[Mamzelle]

His hold on some GOP men can't be underestimated. McCain sets his jaw, looks POW-angry/pitiful, and really has 'em going. Especially Northeastern educated types who don't really know anybody in the service.

War records can't be counted on. Look at Bush the Elder and Bob Dole! And they were active heroes, not suffering victims...

What we need is a better field.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Agreed. McCain is very strong. FReepers trying to figure out his strength based on how FReepers feel about him are going to be in for a rude awakening.

[Coldwater Creek]

I agree, but it is very early.

[JohnnyZ]

What we need is a better field.

I think the field will be pretty big for a while -- Sen. Allen, Gov. Pawlenty, Huckabee, Frist, Brownback, and the Moderates, though some of those will have to drop a la Liddy Dole.

[BlackElk]

You have a wrong number on the POW thing. You also have a wrong number in joining the enemies of conservatism in using this useless "neocon" term. The "neocons" are a group of about twelve surviving nonogenarian NYC socialists turned conservative over the Demonrats becoming so friendly to reds. What you and the New Republic and the Nation and the paleowimps at the Rockford Institute describe as "neocon" is the New Right which brought conservatism back from a wilderness paved by "paleocons" aka paleo-isolationist wimps.

You are going to be amazed at how few New Right types are EVER going to support McCain given campaign finance reform and the dagger in the back on the judges which are far more recent and far more relevant than his accidental residency in the Hanoi Hilton, however heroic. McCain has "forgiven" the North Vietnamese reds. We won't. McCain is on speaking terms with war wimp senators. We are not and we will not be. Hegel can go to heck along with McCain.