Is it his cologne?

Just about every GOP presidential aspirant is running in two opposite directions at the same time: they all want to claim the Ronald Reagan mantle, and they all want to distance themselves from George W. Bush.

Whether it’s Guiliani, Romney, McCain or one of the Seven Dwarfs, it seems like President Bush is as popular as a New York ticket broker 20 minutes after a football game is over; no one wants to be around him.

That’s not Reagan-esque.

One thing Reagan knew well is, you stick by your friends and fellow party members through thick and thin. But simply because a handful of MoveOn.org Democrats have stirred up Bush’s negatives, all these wannabe mini-me Reaganites are leaping to play “Dogpile on W.”

Well, remember, you GOP candidates: one of you just may win the office and when you do, is this the kind of “loyalty” you’d want from your own supposed allies?

Truth is, Bush may not be as good of a social conservative as Reagan, but in terms of foreign policy, he resembles Reagan’s “No BS” approach far more than any of these “American Political Idol” wannabes.

Bush has understood the nature of the terror war far better than just about anyone else. This country needs its next president to be as fearless. And it needs its next president to be as pro-Israel as Bush.

If we fall short of that, our country may see a much bleaker future in 2009 and beyond.