Reagan tripled, not doubled, the national debt. It was about $900 billion when Carter left office and grew to $3 trillion when Reagan left office eight years later. This was because Reagan ran $200 billion deficits consistently--despite promising to eliminate the deficit by the end of his first term.

I am no fan of Obama's deficits, but his projected $9 trillion deficits over the next 10 years wouldn't even double the national debt. Reagan, as usual, took the cake. But to Cons he could do no wrong.