Notice how much more coherent, articulate, and balanced his rhetoric is compared to our current crop of “conservatives.” In particular, notice that he recognizes our country’s earlier failings without rejecting these failings as something that wipe away all moral legitimacy to our past, as Bush and Rice have done repeatedly, comparing the savage atrocities of Iraq’s savage insurgents with the brave soldiers on both sides of America’s War for Independence and Civil War. Finally, he is far more steeped in the traditions of Western Civilization, quoting Tocqueville, C.S. Lewis, Whittaker Chambers, Isaiah, Tom Paine, and Jesus Himself.
How far the quality of our political life has declined in my own lifetime. Transcript here.
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Who were Reagan’s speechwriters at the time? Not to say, of course, that it didn’t reflect his own thinking.
I know one was Peggy Noonan. But he used to do his own speeches back in his radio days, and his understanding of conservative thought and ability to articulate those ideas far exceeds most of our modern politicians.
Yes, Peggy was one, as she never tires of telling us. More’s the pity then that, until recently, she’s been cheerleading for Bush.
My favourite Reagan soundbite:
“This is the issue of this election. Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government, or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.”
This a great clip to highlight the extensive irony that so many politicians today try to don the mantel of the “Reagan Revolution,” as if to say, “If you liked Reagan, you’ll like me.” And yet, their rhetoric is formulaic and largely vapid. Mere talking points. Sad, really.