Oh there is a split alright and it is huge. What Terri showed is that the GOP leadership is nothing but lip service and plays the social conservatives for utter fools. Doing nothing but talk while all the issues social conservatives care about are settled in a "compromise" with Ted Kennedy. LOL.
Never has a political party played it base as ignorant, know nothings, that ain't got no choice as the GOP has played conservatives for the last 5 years. Open borders, Chicom dumping, deficet spending, new entitlements, education, Patriot Act, out sourcing, etc, etc, etc.
Respectfully, i think you are cross circuiting issues. I am adamant that the trial court judge played legal games and felos' own death views made reasonable compromise impossible.
however, i just do not see how this is going to be negative upon the GOP. I do not think Jeb could have "done a waco" and snatched terri and kept her.
As i said, I do respect your perspective. I do think we need to work on getting the future changed so we never have another Judges Greer or Judge Whitmore AND so that no judge can play these BS games.
Until 2006 you will never know what will be the lynchpin issue. There are too many positives to counter the percieved negatives.