"The battle for the mind of Ronald Reagan was like the trench warfare of World War I: never have so many fought so hard for such barren terrain"

This quote by Peggy Noonan is referring to the political fight for the mind of Ronald Reagan. It is comparing the battle to the trench warfare of World War I, which was a type of warfare where opposing forces would dig trenches in the ground and battle from them. The quote is recommending that the fight for Reagan's mind was a hard one, with many individuals fighting tough for it. Nevertheless, the quote likewise indicates that the battle was ultimately unproductive, as the terrain was barren and absolutely nothing was gotten from it. This quote is a metaphor for the political battle for Reagan's mind, and it highlights the trouble of the battle and the lack of reward for those who fought for it.