I had almost forgotten that the Drudge Report exists. But it has some rather embarrassing anti-Reagan quotes that Newt Gingrich made while the Gipper was trying to run the country. In context, the quotes undermine Gingrich’s constant refrain that he worked with Ronald Reagan, made his policies possible, caddied for him, drove the presidential limousine, was the White House cook, wrote his speeches, and selected Nancy’s wardrobe. Most telling, Gingrich advised Poppy Bush not run for president as a continuation of Reaganism or he would lose. In fairness, it appeared to be a purely political assessment. Of course, in 1988, Ronald Reagan didn’t look very good as a president. He was senile. He’d blown the trust of the people with the Iran-Contra Affair. The stock market had collapsed the previous October. But all that has been airbrushed out of our national collective memory. The Berlin Wall came down in 1989 and St. Ronnie was born.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
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"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
Caption: Your papers, please.
Best comment of the day.
Treating the President of the United States like a common German or Japanese auto company executive. The cheek!
Just a review of the Reaganlegacy, which Gingrich, and the rest of the GOP primary candidates have embraced. I really didn’t think in this day and age, with a Black president in office, that the GOP would attempt to rerun the Southern Strategy, the 1979 racist campaign of St. Ronnie.
The 10 Most Racist Moments of the GOP Primary (So Far)
http://www.alternet.org/story/153895/the_10_most_racist_moments_of_the_gop_primary_%28so_far%29?page
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Way back in the late ’80’s, the poli sci class I had assigned Showdown At Gucci Gulch about the sausage-making that went into Reagan’s work with Dan Rostenkowski in passing the tax reform bill of 1986. You know, the bill that established two tax brackets of 15% and 28%.
Newt Gingrich was part of that story as the leader of a group of supply-siders trying to kill the bill. And that was well before Iran-Contra came to light.
TRA 86 cost me about 5K in extra social security taxes. I’m still pissed about that, not to mention MACRS, Son O’ Acres.
What a brilliant post, thanks a lot.
modern canvas