Video: Reagan Centennial Ceremony in Simi Valley

Folks are debating the politics surrounding Ronald Reagan's legacy.

Some stories out today, Andrew Coffin, "Exclusive: Governor Palin Visits Reagan Country," and Patrick Edaburn, "Ronald Reagan Would Have Wanted Balance" (via Memeorandum). And from yesterday, a despicable piece from Michael Kinsley, "Obama channeling Reagan? Let's hope not: Ronald Reagan was a nice enough man -- but a terrible president":

Time magazine's cover this week features a Photoshopped picture of Ronald Reagan with his arm around President Obama. The cover story purports to answer the question of why Obama is channeling Reagan, a question no one was asking until Time brought it up. It's a standard newsmagazine technique to add a "why" to the thesis of a story. It makes it seem deeper, even while skipping over the hard part of whether it's true.

If Obama is attempting to emulate Reagan, there is no mystery about why. Reagan carried 49 states in 1984, the year he was reelected. But Time contends the 44th president is following the example of the 40th in some unusually profound way.

I hope that's not true. Reagan was a nice enough man — but a terrible president. I know, I know, you're not supposed to say this. Even political opponents are supposed to recognize and applaud his sunny disposition, his death grip on various bromides, his mystical connection with the voters, the wisdom in his simple view of a complicated world and so on. I am unpersuaded.

Actually, I think Kinsley's got a simple view, but RTWT if you're up to it.

Obama can't shine Reagan's shoes.

Anyway, be sure to watch Jim Lehrer's interview with President Reagan from 1989: "Ronald Reagan's Legacy." After a while, it's the moral bearing each president brings to the office, and the legacy of security and prosperity that he leaves behind. Reagan did well on both counts, and Americans love him for it.

And for a corrective, see Mark Steyn, "We Need Him Now" (via WyBlog).