the public thinks W is a conservative, or at the very least thought he was when originally elected. Therefore, there is no reason not to nominate a candidate who is an actual conservative in addition to being a perceived conservative.
The public thought Ross Perot was conservative!
Nobody over 40 at CPAC ever thought any Bush was conservative. They're walking on eggshells with these quotes because they want to continue to tug on the skirts of power.
In 2000, the election was close... Very close. This is because Bush was not perceived as "conservative enough." He got a lot of moderate votes and Anti-Gore votes, which is what tipped the scale.
In 2004, the conservatives turned out to vote against John Kerry, and for President Bush's strong opposition to the terrorists abroad. In a sense, Bush won in 2004 because of people either voted against John Kerry or voted against the terrorists.
Myself, I voted for Bush, but I'm a Bush-bot and this is expected of me. I think the man is doing the best job he can do in the political reality in which he exists. I grew up surrounded by a politically charged environment. Government is never straight forward, though it may seem that way from the outside. I've seen good men go into office only to have them become disgusted with the warped, bureaucratic, slanted, obtuse, oblique approach that government seems to require in order to operate.
It is my opinion that Bush is a well meaning, good man who hides his frustrations from the public because his office demands it of him. I think a great deal of his strength is drawn from his family and from the fact that he realizes that the execution of his job requires him to keep on trying, even when his own party continually stabs him in the back.
A modern day President can take one of two different approaches to the execution of his duties. In this, Clinton and Bush are diametrically opposed. A President can be a play boy who takes advantage of every perk, while dispensing with his duties with the least effort and investment, or a President take the necessary risks to improve and further the interests of the American people and the country pursuant to the responsibilities of the office, to the extent that he can, with as much cooperation as he can garner from the Congress.