The American Spectator

CONTRAST REAGAN WITH GEORGE W. BUSH and you see the difference immediately, and not only in the obvious contrast of Reagan’s verbal fluency with Bush’s legendary clumsiness. Bush has in fact delivered some magnificent speeches of telling consequence, notably his address to the United States Military Academy in July of 2002, where he announced the change in American foreign policy that embraced preemption of threats, not just proportional response.

Imagine President Reagan having had to implement such a policy change. He would have introduced it to the public and reinforced it with speech after speech. He would have been prepared to elucidate it and defend it in any venue, and he would have done so — preemptively, one might say. By contrast, President Bush made his point once — and then, outside of using the same few phrases over and over again in contentious press conferences, never — it seemed — said it again. He said it once and expected it to work. It doesn’t work that way.

“The Teflon President,” the press used to call Ronald Reagan. Why? Because Reagan used to talk to the American people. He talked all the time. He made his key points over and over again, patiently, like a teacher. He did not make one good speech and then wonder why nobody followed him. People saw him and heard him over and over again. He was near impervious to spin and propaganda.

“Tell me the old, old story,” says the hymn. Ronald Reagan told us the old, old story, over and over again, with a religious intensity and the patience of preacher. He had put in the time and effort to make himself an effective teacher. Most important, he taught what he believed. And what he believed was true.

Jed Babbin’s source thinks John McCain’s use of a Ronald Reagan video at CPAC will backfire. By now, we’ll know if McCain actually had the gall to do it.