Former Bush Aide: Obama one of the three most talented political figures of his lifetime

[DeeDeeNY]

NYT Sunday Magazine
The Final Days
By PETER BAKER

One former Bush aide who spends his days publicly bashing Barack Obama sat down for lunch with me recently and before the appetizers even arrived lamented that the Democrat will probably crush McCain. He ruefully called Obama one of the three most talented political figures of his lifetime, along with John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Bush’s political guru, Karl Rove, in conversations with friends this summer, could hardly restrain his exasperation at what he saw as the McCain team’s dysfunctional organization and sclerotic message.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/magazine/31bush-t.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=The%20Final%20Days&st=cse&oref=slogin

[seabeyond]

1. knew they wanted to run agains hillary and not obama. n/t

[DeeDeeNY]

2. Yes, no doubt about that. They are in full panic mode.

[BeyondGeography]

4. Obama's not only talented, he's personally clean

Now we can have a field day with Palin without having to revisit Monica. Granted, they wouldn't have picked Palin if Hillary were the nominee, but one of the big reasons I supported Obama from the start is I didn't want to re-fight the same battles over and over again. Every time the Republicans fucked up, their line of defense would have been, "but the Clintons," and "Bill...". Thank God we don't have to go there.

[calimary]

7. GOP meme manipulator frank luntz even said - "I don't know how to beat this guy."

They had their game blueprints all ready to go - against Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama threw them for a loop.

[nichomachus]

9. Are you sure he didn't say "I don't know how to quit this guy."

[BeyondGeography]

3. Prepare to die, Pubbies

[nichomachus]

10. They should have gone with Trudy Julie-Annie n/t

[ProgressiveEconomist]

5. K&R

[tridim]

6. Reagan's "talent" is a myth

Obama's is real.

[FatDave]

11. Reagun had plenty of talent.

As an actor.

[nichomachus]

8. "Sclerotic message" -- I love it. n/t