Has this Republican primary season been entertaining, embarrassing, or both?

[J. J.]

No worse than 2008 (D), possibly better.  Remember how bad that was and how it went on for ever and ever.  The result ended up being good.

[J. J.]

No worse than 2008 (D), possibly better.  Remember how bad that was and how it went on for ever and ever.  The result ended up being good.

Now your just being a partisan hack.

This isn't even comparable to 2008.

Yes, 2008 wasn't over until June.  This is March. 

No worse than 2008 (D), possibly better.  Remember how bad that was and how it went on for ever and ever.  The result ended up being good.

I'm sorry, but this is complete and utter rubbish.

Despite some bitterness, Obama and Clinton were pretty much line-ball on issues and what they were doing was hardly isolating to Independent voters... this GOP nomination race is doing nothing but airing all of this extreme right-wing policies... and unlike the Dem race when there was some very left-wing stuff floating around... the candidates didn't publicly embrace them.

In 2008 the race unarguably made Obama and Clinton better candidates (mind you it was too late for Clinton) - each week makes Romney look weaker and weaker and his campaign is not responding.

Jemimah Wright?  Clinging to God and guns?  Punished for having a baby?  The three AM phone call?  Are you serious?

 

[J. J.]

No worse than 2008 (D), possibly better.  Remember how bad that was and how it went on for ever and ever.  The result ended up being good.

Now your just being a partisan hack.

This isn't even comparable to 2008.

Yes, 2008 wasn't over until June.  This is March. 

No worse than 2008 (D), possibly better.  Remember how bad that was and how it went on for ever and ever.  The result ended up being good.

I'm sorry, but this is complete and utter rubbish.

Despite some bitterness, Obama and Clinton were pretty much line-ball on issues and what they were doing was hardly isolating to Independent voters... this GOP nomination race is doing nothing but airing all of this extreme right-wing policies... and unlike the Dem race when there was some very left-wing stuff floating around... the candidates didn't publicly embrace them.

In 2008 the race unarguably made Obama and Clinton better candidates (mind you it was too late for Clinton) - each week makes Romney look weaker and weaker and his campaign is not responding.

Jemimah Wright?  Clinging to God and guns?  Punished for having a baby?  The three AM phone call?  Are you serious?

 

In comparison to the self-immolation of this GOP primary... I'm very serious.

WOW, just WOW!


Most contested presidential primaries in the US look like this.  Generally, they are worse.

This isn't even to 1976 levels on R side.  

[J. J.]

Yeah, the primary was nasty and mean. I think everyone knows that, but the 2008 primary was about two candidates whom the base actually liked duking it out for the nomination. 2012 GOP primary is about a weak frontrunner who can't close the deal.

The only thing they may have in common is length when it is all said in done.

The only real difference is that this is a three person race.  Hilary was leading until Super Tuesday.  You had Bill Clinton and Ted Kennedy flexing their muscles.  2008 looked like a disaster at this point.  It didn't turn out that way.

The only good thing was the SC speech by Obama.

This is normal, so far.

Seriously, you guys need some historical perspective.  So far, this isn't even as bad as 1980, for both parties.

[J. J.]

I'm not talking about the viciousness... or anything like that.

But the positions they are being forced to take are going to have serious implications.

They are not being "forced."  These guys are like that.  Mittens hasn't really moved to the right.  "Moonbase Gingrich" was classic Newt.  Santorum actually thinks that JFK was wrong to separate church and state.

[J. J.]

Obama's negatives never went through the roof like Romney's. Even Clinton's unfavorable spike was modest compared to Romney.

The Dem primary was civil compared to this charade.

What are Romney's negatives.

Please, this isn't any worse than 2008.

[J. J.]

Obama's negatives never went through the roof like Romney's. Even Clinton's unfavorable spike was modest compared to Romney.

The Dem primary was civil compared to this charade.

What are Romney's negatives.

Please, this isn't any worse than 2008.

It isn't worse than 2008 if you're in denial, I suppose. It's on par with 1996.

Romney suffers a net -13 in his favorables.
http://polltracker.talkingpointsmemo.com/contest/us-favorability-romney

Compared to Obama of around the same time:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/obama_favorableunfavorable-643.html#polls
+7

You had McCain going up when the D race was going on in 2008. Right now, you are comparing Romney to President Obama, not candidate Obama in 2008.  


I doubt that this even close to what it was in 1976.

[J. J.]

Oops, my bad.

http://www.pollingreport.com/obama_fav.htm

Scroll down and you'll find those 2008 numbers. He was boosting +25~30 around this time; even better.

Obama kept his favorables up against a long and drawn out primary fight with Clinton. He wasn't positive 100% of the time, and he wasn't gaffe free either, but he was able to keep his favorables up. Romney's have tanked and have stayed down. This is not 2008. You evidently are hoping that this primary will produce a stronger candidate in Romney like the long primary did in Obama, but Romney is getting bruised.

Funny how you call Obama's approvals (which are in the MoE and are roughly tied on the whole), as pretty "grim." But Romney's bloody primary fight sinking his favorables? Obviously making him stronger.

Obama's unfavorables went up.  The earlier increase in favorables was basically getting exposier.  And yes, for an incumbent president, Obama's numbers are starting to get grim.