“I think we need one recognized, respected public figure to make a tough, blunt statement on just what Reagan's record is and what he might do to the country, let alone the Republican Party before Christmas.”
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Look at the declining television coverage. Look at the declining voting rate. Economics and economic news is what moves the country now, not politics.
Every person has only so much attention to give, and politics and government takes up only a fraction of what it did 25 years ago.
Without a Mayaguez, or something comparable that we don't see in the immediate future, there is probably no one thing the President can do to himself to turn this situation around.
The President has not created any Ford constituency, unique from that of any Republican President. The one exception to this is that he does show unique strength with young voters for a Republican.