They have to remind folks that the Republican are every bit as bad as Democrats, despite the fact the Republicans have never gotten away with the kinds of things Obama and his crew have.
The main difference is the first time around it was a cute phrase coined by the left (walter chronkite?) to describe Nixon and make his actions seem beyond the pale. This time around, it’s true. The presidency now resembles the lungs of a two pack per day smoking chimney sweep working at a radiation lab.