[D-fendr]

I don’t think it was the Reagan part that beat Carter.

It was the “not a war crazy meanie” that beat Carter.

The race was also similar in that a lot of folks didn’t want Carter,but Carter/Media had were successful in scaring many about Reagan.

When they saw Reagan was jovial and balanced, voters had an alternative to Jimmah that they were no longer afraid of. “There you go again” was effective as much for the smile and way Reagan said it.

If Romney can show that the Obama/Media portrayal of Romney is BS, the result could be the same.

[chimera]

Pretty good summary. Reagan's performance in the debates sealed the deal for him. His background helped. He was comfortable before a crowd and the cameras didn't intimidate him. Most of all, Reagan was comfortable in his own skin, and that gave him a confidence that he was able to project.

The other factor was that Carter committed a tactical blunder by allowing Reagan the last word, which he used to slip in the brilliant "are you better off now than four years ago" thought. People remembered that and took that to the polls when they voted. Carter couldn't blunt that stroke.

[lasereye]

If Romney can show that the Obama/Media portrayal of Romney is BS, the result could be the same.

True but I'm now starting to conclude he's incapable of doing that. I don't think he has it in him to blunt the types of attacks on him that Obama's making. First and foremost is that Bush's mess is still being cleaned up and Romney's going back to Bush. He has no ability to articulate exactly why Obama's wrong. I get the feeling he doesn't think there's any point in trying. In fact I just heard on the radio that Romney seemed to back away from his tax cut proposal in an Ohio campaign stop.