From the conclusion of a book review by George W Bush’s speech writer David Frum.
It might seem ominous for an intellectual movement to be led by a man who does not think creatively, who does not respect the other side of the argument and who frequently says things that are not intended as truth. But neither Limbaugh nor Chafets is troubled: “Over the years, [Limbaugh] has endeavored to carry forward the banner of Ronaldus Maximus, which he always credits as ‘Reaganism.’ But as time moves on the memory of Reagan fades. It is Limbaugh’s voice conservatives now identify with. For millions, conservatism is now Limbaughism.”
That is Limbaugh’s achievement. It is Chafets’s story line. And it is American conservatism’s problem.
Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush, is editor of FrumForum.com
