Why is the Campaign "Ugly" Compared to the Last 20 Years of Republican Politics?

So, there's this confused stuff.

But look: how is it that the campaign is "ugly" and "negative" compared to the last 20 years of psychopathic Republican politics? Compared to the seemingly non-stop delusional screeds of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck? The campaign to destroy Clinton? The campaign to destroy Obama?

This campaign is business as usual for the GOP--which means, lies, character assassination and accusations of being unAmerican. Obama has stretched the truth at points, but he's kept it largely in the ballpark. As usual, the Dems are notably less loathsome than the consistently terrible GOP.

There is, of course, the pervasive false equivalence axiom operating in the background. Obama has stretched the point about Romney and outsourcing; Romney is flat-out lying about "cronyism." Not to mention the pervasive accusations that Obama is unAmerican by Republican toadies. The two parties are not equivalently reprehensible on this score.

This isn't really an ugly campaign. It's business as usual for the GOP--and SOP for the press, which blames both parties for Republican viciousness.