Exactly, and this article was the first acknowledgment of that. That's why -- at about the same time in March, 1980 -- they were trotting out Gerald Ford as the only Repub that could beat Carter.
ABC News, March 10, 1980 -- FORD LEADS BOTH CARTER AND REAGAN, ALTHOUGH STILL UNDECLARED CANDIDATE
Comparing this point in the 2012 campaign to the middle of the 1979 primary is a false comparison. At this point in 1979, they were writing Ronald Reagan's political obituary. A Field poll in CA in Sept., 1979 had Reagan getting swamped by Ted Kennedy in his home state, and barely even with Carter.