Has our political discourse become so polarized that we can’t as members of a particular party not admire actions or comments made by a person of a different party? On the tail of brief positive statement pertaining to the former presidency of Ronald Reagan by 2008 presidential hopeful Barak Obama, assaults on his position are being hurled from all corners of the Democratic party.
Obama told the Reno Gazette-Journal editorial board Monday that “Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it,” Obama said. Not hours after this brief, ambiguous comment, John Edwards retorted with:
“Ronald Reagan, the man who busted unions, the man who did everything in his power to destroy the organized labor movement, the man who created a tax structure that favored the richest Americans against middle class and working families, [...] we know that Ronald Reagan is not an example of change for a presidential candidate running in the Democratic Party,” Edwards said.
Though not all Americans congruently supported former President Reagan, 63% of Americans did look at his presidency as ”favorably” upon his exit said a Gallop Poll–which undoubtedly including some Democrats. Apparently Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Edwards have nothing to say about anyone from the Republican party–even historically. This seems to be slightly short-sighted on their part.
If a Republican candidate were to comment that there were no redeeming qualities about Bill Clinton’s presidency they would be mocked incessantly in addition to being patently false. Even the illustrious President Bush has made a few good calls in a strong field of baffling blunders.
Though these comments will rally the far-left voters, they will no doubt put off as many moderates as they gain, something neither the Edwards, nor Clinton campaign can afford. Polarization is not a word that moderates like to come to mind in the discourse of an election. And it will be these moderate swing votes that could seal the deal for the winning Democratic candidate.
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January 19, 2008...9:38 am
One Nation: Divided?
Has our political discourse become so polarized that we can’t as members of a particular party not admire actions or comments made by a person of a different party? On the tail of brief positive statement pertaining to the former presidency of Ronald Reagan by 2008 presidential hopeful Barak Obama, assaults on his position are being hurled from all corners of the Democratic party.
Obama told the Reno Gazette-Journal editorial board Monday that “Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not. He put us on a fundamentally different path because the country was ready for it,” Obama said. Not hours after this brief, ambiguous comment, John Edwards retorted with:
Though not all Americans congruently supported former President Reagan, 63% of Americans did look at his presidency as ”favorably” upon his exit said a Gallop Poll–which undoubtedly including some Democrats. Apparently Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Edwards have nothing to say about anyone from the Republican party–even historically. This seems to be slightly short-sighted on their part.
If a Republican candidate were to comment that there were no redeeming qualities about Bill Clinton’s presidency they would be mocked incessantly in addition to being patently false. Even the illustrious President Bush has made a few good calls in a strong field of baffling blunders.
Though these comments will rally the far-left voters, they will no doubt put off as many moderates as they gain, something neither the Edwards, nor Clinton campaign can afford. Polarization is not a word that moderates like to come to mind in the discourse of an election. And it will be these moderate swing votes that could seal the deal for the winning Democratic candidate.
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Filed under 2008 Presidential Election, Presidential Politics
Tags: Clinton, Edwards, election 2008, Obama, Obama's comments on Reagan, Reagan