No, 2012 is not 1980, part 973

Yesterday Romney campaign pollster Neil Newhouse penned a memo arguing that despite Obama’s convention bounce, Mitt Romney will be the next president, treating it as a given that Obama can’t possibly win reelection amid such a weak economy. Newhouse cited the 1980 election, arguing that Jimmy Carter was leading Ronald Reagan by a “near double digit margin” before a late break put Reagan over the top.

As I noted here, the historical comparison is flawed on many levels. And Reagan biographer Craig Shirley emails over some additional thoughts: [cont.]

Greg Sargent, Washington Post