Today, Dan Drezner quotes Steven Pearlstein on John Kerry's playing of the "economic blame game," and closes with the rhetorical question, "Not exactly a replica of Reagan's optimism, eh?"

Huh? Here's then-Gov. Reagan closing out the final debate of the 1980 campaign:

It might be well if you ask yourself are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe? That we're as strong as we were four years ago? And if you answer all of those questions yes, why then I think your choice is very obvious as to who you'll vote for. If you don't agree, if you don't think that this course that we've been on for the last four years is what you would like to see us follow for the next four, then I could suggest another choice that you have.

Has the "economic blame game" ever been played better? Or more aggressively? President Reagan was an optimist, and that's an important lesson to take from his long and successful life. But the man was also a professional. When there was a strong "economic blame game" to be played, the real Ronald Reagan (as opposed to the political plaster saint we've seen discussed ad nauseum in recent days) didn't hesitate to step up and swing for the fences.

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