George Will, Republagogue

Texas For Sarah Palin ^ | 05/29/2011 | Josh Painter

[Rational Thought]

Levin: "The contempt for Palin does, in fact, remind me of the contempt some had for Reagan"

A demagogue is defined as a person, especially an orator or political leader, who gains power and popularity by arousing people's emotions, passions, and prejudices. Which is exactly what George Will did this morning, as Doug Powers observes:

George Will seems to think American voters are concerned that our nuclear arsenal could fall into the hands of… Sarah Palin:

“The threshold question, not usually asked, but it’s in everyone’s mind in a presidential election. ‘Should we give this person nuclear weapons?’ And the answer [in Palin's case], answers itself.”

“You know how chicks are… she’ll probably get upset with a Real Housewives of Atlanta episode and hit ‘the button’…”

Doug recalls that Will's soft-spoken hysteria reminds him of how the elitists demagogued Ronald Reagan, either as “a doddering old fool” without sufficient mental capacity or as a warmongering Hitler salivating at the prospect of starting a nuclear exchange with the Soviet Union. But Reagan, as it turned out, negotiated with Gorbochev and signed the INF Treaty, which was the first nuclear arms control agreement to actually reduce nuclear arms, rather than establish ceilings that could not be exceeded.

And speaking of George Will and Ronald Reagan, Mark Levin has pointed out in defense of Sarah Palin:

George Will missed the Reagan Revolution not only in 1976 but as late as 1980. In the 1979 Republican Presidential Primary, his first choice was Howard Baker, his second choice was George H. W. Bush, and his third choice was Reagan. Not until days before the 1980 general election did he write on November 3, 1980 that Reagan deserved election. For all his wonderful columns, the Republican electorate better understood the needs of the nation and the excellence of a potential Reagan presidency than Will. It is hard to believe he was so wrong about a matter of such great import, despite Reagan's presence on the national scene for many years.

[9YearLurker]

Palin’s got almost twice the length of gubernatorial experience of Christie. You advocate Christie for prez but denigrate Palin’s experience.

How should anyone take that seriously?

[txnuke]

George Will really should retire before he embarrasses himself further.

Agreed. Poor fellow may well be the last to know it.

"...is welcome to his opinions...."

Thanks for reminding me of that. We do not have to have "lockstep" like the Dems. But there is (as you say) no way he can be called a conservative. He is well-esconced in the Inside-the-Beltway-cocktail-party scene. And he would never say anything to put that in jeapordy (IMHO).

Here is a copy-and-paste-link to an article saying he is "past his shelf life". LOL

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/03/george_wills_atrophied_intelle.html

[x]

Not until days before the 1980 general election did he write on November 3, 1980 that Reagan deserved election.

That sounds like an official endorsement and those are usually issued right before the election.

It would be extremely surprising if Will hadn't been in Reagan's corner from at least the time Reagan got the nomination.

Certainly it's hard to picture him carrying a torch for Baker or Bush after they left the race.

You may remember the Carter debate briefing book that Will is supposed to have handed on to Reagan's people.

Will's columns have been collected in books that are available in public libraries, and I suspect they'll confirm that he didn't "miss Reagan's rise."

The way things work: Reagan turns out very well, so most Republicans give George W. Bush the benefit of the doubt. Bush turns out not so well, so a lot of Republicans don't give Palin the benefit of the doubt.

What's going on isn't a resistance to Palin as the next Reagan. It's fear of Palin as the next Bush.

[MSF BU]

William F. Buckley was a friend of Reagan. Try to find much in Reagan’s papers about George Will prior to 1980; you won’t. After the election, well, what is to be expected.

[GeronL]

bump

[MSF BU]

William F. Buckley was a friend of Reagan. Paul Laxalt was a friend of Reagan. His Kitchen Cabinet (Meese, Tuttle, Smith, etc.) were all friends. Will...not so much.