This is why 2012 probably won't be a repeat of 1980. Obama is leading the most prominent GOP candidates in a rare time of crisis for the rest of his party, he's doing pretty good considering the standards.
It's not as if 1980 were like 1976 during the campaign. Carter polled pretty closely to Reagan until election day. Not to mention that Reagan was viewed by the political class as a weak candidate & that many Democrats hoped he would be the nominee.
I agree, also many people thought that Reagan was stupid and unable to lead the nation. I would have to say that Palin would be the closest candidate to Reagan.
I respectively disagree. Reagan was a much better speaker, and had a better political background.