I think JimRob had other candidates in mind for 2000 as well.
However, if Romney pulls off the nomination, he will be an improvement on Rudy and an improvement on McCain, and definitely much better than Hillary or Obama.
So, he may mirror his 2000 pragmatism and go with the better candidate in the general election, even if his preferred second tier candidate doesn’t get the nomination.
OTOH, we have not had 8 years of Clinton to galvanize us like we did in 2000. And that may be our undoing.
Having half a cake, we got greedy and wanted it all in 2006 and ended up with none.
Character also counts.
Both Mitt and his 5 sons never served in the military.
They have been to busy making money on the backs of those defending the country.