How Republicans created the myth of Ronald Reagan

**MohandasKGanja** · February 3rd, 2009, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Penny Lane

^^ That and the fact that he was the spokeswhore for this big, traditional, family-values concept at the tail end of the 70's.. right after the whole Iran hostage crisis that put a nail in the coffin of Jimmy Carter's political career. I think people clung to him and revered him because he promised economic and social changes in favor of traditional conservative values... and during his terms there were several national disasters that he 'carried the nation' through... his assasination attempt, ending of the Cold War, the Challenger tragedy, the anti-communist movement, the 'Just Say No' campaign. When presidents persevere (the term is used subjectively here) through such events people start to see them as national heroes. Look at Bush and 9/11.. some people think he's a friggin god.

There were many, many nails in the coffin of Jimmy Carter's presidential career -- firing his whole cabinet 2 years into his presidency, stagflation, "national malaise", and the TMI hemmorhoids references.

**Penny Lane** · February 3rd, 2009, 03:32 PM

I should have put 'final nail' then.. since Eagle Claw was such a failure and the hostages were released just after Reagan won the '80 election and took over.

**sputnik** · February 3rd, 2009, 05:03 PM

carter's pretty awesome as an ex-president though.

**Fluffy** · February 3rd, 2009, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by witchcurlgirl

^^ I agree wholeheartedly on LBJ and Clinton.

I still remember right after 9/11 there were a lot of people I knew who wished Bill was still prez.

Originally Posted by witchcurlgirl

I've always felt a lot of the Reagan myth was purely due to the coincidence of his being the face of the West when communism finally went bankrupt and the Iron Curtain came down.

Yup. And they tend to ignore or minimize Gorbachev's role too.

**visitor42** · February 3rd, 2009, 09:51 PM

Originally Posted by MohandasKGanja

It might be a little premature to compare a guy who was president for eight years with a guy who was president for about three weeks.

I meant in terms of ability and intelligence and rhetorical skill.

**visitor42** · February 3rd, 2009, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by sputnik

^^^^

i also think history will be very kind to bill clinton. the 'golden years' between the 2 bush disasters...

Clinton will forever be placed in history between the Bushes.

I didn't vote for the elder Bush, but he was a hell of a lot smarter and competent than his son.

**JamieElizabeth** · February 4th, 2009, 03:00 PM

I had to print this one out. I agree, that some of this myth and idealism began earlier than Reagan.

**bychance** · March 28th, 2009, 11:12 PM

I also want to know the myth (as I believe it to be) created about Jimmy Carter being the 'worst president' ever. I only see Republicans saying this. Not that's an indicator, but I always found it odd.

**Fluffy** · March 28th, 2009, 11:15 PM

^Yeah, I don't get it either. I don't know Carter's presidency inside and out, but when you consider the law breaking of Nixon just a few years before that I don't see how you could consider Carter SOOoo bad. Makes no sense whatsoever.

**NicoleWasHere** · March 28th, 2009, 11:18 PM

Carter wasn't a terrible president, on purpose. He was too nice of a guy who was in over his head, IMO. It's not like he didn't try to fix the problems the country was facing.

**visitor42** · March 29th, 2009, 02:31 AM

In the rabid Republican view, Bush can't be blamed for the problems that persist three months after his Presidency, but Carter can be blamed even though he left office 30 years ago.