[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

-—Bush, Dole, Bush, McCain, Romney-—

In the wake of Reagan, it’s hard to imagine much worse.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Back in '76 the Republican "brand" was severely damaged. The only people who would openly associate with it were those who actually believed its stated principles.

Then Reagan made the GOP popular again.

So the opportunists came in, attached themselves to the spiffed up brand and rode it for personal gain until it is once again a severely tarnished brand.