As he looks toward his reelection campaign with terrible poll numbers and a weak economy, President Obama may be stuck with the only strategy for an unpopular incumbent – make his opponent look worse. The predominate media narrative suggests that Texas Gov. Rick Perry would fit perfectly into this strategy because he’s made a number of statements that would be seen as too extreme and jarring to a national electorate. But modern presidential history suggests playing the “crazy card” won’t save Obama.

Incumbents in modern elections have repeatedly tried to make their challengers seem unfit for office. It worked for Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon against Barry Goldwater and George McGovern, but in both those cases the incumbents had stronger approval ratings than Obama.  Even President Bush in 2004, while beatable, had more things going for him – higher approval ratings, a stronger economy, and the fact that we were at war with the memory of Sept. 11 still fresh.