[adamjefferson]

Even Time magazine can be right once in a bluE moon. The 2008 crop were unelectable.. a fresh face is needed... And Pallin isn’t it.. Demint.. ? Maybe Newt if he hadn’t divorced his cancer stricken wife...
Think this question is key though... I can just see the GOP electing another McCain or Dole...

[Jim Robinson]

We could (and probably will thanks to the turncoat RINOs and outright progressives in the GOP) do a lot worse than Sarah Palin.

[SoConPubbie]

Even Time magazine can be right once in a bluE moon. The 2008 crop were unelectable.. a fresh face is needed... And Pallin isn’t it.. Demint.. ? Maybe Newt if he hadn’t divorced his cancer stricken wife... Think this question is key though... I can just see the GOP electing another McCain or Dole...

Unelectable?

By whose standard?

BY what standard of historical fact?

Here are some facts concerning Reagan's poll numbers and unelectability just before the 1980 General Election:

11/05/2010 11:26:39 AM PDT · 24 of 36
Al B. to onyx; SoConPubbie

Harris Poll January 29, 1980:

CARTER NOW FAR AHEAD OF BOTH REAGAN AND BUSH

"President Carter so dominates the American political scene now that his margin over Ronald Reagan in a post-Iowa trial heat has risen to an overwhelming 65-31 percent."

Also, Time magazine ran a big story in March of that year basically saying Reagan was unelectable. Gallup had a poll in that time frame with Reagan down 25 points.

Here's another blast from the past, March 10, 1980. The GOP establishment had decided they needed another candidate besides Bush to stop Reagan and started recruiting Gerald Ford:

ABC News - Harris poll: FORD LEADS BOTH CARTER AND REAGAN, ALTHOUGH STILL UNDECLARED CANDIDATE

"Former President Gerald Ford is the first choice of Republican and independent voters to head the GOP ticket, even though he has not yet declared himself a candidate for the Republican nomination.

Ford also leads President Carter among the general electorate."

Here's another one for your collection:

Historic Whispers: Ronald Reagan Had Little Chance of Winning the Primary

White House political strategists have concluded—regretfully—that Ronald Reagan is fading and will have little chance of winning the Republican presidential nomination in 1980. Why the regrets? Because Carter's aides are convinced that the conservative, 68-year-old former California governor is an easy target. (April 2, 1979)

Here's another one for your collection:

Historic Whispers: Ronald Reagan Had Little Chance of Winning the Primary

White House political strategists have concluded—regretfully—that Ronald Reagan is fading and will have little chance of winning the Republican presidential nomination in 1980. Why the regrets? Because Carter's aides are convinced that the conservative, 68-year-old former California governor is an easy target. (April 2, 1979)