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What I was driving at, was that communication has strengthened our position. In '64, the left knew how to manipulate the media when it came to reaching the masses. They were able to destroy Goldwater. '76 was post Watergate and Viet Nam. Again, the concept of voting Republican was successfully portrayed as an act of pure evil. As things stand as I write, I doubt they could get by with these tactics today. Of course, things can change, as things change at a more rapid pace in our modern age. That's why the left is trying so hard to make hay with the "mistreatment" of prisoner story. The left is in desperate need of a mushroom cloud obliterating a little girl picking daisies commercial, or proof of Republican misdeeds to hang their hat on. Even then, because they don't control the free flow of information (which is why they fear the Internet and talk radio), I can't see them getting by with it (like trying to pass off hokey documents on CBS.)

On the subject of the battle for control of the party, yes, it can get a bit sticky. But the more liberal wing of the Republican Party, has not strengthened it's position since McCain's failed run. In fact, I think their antics, siding with obstructionist Democrats, has made them weaker in the eyes of the rank and file.

As for the broader subject of what defines "conservatism", well, your are correct. There are wings of the Republican Party that are after their "share of the pie". The Republican Party is a coalition party, of varying degrees of libertarianism, lying in bed with those who believe in varying degrees of Big Daddy Government themselves. The glue that has brought us together is the failure of 40 years of outright liberalism (perhaps I should outright communism.)

In any event, the roll back of government is not going to be successful no matter who we vote in as president in '08, if we don't change the courts, and that has to take place now.

As for myself, I don't know who I will be supporting in '08 at the present. However, even at this early date, I can say who I will not be supporting in the Repub primaries, and that will be any one who reminds me of McCain...