[Jim Noble]

a candidate that will fire up the conservative base and win a general election

That's the Rove theory.

I think he's dead wrong. I think that, except for the unrepeatable particular circumstance of November 2004, that a fired-up conservative base loses 9 times out of 10.

The "fired up base" around here thinks they are 65% of the population when they are 30% at most, and they show no concept of how to get the 21% of non-fired up, non-base voters they need to win.

[justshutupandtakeit]

What is considered RINOS around here is actually the base. Those falsely believed to be the base (in actuality is fickle and undependable thus cannot be a base) make up 10% of the electorate AT BEST. Kowtowing to them drives most independents and moderates away.

[mad_as_he$$]

After last year Rove is irrelevant. He shot his wad, over, finito, past the top of the hill.

[Dstorm]

You sound like you really hate the Socons
But you still needs them to win, it must really tick you off