[elfman2]

"I'm still waiting to see who he picks for VP and who the Constitutional Party and Libertarian Parties nominate."

This might help: President McCain Promoting or Obstructing Conservatism (a desision making tool)

[Thudd]

I understand and am sympathetic to the ignore McCain argument - basicly it boils down to "It takes a Jimmy Carter to bring a Ronald Reagan" - but I am uncomfortable with that approach at the moment.

I feel that 1980 was the culmination of years of under the radar creative activism and growth, that began with Goldwater. The problem in my view is that I don't see that same kind of energy and effort among conservatives of today, outside of the geopolitical engagements regarding the WOT. I'm by no means a Libertarian isolationist type, but it seems to me that the war on terror has sucked all the energy of conservatives to deal with that, while at the same time energizing the socialist wing of American politics.

[Vigilanteman]

Thanks to all for your comments.

Post #16, while not perfect, pretty well sums up my dilemma.

My coming of age election was 1976, when the candidate I supported (Ronald Reagan) was pushed out by a RINO named Gerald Ford who, while less repugnant than Jimmy Carter, was also less repugnant than John McCain.

Obama gets my vote in the Pennsylvania Primary, but not in the general election.

In 1976, I had the luxury of living in North Dakota, a state I knew Ford would carry, so I voted for one Thomas Jefferson Anderson, a fine patriotic journalist on a third party ticket which I do not recall.

It is more of a dilemma this time because Pennsylvania could actually be meaningful. The big question is whether a McCain Presidency would be meaningfully different than a Hillbama Presidency. As much damage as Jimmy Carter did to this Republic, I do give him credit for mucking up things so bad that we got eight years of the best presidency in at least 120 years, maybe longer.