"Obama: Reagan Changed Direction; Bill Clinton Didn't"

[Bicoastal]

That's an outrageous statement from Obama. But unfortunately for Obama's detractors, he never said it.

It's all I've been hearing lately---"Ooooooh, Obama and Reagan/sitting in a tree/C-H-A-N-G-I-N-G!" But the fact is, more people are quoting the TITLE of the youtube video than what the Senator actually said. What he said was:

'I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not--and in a way that Bill Clinton did not." Listen to the entire soundbite. After hearing all the complaints on this board, you'd think that Obama was declaring himself a huge Reagan fan. But the entire quote is actually about the 1980s election, how the pendulum swung decisively to the right, and how big of an impact it had on the American socio-political landscape. Not once in the entire clip does Obama use a positive adjective directly in reference to Reagan--it's mostly about what Reagan's supporters were looking for in November 1980. Then, before he can continue, the clip stops.

You can stand here for hours and try to convince me otherwise, but if the question was, Did Reagan run a succesful campaign in 1980? I would have to answer with a resounding YES. Considering he won 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49? HELL YES. And you can stand here all day and try to convince me otherwise, but Reagan's election had a huge impact on this country after the 60's and 70's--not a positive impact, in some ways an entirely negative impact, but an impact nonetheless. Clinton's 92-00 effect, by comparison, was rather more minimal. The pendulum swung again, but not as far as most of us would have liked...

Does any of this mean I'm in love with Reagan? Not. At. All.

[babylonsister]

1. Clintonites know the truth, but like their gal, smearing Obama is

so much more fun. :eyes:

[Missy M]

6. Do you Obamanites have as much fun....

smearing Clinton the way you do.

[babylonsister]

11. Neener, neener. I don't smear Clinton, I respond to people like you

with the truth. I've even been known to defend her on occasion, so lay off. Not likely though; you enjoy this too much. Try just posting positive things about your candidate; that's getting more and more difficult to do, I've noticed.

[Missy M]

22. Come on I have seen plenty of nasty things....

said about Hillary. Stop with telling me to lay off. I have just as much right to have my voice on here as you do. I have not really had much to say about Obama.

[rodeodance]

21. oh--I have seem Edwardits in the stew.

[terisan]

2. Clinton left office with budget surplus; Reagan with ballooning deficit as did Bush Sr

The Clinton years were an economic and financial turnaround. In 7 years GW Bush has engineered his own turnaround back to the Reagan years.

[Radical Activist]

9. It only took 2 years for Bush to destroy the Clinton legacy.

I want the next President to have a more enduring legacy that isn't undone so easily. That's why I don't want another Clinton.

[Bicoastal]

10. EXACTLY. If Clintons had a bigger impact on this country, we'd be feeling it NOW.

nt

[Radical Activist]

14. Lyndon Johnson had a legacy.

When I think about all the things Johnson did that are still with us today, from head start to civil rights to the first major environmental laws, it makes Clinton's list of statistics about how good the budget and economy were for 7 years look pretty pathetic as a legacy. We can't afford another four years of missed opportunities.

[Missy M]

3. Sorry...

you didn't convince me.

[ArkySue]

4. If Obama's point is that

Reagan "changed America's direction" by campaigning on "hope" etc. that may be right. But look at the crappy policies we ended up with by relying on wanting to "change" and feel "hopeful."
I certainly dont' want to go down that road again.

[Bicoastal]

7. So Hillary Clinton and John Edwards DON'T campaign on "change" and "optimism?"

Don't kid yourself...

[theredpen]

5. K&R

[bellasgrams]

8. Just the fact that he gave Reagan any compliment or good

comment is enought for me. I remember too well what a horrible President he was. YucK.

[Bicoastal]

12. Reagan won the 1984 election by the biggest electoral landslide in US history.

That's FACT.

Am I not a liberal anymore for quoting FACTS?

[bellasgrams]

17. To bad his presidency didn't hold up to the voters expectations

Reagan's excuse turned out to be a mental disease. Obama's will be lack of knowledge and experience. And the country will continue it's downhill slide.

[9119495]

13. The original poster makes it clear...Obama does NOT praise Reagan

He simply states a fact about the Reagan victory. It is clear it was not about a compliment.

Here try this as an example:

"Hitler changed the direction of Germany in the 1930s." Of course the change was negative...but it sure was a change.

[golddigger]

18. I totally agree with you bellasgrams...

I my wife and I remember all too well what a nightmare president he was. My wife is a very quiet person when it comes to politics, but if anyone mentions how great Raygun was to her face she let's them have it with both guns blazing. She was working in the health care field back then. I don't think I need to say more.

[NoBorders]

15. Don't bother

He uttered the name of he-who-shall-not-be-named, therefore he must be ex-communicated. You can use logic until you're blue in face, it will only prove that you're the devil's hand-maiden.

He said 'Reagan'!!! Aaaaah!!! Burn him at the stake! He's a witch!!!

:sarcasm:

[NashVegas]

16. Reagan Rode a Wave That Had Already Swelled

The far right had already chosen Reagan as their man, all he had to do was keep them quiet, ride the wave and appeal to enough moderates to win the actual vote. Reagan drew southern voters by coded language targeting white bigots.

The Republican right wing that loyally supported Reagan was very much in control of the Detroit convention—of its machinery, its rules and its platform. The Sunbelt's polyester suits and white cowboy hats and STOP ERA buttons far outnumbered the striped ties and horn-rimmed glasses of the Northeast. Recognizing that there was no way to wrest back the control that had once been theirs, the moderates simply sat back and watched the show. Massachusetts Congressman Silvio Conte, a liberal firebrand on the platform committee at five previous conventions, backed out of serving on the panel this year. Said he: "What's the use? The numbers aren't there."
...

Thus when the G.O.P. turned to him at last, Reagan cautiously avoided Goldwater's mistake of coming on too strong. Instead of extremism, Reagan seemed to be telling the faithful, It is pragmatism that is no vice. At his request, the far-right spokesmen held down their rhetoric. Anti-ERA Leader Phyllis Schlafly was very quiet, unusually so. Fundamentalist Preacher Jerry Falwell, whose Moral Majority organization has registered 2 million new voters, made no ringing speeches. Even former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who is anathema to the extreme right, was welcomed with applause when he appeared on the podium. This time, said Pennsylvania's Thornburgh, the Republicans have no desire to "leave the battlefield littered with the wounded from an ideological tong war."

Time: The G.O.P. Gets Its Act Together
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,922060-9,00.html

[rox63]

19. Thanks for your clarity on this

Obama is NOT a Reagan fan. He is not rendering any opinion on Reagan's policies here. But no one can deny that Reagan's election began a huge change in this country. A change for the worse, but a change nonetheless. What Obama is saying is that we need to make another huge change, and another Clinton is not going to be be that agent of change.

[rodeodance]

20. Seems to me Obama is inspired by RR's tracjectory change and aspires to do the same. All things said

invoking another iconic president would have played out better for him.