Perhaps our impression of the 2008 campaign was mistaken.

James Taranto:

But was the '08 campaign really all that competent? Or was it successful because he was lucky enough to have incompetent opponents?

Make that "opponent" and identify him as the old guy, the "maverick" whose primary constituency was the press until he ran for President.  And don't forget the campaign staff who were too busy stabbing Sarah Palin in the back to run against Barack Hussein Obama, mmm, mmm, mmm.