The Gipper's Example

Remember when Barack Obama made his joke about Nancy Reagan and séances at his first press conference after winning the election?

David Corn suggests, in Mother Jones, that "if there were to be a séance at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Obama would do well to ask for Ronald Reagan."

Forget about suggestions that Obama should study what Bill Clinton did wrong in his first months as president — so he can avoid duplicating his mistakes.

Forget other suggestions that Obama should study what FDR did to try to mitigate the Great Depression — so he can follow Roosevelt's example in dealing with an economic calamity.

Or suggestions that he should emulate (as he appears to be doing) Lincoln's approach, assembling a "team of rivals" to make the best possible use of their expertise.

Obama should study the Reagan presidency, Corn writes, because it was "the last time someone rode a grassroots movement into town and promised wholesale change."

Reagan can also serve as a constructive example for Obama, Corn writes, because he understood the importance of communicating with the people. And Obama, as David Gergen (Reagan's communications director in his first term) observes, has something the Gipper didn't have — the internet.

The internet was in its infancy during the Clinton presidency, and George W. Bush never really got the hang of the "internets," as he called it.

But Obama and his campaign staff used the internet effectively during the primaries and the general election campaign. They can continue to use it to communicate with voters.

Surely, Obama will do that. His use of the internet to keep his followers posted on his choices for key positions in his administration brought some criticism from some of his supporters in the media, who rewrote his campaign's battle cry ("Yes, we can") to describe their annoyance with the frequent messages ("Yes, we spam"). But governing effectively requires using all the weapons available.

And, to gain a complete understanding of the things that must be done, Obama should read the Salon article by Vincent Rossmeier and Gabriel Winant — "W. and the damage done."

I'm sure Obama already knows all about the messes that have been created by the outgoing administration, but the article provides all the pertinent facts and figures — in stark detail.

It's too bad it can't be required reading for everyone.