I think Reagan adopted W.F. Buckley's rule. Either way it's the one I follow too and so far I don't see anyone in the Republican field I think can beat Obama's dirty class warfare campaigning. That worries the hell out of me because this is an "all in," history-changing election.
Arrogantly assuming you know who is "electable" at this time is nonsense.
At this point in 2003 Howard Dean and Weasel Clark were the Democrat front runners.
At this point in 2007 the front runners for the GOP were Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani.
It is this arrogant assumption of the infallibility of their feelings that makes base GOP voters remember just how badly the GOP Establishment has screwed up everything since 2004.