"Image over substance" became the norm under Reagan.
One quick example is illustrative: Cowboy Reagan publicly, harshly stating, "We will not negotiate with terrorists." Privately, of course, he did and illegally sent the profits from arms sales to other terrorists in Nicaragua. Interesting aside: Admiral Pointheader IS BACK! God, if nothing else, Dubya is perhaps the best President we've ever had at rehabilitating criminals, (Reich, Kissinger, Poindexter, Abrahms, etc. ad plenty nauseum).