2008 is NOT about abortion, it's about keeping the country safe.
The 9/11 effect has worn off. If using Osama Bin Ladin to get elected still worked, we'd have the House and the Senate. The electorate has "moved on".
You can say it is foolish, and it is, but that's just the way it is.
Great. Let's give up all principles to be "safe".
When you say it's not about abortion, you reveal yourself as a pro-abortion person. Which is fine - it's your right - but the problem is, millions of people who came into the Republican party via Reagan don't agree with you. If the GOP abandons Reagan's pro-life position - by nominating a pro-abort - it will lose. Not because people of your persuasion will abandon it, but because pro-lifers will.
"It's about keeping the country safe.
i know many MANY more fiscal conservative/social 'liberals' than i do fiscal & social 'conservatives'.
freedom from government interference is what they're interested in. the GOP is in big trouble if they think they're gonna ride the 'evangelical' train to victory again (if they ever did)...
And about reigning in spending and maybe even using that Presidential veto pen once in awhile.
Also, Supreme Court nominations. But the "principals above pragmatism" crowd always cut their noses off to spite their faces; look at South Dakota.