cash backing his play. He was able to answer any question from any reporter and shut them up with his answer. He was in command of his show. And Reagan paid his dues.  Two terms as Gov of California and the two decades before 1980 courting conservative opinion makers.  He knew who to get on his side.  Mitt hasn't come close to doing any of that. Remember Reagan got shot just two months into his term.  After that he was downhill but watch the film of him before that and he obviously knows what he's doing and how to sell it. Back in 1980, the Republicans (more moderate then) had a strong bench of establishment types who got on the Reagan campaign and made his administration what it became.   Even his second fiddle, George H. W. Bush, was a far better politician and candidate than any Republican we saw in 2012. And Romney picks wet-behind-the-ears Ryan who has become better known for lying than anything else. As bad as McCain's campaign was, Romney has managed to under-perform it. olicies and statements of the previous week (or day) are not due to flip-flopping or the propensity of Republicans to stretch the truth, but are an indication of the beginnings of Alzheimer's?  Maybe his somewhat wooden movements are not due to his actually being a robot in disguise, but are indications that he has major health problems? Since Romney still hasn't released one complete tax return, I guess there is no chance