Remember when Richard Nixon had a full head of hair?
From The New York Times Magazine cover story "The Fallback" (March 12, 2006):
On health care, for instance, most Washington Democrats will, as a matter of both habit and perspective, talk about the moral imperative of covering workers and the uninsured -- and only then might add, as an afterthought, that the current morass is an impediment to business too. Warner, on the other hand, begins with the idea that if American businesses can't keep up with spiraling health-care costs, the nation will lose the competition with India and China for jobs. The same principle applies with education and the deficit. His fixation on the global economy brings a coherent framework to issues that otherwise seem disparate and abstract.
Matt Bai, who penned the above, sure does love his Thesuarus. So Warner could be, the argument seems to go, a "C.E.O. president." What an interesting case to make. We've never had anyone run with such a claim . . . Oh wait, Bully Boy. And isn't it strange that after months and months of post-2004 election c.w. on how Democrats needed to make moral cases for the issues they supported, Bai's applauding Warner for sticking to the dollars and cents?
Bai's article tells you that Warner's pro-death penalty (well, this must be a job creation scheme for Mister Dollars & Cents), he's against gay marriage (the penny pincher must not grasp how much money can be made off wedding ceremonies -- caterer, planner, et al), he's for parental notification on abortion and he's against late term abortions. Toss in the "free trade" (screw developing markets?) and he's got just enough whiff of DLC about him to cause The New York Times' cold, lifeless heart to flutter. When the Grey Lady gets sweaty palms, watch out.
But is the nation really ready for Richard Nixon Part II?
C.I. and Rebecca both noted that the guy looks like Richard Nixon (with a full head of hair) but some of the online talk has actually found him attractive (and failed to notice the very Nixonian resemblance).
Prepare yourself for the onslaught of the Governators. Bill Richards is trying to slim down (and hawking his poorly penned book). But between Bai's "reporting" and the always laughable Howard Fineman's heavy panting for Warner, people may be missing that a) he has no name recognition, b) he's a one-term governor, c) NASCAR outreach is not a campaign platform and d) the newly southern Warner does not necessarily equal pulling in southern states. (Remember 2000.)
His "centrist" position that lead Bai and Fineman to the print equivalent of wet dreams may not be a position that voters want to go for. If he won the nomination, he might be able to peel off some Republican voters, but would the base turn out in large numbers?
It's 2006 and self-described "geek" Fineman wants to masturbate to election 2008. They're attempting to narrow the race before it's even officially upon us. Those were the same types out to kill Dennis Kucinich and Howard Dean. Watch them very closely.
And watch how they repeat the falsehood that Democrats from the non-south can't compete in the south without ever noting the very real issue (one that Dean as Party Chair has been addressing) that the Democratic Party has allowed it's southern structure to crumble and decay over several election cycles by not putting enough money or face time in those areas.
In the meantime, get ready for more oohing and aaah-ing over Richard the Second. Separated at birth, indeed.
[Thanks to Rebecca for posting this photo at her site.]