But it became clear, with Clinton's defeat over health care, that his leadership was flimsy. I think our basic conclusion is, it was a great electoral strategy, this centrism. It's not a very good governing strategy. You cannot lead strongly from the center. This is not the Age of Burns.
Liberalism is at a flicker.
His three-volume history of the nation is out of print. Big Ideas are out. Specialization and incrementalism are in. But try as he may, Burns is an optimist in spite of the implicitly pessimistic conclusions of his own works. Setbacks are inherent to all experiments, and Burns has never believed in American exceptionalism.