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Jewish World Review March 13, 2001 / 18 Adar, 5761
Chris Matthews
George W. Bush may be outdoing both guys. He
won the presidency without help from the Northeast
or Pacific Coast states. He seems to be governing
without them. Seven weeks into his presidency,
Bush has not set foot in either New York or
California. He's been to Mexico but not to this
country's two largest states.
This is a big statement for a politician.
Given the speed and readiness of Air Force One, a
president's travel schedule can tell you much about
his governing strategy. In a few short hours, Bush
can go anywhere in the continental United States.
The fact that he has limited his travels mainly to the
South and western plains, regions that he won last
November, says something about where he is
politically comfortable and where he is not.
This is a rude departure from the way Ronald
Reagan governed the country for eight years.
Reagan also sought a big tax cut, also liked
spending his weekends outside of 24-7
Washington, also liked to his keep his workday
regular, his agenda clear, simple and successful.
But Reagan also knew from the day he won national
office that his job involved leading the entire nation.
He felt as much at home visiting Broadway as
shuttling back to Hollywood. He was as
comfortable with the ethnic groups of the North as
the Christian conservatives of the South.
He enjoyed huge popularity among Irish, Italian,
Polish and other Roman Catholics and unusual
support for a Republican among the Jewish
community.
Part of this came naturally. Part of it was a product
of good politics. Reagan never let people forget that
he'd played the football hero of Notre Dame in the
movies.
Just as he was forever "the Gipper," Reagan made a
conscious effort to identify himself with fellow Irish
Americans, indeed as the son of immigrants. A
Californian, he chose to open his general election
campaign on a bit of flatland in New Jersey with the
Statue of Liberty as his backdrop.
This week, George W. Bush took his first small step
to imitate the Reagan manner. He stopped in
Chicago for a cordial visit with Mayor Richard
Daley, son of the iconic and culturally conservative
Irish American big-city political leader. The stop
betokened a shared commitment to family, country
and traditional values.
It was the kind of visit Ronald Reagan would have
made, the kind that George W. Bush needs to
replicate if he is to achieve Reagan's success. To be
a great national leader, you must rally all the
troops.
03/01/01: Hillary does Hollywood?
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