One of the arguments that’s been made as to why President Obama is vulnerable is that he’s presided over a sickly economy for his entire tenure. One metric as to just how anemic our economy and job growth have been comes to us courtesy of George Will, who points out that June will be the 68th month since 1948 with the rate at 8 percent or higher—29 of the 68 months under Obama. So more than 40 percent of the most severe unemployment of the past six decades has occurred just in the last two-and-a-half years. No postwar president has sought reelection with 8 percent unemployment. Right now the rate is 9 percent.

This doesn’t necessarily mean Barack Obama will be defeated. But it does mean he’s very much beatable—and the GOP nomination is, this time around, very much worth having.