Victor Davis Hanson is a good writer--I'd recommend his "Carnage and Culture" book highly. He also pens some stuff for the NR site, this time weighing in on how the Republicans lost their edge and offering up some things they may want to consider doing: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YTE0MGY1Y2Y0NDUxNzdkNzk4ZWI4OGQ2YzA4YzA4YzE=&w=MQ. He says they really lost their mojo and credibility when they forfited their economic bearings and behaved like free spenders. No argument there. He also mentions an inability to "articulate" their message. Hanson is being kind here--what he really means is that Bush couldn't talk his way out of a paper sack. Beyond the capitulation on spending, Bush failed (I think) because he could not inspire and convince; a Ronald Reagan he was not. You need that in a president, regardless of party. Whether you agree with him or not, that's what Obama brings to the table, in spades and why he will have staying power as president and again as his party's nominee in 2012. He'll stumble, he'll screw up, he'll head down wrong paths but the guy can explain himself and he can inspire both his base and those beyond it. If the Republicans want to get back into the game, they'll need to identify candidates that can do the same. Right now, I can't think of who they have that would be able to stack up to Obama. Palin comes closest in terms of just pure star quality but her gravitas (haven't heard that word in a while, have you?) comes into play.
I met Ronald Reagan once in the Waco Hall men's room. There was no tapping involved.
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