David French’s post brought back memories of 2000 — and other elections — and I thought of some things I used to say. One is that GWB contained several American strains. He was comfortable in most any setting. He was Andover and Kennebunkport, Yale and Harvard. But he was also Midland and Crawford. And the Texas Rangers (the baseball team, I mean).
He was perfectly at ease with the grandees of the yacht clubs and international organizations. And he was perfectly at ease with a gang of sweaty tattooed bikers, whom he hugged eagerly. Or at a drug rehab center, with whose people he sympathized, indeed empathized.
It was interesting that David wrote, “No politician can be all things to all people, but particularly talented politicians can be enough things to enough people to build a potent coalition.” I heard GWB say a thousand times in 2000, “I can’t be all things to all people.”
Anyway, I’ll stop reminiscing now. Just to say — good post, and thanks for the memories (apologies to Bob Hope).
P.S. For the eight years of the Bush 43 presidency, I heard, “You know, Jeb is really the one. He’s the real political talent. A shame his brother got in there first.” For the last several months, I’ve heard, “Pity about Jeb. W. is the real political talent in the family.” The public is fickle.