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FR (which IS a representative sample of the CONSERVATIVE wing of the Republican Party...

With all due respect, FR doesn't seem reflective of the GOP base at all. The widespread support here of Duncan Hunter is proof of that. He is planted deeply in the 2nd tier. With no hope of getting out. If FR really was speaking for the GOP base, Hunter would be in the top 4 at least. But he's not.

As for the other candidates that I see touted here-- McCain, Romney, Thompson, Paul, and Huckabee -- none of them live up to the brand "conservatism" that is embraced by most here. And depending on who you are talking to here, all of them have serious flaws in their conservative credentials.

In fact, The closest thing to a consensus here seems to be in the distaste for Giuliani. And he's the GOP frontrunner. Which makes it even harder to argue that FR-type conservatives are the base of the Republican party.

He is planted deeply in the 2nd tier. With no hope of getting out.

Hunter didn't take advantage of the New Media like Paul and Thompson did, and got burned. That doesn't mean that he's NOT representative of the GOP; I would say that Hunter is the purest Republican in the race.

McCain, Romney, Thompson, Paul, and Huckabee -- none of them live up to the brand "conservatism" that is embraced by most here. And depending on who you are talking to here, all of them have serious flaws in their conservative credentials.

All of them are certainly more conservative than friggin' Rudy. The fact that their conservatism varies is irrelevant.

The closest thing to a consensus here seems to be in the distaste for Giuliani.

You damn right. Rudy is a fricking liberal. Pro-abortion, pro-gun control, pro-homosexual rights, pro-authoritarian....he does not represent the Republican Party at all.

And he's the GOP frontrunner.

Those polls are fabricated because the MSM is salivating over a Rudy vs Hillary matchup, knowing that conservatives will split and possibly give the election to Hillary, who'll win with even less than the 43% that Bill got in 1992. Rudy needs to be taken out of the primaries or else you can kiss the GOP goodbye, because I'm sure in the Hell ain't campaigning for or donating to any Republicans if Rudy's nominated.