Republicans were underwater in ‘06 due to the collapse of the Iraq project, not due to some fatal flaw in Bush’s temperament.
Setting Bush aside, I think we can agree that Ronald Reagan masterfully brushed aside criticism with finesse and humor. He set a good example for conservative leadership and received overwhelming public support for most of eight years.
The problem with constantly making every personal slight into a four-alarm fire is that it devalues the prestige of the office and exhausts the patience and attention of all but the most committed. If everything is outrageous, nothing is outrageous.
So, in sum, it’s a false choice to contrast docility with vituperation. It certainly doesn’t offend me for the President to be attacking, attacking, attacking, but I think it diminishes him.
“The problem with constantly making every personal slight into a four-alarm fire is that it devalues the prestige...”
You need to get off that horse. You must not know the history of previous leaders and presidents, such as Andrew Jackson, who killed people in duels, or Lincoln, who cut with barbs.