Reagan, Bush, Kerry, and Optimism

During the maudlin mourning for Reagan last month, much was made of his optimism, some pundits going so far as to say that was the key to his success. Picking up on this theme, the Bush/Pinochet (oops) campaign ran an ad on its web site last month emphasizing its optimism, contrasting it to images of angry and presumably pessimistic Democrats. It was enough to give optimism a bad name.

Now, again, comes John Edwards. Although I found myself in disagreement with many of his positions, I found myself captivated by Edwards' optimism during his primary campaign for President. The difference between him and the Republican mooks, however, is that theirs is based on a blind faith that even though everything Bush/Cheney have done since January 2001 had turned to crap they will somehow prevail by wishin' and hopin', Edwards recognizes that although the situation in America is gloomy and pretty messed up, a reliance on real American values, such as truth (as opposed to the institutional lying emanating from the White House), justice (as opposed to those currently in power who believe in million dollar law firms for corporations and limited access to courts for common citizens), and a sense of fair play can restore a sense of community in this country and, combined with a decent and respectful foreign policy, gradually restore America's standing in the eyes of the world. That optimism, and Edwards' ability to spread it around, will make a world of difference in Kerry's campaign. I feel better already.