Well, for what it's worth, most people around here probably regard McCain as certifiably insane, as well as a kind of Manchurian stealth candidate. Certainly I do. He is widely loved by the leftist media, and for good reason.
If it was a choice of hillary or McCain, I might vote for McCain, but I'd really have to think very hard about it. Needless to say, that's not because I love hillary. But McCain is about the worst candidate for president I can think of. We might actually be better off with hillary.
I'm not sure I agree with your estimate of the situation, although I certainly worry about who would be a credible alternative. McCain would have the instant and eager support of all the media, as he did in 2000. But he would also face the instant and passionate opposition of most true conservatives. I suspect, too, that some equivalent of the Swift Boat group might finally stand up and say what military people really think about him after his betrayal of the POW/MIAs, not to speak of other problems.
McCain deeply offended the religious right with that stupid Bob Jones business he tried to work in complicity with the media. Fortunately it backfired. If he runs, millions of Evangelicals are pretty certain to stay home in November.
John McCain makes Howard Dean look sane and sensible. If it were a choice between the two of them I'd have to think hard. Probably I would just stay home, as would several millions of other voters and most of the volunteers who worked so effectively last November.
<"I suspect, too, that some equivalent of the Swift Boat group might finally stand up and say what military people really think about him after his betrayal of the POW/MIAs, not to speak of other problems.">
This is true. Last time he snuck by on this. He did not help himself by attacking the Swift Boat folks. My quess is his war record will be an issue, if he runs.
Being a constitutionalist, I'm gonna vote 3rd party regardless if it's Hillary vs. McCain, but if that really is the matchup for '08, I wish that others would follow along w/ me. DON'T vote for a RINO (McCain), & DON'T vote for a socialist (Hillary): find some TRUE conservatives, who will in all likelihood will not be in the GOP until the GOP becomes a conservative/pro-American party again.