The comparisons to Reagan fail to mention vital elements, some arguably cosmetic, but others substantial. Reagan was unparalleled as a public speaker, and his aides, particularly Michael Deaver, were skilled in showcasing him. Reagan was articulate with a superb speaking voice through which his intelligence shone, a natural wit, and very likeable.
Bush comes off poorly when showcased, and lacks Reagan’s seasoned stage presence. He is woefully inarticulate, possibly the most inarticulate president in American history, or at least since the dawning of the age of mass communication. When probed in interviews, and forced to compose his replies off-the-cuff, he invariably betrays a shallow knowledge base and a jejune system of thought. The president has a limited vocabulary and clearly hasn’t spent much time reading books. He has some wit and likeability, as did Reagan, but not enough to overcome his acute intellectual deficiencies.
George Bush hasn’t worn well. People don’t respect him as a leader, and his decidedly average intellect is a big part of the reason. Leaders, and certainly heads of state, should be smarter than average.
I disagree with the unfavorable comparison to Reagan. They simply are different types of personality and different speaking styles. Dubya has a more accessible, down to earth persona and he is definitely no dummy. He has done very well with impromptu speaking, maybe you have not sampled enough variety of situations where he spoke.
He does, and who wouldn’t, prefer a sympathetic audience ... which brings me to my last point. The presidency is much more transparent now than it ever was, certainly more so than during RR’s term of office. The press conferences are more aggressive, even hostile, and the expectation of accountability is higher. Given all this pressure, and add in the climate of political correctness, GWB has done exceedingly well. What they both share(d) is an unflappable temperament. This is so important.
I see temperament as a big problem with McCain: He has already failed in that area. And he is truly a horrible communicator; he drips with condescension.