Opinion

Ted Cruz Channels John Lennon

Matt K. Lewis Senior Contributor
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Imagine there’s a presidential announcement. It’s easy if you try. That’s what my latest piece at The Week is about — how Ted Cruz is branding the word “imagine” — and encouraging conservatives to  believe that he can magically fix all our problems.

This is no accident. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see it on yard signs just like the “Hope and Change” mantra. And for similar reasons. On the right, Cruz is tapping into the same desire for change that led desperate liberals to suspend disbelief and trust that a guy who had never run anything could somehow fix America’s problems.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Cruz is tapping into the same notion. During his speech on Monday, he said the word “imagine” 38 times by my count. That’s no accident. As Frank Luntz has wisely noted:

“Imagine” is still the most powerful word in the English language because it is inspiring, motivating, and has a unique definition for each person. When you want to inspire, imagine is the language vehicle. [Huffington Post]”

True, he has offered few concrete steps for fixing America, and little evidence he can transcend the current political paradigm, but that doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we can imagine he knows what he’s doing — we can imagine that like Washington, FDR, and Reagan (men he referenced during his announcement speech) — he has that special something that all great leaders possess. And this is smart. Because hope is actually a big deal.

Don’t stop believing!

By the way, if this reminded you of John Lennon, you’re not alone. Check out this pretty good mash-up:

Note: Matt Lewis’ wife formerly consulted for Ted Cruz’s 2012 Senate campaign, and currently consults for RickPAC.