagan was a great president and when he died there was a lot of love and grief that was poored out for reagan one of the leaders in that was pres. bush and he had every right to do that considering he is the president and is in a way thanking ronald reagan for paving the way for bush. It may have been a PR move but at least he did something. After all he got the presidency again didnt he?! Also I think it is rude and very disgusting for you to think of a “Drinking Game” when there is a presidents funeral going on even if you are not american you can still show respect!
Good Luck with that and also Go W!!
Joslyn Elliott
Naturally, I disagree. Not with the idea that Reagan was much loved, that much is clear–but he was also much hated, and even many of those who liked him fervently disagreed with his politics and economics and were severely distressed at the damage he did to the country.
As for Dubya, the one trait he does share with Reagan is a flair and even thirst for good PR, a well-set stage and well-publicized event. Search on this blog for his Katrina PR events and you’ll get a good taste: the man would sooner let people die–literally–than pass up a PR event to shore up his ratings. Because he did let people die, for that purpose. There are things which I can excuse, and things that I can’t, and this is one of the things that I can’t. Bush’s reaction to Reagan’s death may have been sincere in part, but if it would have damaged him politically, he would have stayed away. The man has his priorities.
Finally, about the drinking game: I wish critics would carefully read what they criticize before amking a mistake like this one–it happens often. If you read the post script, you’ll see that I was not serious about people actually playing a game, unless you somehow believe that I would encourage people to die of alcohol poisoning. I was using it as a means of expressing the overkill and hyper-saturization of Reagan news in the media that week.