...it's too bad the GOP doesn't fear alienating its base...
Carl Rove figures that the GOP base is going to vote GOP no matter what. He knows the GOP base will not vote D, so he figures he's got you by the short hairs. LOL, the only real worry is that many GOP voters might just stay home on election day. But probably not, so once again he's got you by the short hairs and he knows it.
The only real hope is changing the GOP in the primaries.