Obama and Reagan

During the election, some suggested that Barack Obama had similarities to Ronald Reagan, insofar as both men came to national attention in a time when the country was primed and ready for a cultural shift.

After seeing the president-elect's ability to interact with shady figures -- be it Tony Rezko, Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright or Rod Blagojevich -- yet claim ignorance of their character and come out unscathed, I'm starting to see at least one comparison.

Barack Obama is either incredibly lucky that no one is willing or able to spill the beans on him; incredibly capable of ignoring the character of others in order to accomplish his goals; or incredibly ignorant of the people with whom he associates.

Quote of the Day: Reagan's 11th Commandment

Peggy Noonan writes today about Ronald Reagan, who would have turned 96 next week. Her focus is why Reagan is still remembered as a good man and a great president, but she closes with an interesting take on "President Reagan's famous 11th commandment: 'Speak no ill of a fellow Republican' " (emphasis mine)

It's a good rule for both parties, but it's good also to remember how he approached it in practice. Ronald Reagan turned his own party upside down, enraged its establishment, and threatened its immediate future when, in 1976, he mounted a fierce challenge to an incumbent Republican president. He ran full and hard against Jerry Ford and it was bitter--the stakes were high, the issue freedom at home and abroad. Reagan lost, his challenge doomed Ford in the general election, and four years later Reagan roared back. And when he won the nomination he turned around and seriously considered as his running mate . . . Jerry Ford.

When he ran against Ford, it wasn't personal. And when he almost picked Ford as his vice president, that wasn't personal either. It was more like this: This is America. We have been arguing about everything for 200 years. It's what we do. It's our glory.

Our politics then were grimmer yet had a lighter touch. The Soviets could nuke us tomorrow; let's have a hellacious brawl. It was a serious time, but I don't think we were in general so somber, so locked in. The 11th commandment meant the fight should never be mean, low or unnecessarily injurious to the person, or the party. But a fight could be waged--should be waged--over big, big things.

That he knew that is part of why we remember him as great . . .

Thus, when he took on Ford in 1976, it wasn't a violation of the 11th commandment, because Ronald Reagan had the ability to step on the Republican Party's toes without including the personal mud slinging that is so commonplace today.

Oh, that we -- whether seeking to maintain the direction of a party or to steer it elsewhere -- could all be so gifted.