NOT TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM, IS HE?

Over at World O' Crap is a post concerning this wingnut article by a Bruce Walker exploring three ways Bush might still win the election. The second of those three?

Morbidity could also change the race. President Reagan will die someday, and only God, Nancy and his doctors have much of an idea when that might be. When he dies, the nation will realize its loss. Almost everything about the Gipper was good, noble and successful. It would be logical for President Bush to give the eulogy and most Americans would watch.

President Reagan was the most popular political figure in the history of California. His funeral and California seeing President Bush at his very best could cause many Californians to sit back and reflect on what principled and compassionate conservatives could do. Reagan was also beloved in the Pacific and Rocky Mountain regions. His death could affect the vote in Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and several other states.

(...)

What is some Democrat blurts out something bad about a recently dead Reagan or Ford? Republicans could demand that Kerry repudiate it, and if Kerry hesitates, he is lost; if he speaks glowingly of the dead Republican, he weakens his own arguments; if he endorses libel of the dead, he risks a massive exodus of moderates.

Now I find this idea rather silly. Even for Reagan, who's basically been treated like he's been dead for some time (the airports, the attempts to put him on the dime, and so on), I don't think there would be much of a "death bounce", especially for someone far removed from the Presidential line of succession. Generally, the American pattern is to spend 4-7 day period mourning the deceased through TV specials, hastily-thrown-together magazine tributes, and so on, and then we go on with our lives.

Plus, the whole "wishing someone dead for political gain" thing just ain't right. I don't with Dubya dead. I just wish that the other guy getting more votes than him will actually mean what it's supposed to this time.

Anyway, back at W o' C, some fun is had with this idea, as theirs is a land of thick, tasty snark:

So, if both Reagan AND Ford were to die, Bush could take at least half a dozen of the undecided states, ensuring his electoral victory. And since Reagan and Ford are bound to be pass on soon anyway, I'm sure they will be happy to do it now, a crucial time for Bush, so they can help their party by allowing him to speak at their funerals.

And then maybe somebody like Michael Moore could be bribed to badmouth the dear departed, making everybody hate Democrats. It's a plan that can't fail!

As if by sheer magic, tonight Drudge reports:

Hollywood sources tell LA Weekly columnist Nikki Finke that former President Ronald Reagan's medical condition has suddenly worsened. "He really took a downslide today," the insider told Finke Friday evening. "Doctors are at the house. Things aren't good." At the start of the day, several news organizations chased down a rumor that the ex-president had died, but it wasn't true... Family members gathered at the Reagan's Bel Air home late Friday... Developing...

Oh my.

St. Ray-gun didn't agree to go along with this, did he?

Well, at least it's nice to know that someone in America is jumping for joy over this one.