McCain’s positioning on a host of issues may be regrettable where not deplorable, and may even call into question his full conservative credentials. All the same, the notion that from a conservative point of view he’s no different than Hillary or Obama, or worse, or that we could depend on failures by the Democrats to restore the Republicans by 2010 or 2012 at the latest, and without deep damage to the nation’s interests, requires that you view things from far further to the right than the country as a whole is ever likely to be governed.

If the outcome of the nominating process is an outright McCain victory, he can and should pick a believable potential successor as running mate whose conservative credentials are unimpeachable. Other outcomes might be far preferable, but all will require compromises, and call on us to deal with our country as it is, not as in some RonPaul-level political fantasy. If we can’t do that, then we deserve to be irrelevant. If we can, it would be a major step forward for a conservative coalition that has recently looked on the verge of shattering.

CK MacLeod on January 12, 2008 at 1:34 PM

I think it’s partly Hot Air and MM’s role in the immigration debate that has made the site a magnet for a certain brand of “Further Right World” extremism – in which positions and approaches embraced by or anyway acceptable to the vast majority of voters equates with treason.

On immigration in particular, many of us find the idea of a country that’s 95% traitors (to the left of Tancredo) kind of a paradox.

To the vast majority of our compatriots, being open-minded about our political opponents, in the sense of treating centrists and leftists with respect as fellow Americans, giving them a fair hearing, and taking their views and ideas into account, is a good thing. Pragmatic open-mindedness and compromise is a lot more American than ideologically-driven fanaticism and emotionalism.

On the other hand, I also realize that, for as long as the nomination fight is open, people are going to make demonstrative proclamations of all types. As I’ve said before, I think most of the extremist-sounding people, even the ones posting their threats and ugly insults here, are going to end up rallying behind the more-conservative nominee, whoever he is.

CK MacLeod on January 12, 2008 at 1:47 PM

McCain’s a much better candidate than Dole – I’m referring to his personality, his positioning, and his other political skills – and Hillary or Obama wouldn’t have Bill Clinton’s incumbency advantages. As the polls tend to indicate, McCain’s at this point probably the strongest candidate the Republicans have from the point of view of electability, age notwithstanding.

But I happen to agree that Thompson/Romney would be a fine ticket, for reasons laid out in a recent post to the Corner. Can’t happen though until and unless Thompson demonstrates a lot more political strength than he has so far.

On the other hand, IF Thompson somehow stages a comeback, proving so many supposedly smart people completely wrong, then he would also gain an aura of invincibility, or if not invincibility, then at least confirmation that he really is smarter than most of us. He could grab the nomination with tremendous momentum and the sense that he did so without compromising who he was and how he thought things should be done.

If he wins South Carolina, or even comes close, then his slingshot momentum would be tremendous. He’d become the default anyone-but-McCain-or-Huck candidate going into Super Tuesday, if he isn’t already.

I wouldn’t call that outcome likely, but it’s a possibility.

CK MacLeod on January 12, 2008 at 2:37 PM

Mcguyver on January 12, 2008 at 2:42 PM

Who’s diatribing whom?

CK MacLeod on January 12, 2008 at 2:45 PM