I didn't like Ronald Reagan. I don't really respect his presidency or what it stood for. But I fully support what Obama did today as a example of the brilliant political moves he pulls off on a daily basis.
We as liberals need to understand why Obama does does things like this. One of the reasons is that he is just a good person. But, even more so, he understands political theater better than anyone since Reagan himself.
Think about this for a second; In the last week , the most vocal spokesmen for the GOP have been bashing his brilliant (in terms of substance and politics) supreme court pick, calling this intelligent woman a racist and unqualified, and a abortion provider was executed in his church, no doubt in response to the type of hate the killer has heard on his radio and television for the better part of a decade.
What does Obama do? He doesn't go overboard addressing either situation, as much as many of us would like him to. What would be the benefit? Why get sucked into a unending debate about "activist judges" and "late-term abortion" when you can come out today, take Nancy Reagan by the hand, and sign into law a bill recognizing Ronald Reagan's birthday. Does he agree with Reagan's policies? Of course not. This is stagecraft, and his mastery of it is why his personal approval hangs around 70%.
You see the thing is, I believe we can rest assured that Judge Sotamayor will be overwhelming confirmed, and I trust that the Holder Justice Department will do what it needs to in regards to these anti-choice extremists. Understand that people who read diaries on blogs are political junkies. We care about this stuff. To the overwhelming majority of the populace, seeing Obama being a gentleman and helping Nancy Reagan across a room to honor her husband's birthday makes a bigger impression. We may think that is stupid, but it is true, and it's beyond wonderful we have a President who understands how important this type of thing is.
You often hear the analogy that, in a political battle, one side is playing chess and the other is playing checkers. I take that a step further. Obama is playing chess like a grand master, think 5,10,15 moves ahead, realizing how every reasonable thing he is seen doing makes him more credible in the public's eye. The Republicans are playing Candyland, and even a improvement in their current tactics would only get them up to the level of Chutes and Ladders. Unless the economy continues to take a nose dive, how can these clowns ever hope to defeat him?