It’s one thing when the currently unhinged host of HBO’s “Real Time” Bill Maher complains that Republicans “love Ronald Reagan in a way that’s just gay.”
But when CBS and U.S. News & World Report’s Gloria Borger calls for a “moratorium on invoking the memory of Ronald Reagan” in a column about the recent Republican presidential debates held at a library named in his honor, this Gipper envy has clearly gotten way out of hand (emphasis added throughout):
First of all, if we're going to get through the next 19 months, let's agree to have a moratorium on invoking the memory of Ronald Reagan. Sure, the first Republican presidential debate last week was held at the Ronald Reagan Library. And sure, the first question was about Reagan's slogan "Morning in America." And of course, Rudy Giuliani answered by saying he would be just like Reagan-trying to "lead from optimism." And then, one by one, each candidate lauded the former president as if competing for his endorsement. Reagan "was a president of strength," Mitt Romney told us; Giuliani would have us believe that in the Iranian hostage crisis, our opponents "looked in Ronald Reagan's eyes and in two minutes, they released the hostages." Sounds like a made-for-TV movie. But here's the point for these GOP candidates: If you keep invoking Reagan, you'll only diminish yourselves.
So enough already.
Deliciously, the real absurdity in Borger’s position didn’t surface until her conclusion. See if you can spot the hypocrisy with one half of your brain tied behind your back:
As for Romney, he gets the Bill Clinton "Best in Show" award for glibness. Indeed, when asked how he felt about Clinton making a return to the White House as the first spouse, he deflected: "You have got to be kidding."
But nervous Republicans-the ones offstage-know it's no joke.
Yes, for heaven’s sake, let’s please stop invoking the name of Ronald Reagan at Republican events whilst we make sure to invoke Clinton’s in an article covering them.
How stupendous. Thanks for the much-needed chuckle on a Tuesday, Gloria.
