Reply #12: it may have been a couple other things that diminished multilateralism

[hfojvt]

The famous Reagan commandment - never speak ill of another Republican, was all about putting party over truth. Then there was Bush Sr. He compromised with Democrats, supporting a tax increase against his own campaign promises. Presumably doing what was right for the country even though it might cost him politically. And it did cost him politically as Clinton ran against him as a Reaganite, promising a middle class tax cut and attacking Bush for raising taxes and breaking his promise.

Another part was the constant search for the fountain of Watergate. If we lose the election, we can hope for a new Watergate to reverse those idiot voters. Some of that was media driven as they started attaching 'gate' to every scandal or presumed scandal as a way to increase drama and viewership.