You’re confusing this conservative site with a Republican one. They are not the same thing, especially in the past few years.
If you want Republican cheerleading no matter how unconservative they have become, there are plenty of sites. I understand McCain’s own site has a blog that erases any negative criticism immediately. Can’t have those disgruntled conservatives gumming up the works, you know.
Welcome to Free Republic. A little hint: criticizing other Freepers for acting like conservatives in one’s very first post is bad form. It makes us think you might be here to promote an agenda, and you don’t want that, do you?
As for your question, beating Obama by appealing to Dems will not cause Republican coattails. If anything it will cause the Congress to be more Dem, as demoralized conservatives stay home. The Congress isn’t looking good for Republicans right now precisely because conservatives, who donate and provide free work for the party, are having none of McCain. I was contacted by an aquaintance in the FL GOP to ask if I’d volunteer for McCain’s campaign. I politely, if emphatically said, “no,” then asked how recruitment was going. His grim response: “We’re going to be pulling homeless people out of their tents if we don’t get some volunteers soon.” That is what happens when a politician spits at his base, repeatedly, and then asks for their support.
McCain may win those Dem votes, but he’s not going to get their money or their time. And with the media clearly in the tank for Obama, no money and no enthusiasm from the base will be a high hurdle for McCain to get over, no matter how much he panders to Democrats.