Posted on 10/24/2005 5:44:36 AM PDT by Molly Pitcher
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. -- Sometimes, the only thing a president can do is hang onto history -- the promise of that day when he has his library and all his critics have transformed into admirers who gloss over his many stumbles only to stand in awe of his accomplishments, when the naysayers and nitpickers cannot be heard, as the ears before him hear only an uplifting soundtrack of Aaron Copland.
President Bush clearly was dreaming of that day as he stood at the grand opening of the Reagan Library Air Force One Pavilion, with wife Laura and Nancy Reagan by his side. He beheld the faces of a sea of survivors of the Reagan administration.
Former California Gov. Pete Wilson, once vilified, is now how held up as an example for GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Reagan's former attorney general, Ed Meese, endured a spate of scandals that would humble Bush guru Karl Rove. Former Reagan speechwriter Ken Khachigian weathered many brutal political campaigns.
Time allows the survivors to put it all behind them -- Iran-Contra, the god-awful Beirut-barracks bombing that left 241 American servicemembers dead, a massive deficit, ketchup as a vegetable. Today, the world remembers the Westminster speech in which he laid out his belief that freedom would triumph over communism, the Normandy speech and the day an American president uttered the words, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."
Today, Republicans hear the words Ronald Wilson Reagan and they smile. No wonder, then, that Bush used the occasion of this ceremony to jump on the Gipper's bandwagon. Conservatives (rightly) are angry that Bush allowed the federal government to balloon and (foolishly) miffed that he chose a nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court who wasn't a member of their club.
The left, of course, is hitting Bush for the deficit, as well. And from all sides, there is the constant carping on Iraq -- from those who want more troops, a withdrawal date -- and who barely give a nod to a successful voter-approval of the Iraqi constitution.
And so Bush reminded the people before him about how his term will look if America succeeds in Iraq. U.S. Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif., picked up the theme, when he said after the Bush speech that both presidents had the "spirit to take on an -ism" -- communism and terrorism.
Having been belittled for calling terrorists the "evildoers," Bush reminded the audience how Reagan defeated "the evil empire." And Dubya didn't need to remind this crowd of the ridicule Reagan endured for using that term.
Nancy Reagan made an unwitting connection when she recalled her final flight with Reagan on Air Force One as they left the White House in 1989. "As the champagne was poured and glasses were raised, someone shouted: 'Mission accomplished, Mr. President. Mission accomplished.'"
Former state Sen. Jim Brulte, R-Rancho Cucamonga, remembered the days when he was a "flunky junior nobody" in the Reagan administration. "The first Gorbachev summit," he noted, "ended in 'failure' because Reagan wouldn't give away the store." But it wasn't failure.
It was an episode in a campaign won, Bush noted, because of Reagan's "resolve." While Bush is different in many ways -- Reagan was supremely confident in himself and secure in his skin; for all his bluster, Bush is less self-assured -- they both shared a vision of what this world could be.
And so as political heat blasted this administration, amid stories of a petty feud with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and as serious legal problems threaten top White House aides, Bush had reason to dream of the day when the rancor is past -- the day when a president's children are no longer the stuff of negative stories, his work habits no longer the stuff of derision and his speech no longer fodder for late-night talk shows.
How America sees Bush depends completely on what happens in Iraq and the war on terrorism. While the outcome is uncertain, the goal, to Bush, is clear.
Dennis Revell, the widower of Maureen Reagan, mused: "History is seldom an instantaneous pat on the back. That time will come for this president, as well."
Too bad GWB cannot hold a candle to Reagan. Too bad for America.
Bush has Reagan's iron man resolve. Much like Reagan, I doubt he spends too much time worrying about the grousing of lefties or the conservative ankle biters.
As much as we may want him to be or he may want himself to be, George W. Bush is not Ronald Reagan.
Let's hope Bush picked up a few conservative ideas while visiting the Reagan library. He could use some.
Bush isn't close to Reagan. Comparing a RINO to Reagan is an insult to the Gipper's memory.
You mean cronies, don't you?
...and is not afraid to avenge the enemy.
Unless that enemy is a democrat.
His children admire and respect him...
And so does evey illegal hispanic and open borders lobbyist.
and his wife stays out of his business.
Even she can't believe the mistakes he's making.
Good article, Molly.
It's a shame that this thread will become like fly paper to all the trolls.
agent provocateur, hmmmm, me thinks.
"Bush is a RINO?....."
It certainly seems that way.
What else do you call someone who refuses to veto spending bills, creates huge new entitlements, signs McCain-Feingold, and joins Ted Kennedy on education? If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck.
I agree. He has Reagan's resolve. Too bad he doesn't have the principles or convictions.
You left out "loyal american citizens who honor their President and Commander-in-Chief in time of war" you sorry so-and-so.
No ammount of slobbering traitors will make these attacks legitimate.
As usual, you "experts" are wrong again and loyal supporters of our leadership will again be vindicated.
Your platform of pure hatred is headed nowhere.
Very true. They were all over Reagan, the biggest complaints seeming to be: "What kind of conservative is he? He hasn't single-handedly banned abortion, run a surplus, or destroyed the Democratic Party yet!"
If GWB ends up being a bigger tax cutter than Reagan and wills us to victory in the ME, I'll be satisfied with those two major accomplishments, to go along with his numerous others.
"Your platform of pure hatred is headed nowhere."
Um...excuse me? Did I miss something?
I kinda doubt GWB wants to be Ronald Reagan ... Dubya is his own man, very obviously comfortable in his own skin, knows his own mind, and knows where he's going and how to get there. I for one don't want him to be Ronald Reagan. I want him to be who God created him to be: George W. Bush.
And that's the greatest success any of us can have: being who God created us to be.
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