For John Kasich, it's a long way to the presidency ... and to Tipperary
"It鈥檚 a long way to Tipperary." A classic British song, popularized by soldiers in World War I, that has found its way into political circles as a synonym for 鈥渓et鈥檚 not rush to judgment.鈥�
With the United Kingdom鈥檚 general election , we thought it would be appropriate to bring up this one. The song 鈥� now in musical history, collecting money from ringtones and YouTube 鈥� soared to fame after Allied troops in France made it one of their favorite marching songs. Singer John McCormack , which can be heard on the to the movie 鈥淭itanic.鈥�
President Ronald Reagan in a 1984 address in Ballyporeen, Ireland. 鈥淥ne of your townsmen sang me a bit of a tune 鈥� and a few lines stuck in my mind,鈥� Reagan told locals. 鈥淭hey went like this 鈥� not that I鈥檒l sing 鈥� 鈥楢nd I鈥檒l never more roam, from my own native home, in Tipperary so far away.鈥欌�欌��
These days, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who is weighing a 2016 presidential bid, is especially fond of dropping the phrase in the wait-and-see context. The Columbus Dispatch that 鈥淚t鈥檚 a long way to Tipperary鈥� is 鈥渙ne of his favorite clich茅s.鈥� He has used it to dismiss questions about the Republican-dominated state House revising his proposed budget鈥檚 plans for school funding and taxes, as well as to about a controversial legislative measure that would ban abortion once a fetus鈥檚 beating heart could be detected.
Aaron David Miller of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars also recently to discuss the Obama administration鈥檚 agreement with Iran over reining in that country鈥檚 nuclear ambitions. 鈥淭he good news is that months of negotiations lie ahead,鈥� Mr. Miller wrote. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 the bad news too. It鈥檚 a long way to Tipperary still, and not to put too fine a point on it, but this is by no means a done, let alone a good, deal yet.鈥�
Who鈥檚 the next person in politics likely to use the expression? It has to be Martin O鈥橫alley. The ex-Maryland governor is an who has had a Celtic folk-rock band for years. And he鈥檚 already started that a long time remains before Hillary Clinton can officially become the Democratic presidential nominee.
Chuck McCutcheon and David Mark write their "Speaking Politics" blog exclusively for Politics Voices.
