1 - "You (Constitution, Libertarian, Tancredo write in) folks are a tiny fleabite on the country's rear end. Who cares what you think?"
2 - "You (Constitution, Libertarian, Tancredo write in) folks are PUTTING AMERICA IN DANGER because you won't vote for W. Are you NUTS??"
They can't both be true.
It's pretty clear that Bush and Rove have accepted (1), deciding they have a much better chance of winning in 2004 by triangulating the center-left vote and letting us diehard limited government types pound sand.
Hey, that's their call. They just should not be surprised when they get what they planned on.