Before the nomination was sewed up, most Republicans voted against McCain, even though most of the early primaries were in less conservative states. As you may remember, a fair number of them were open primaries with many non-GOP voters, who voted heavily for McCain.
George H. Bush was nominated because he was Reagan's VP and ran as Reagan II. George W. Bush was nominated because the expected leading conservatives, Quayle and Gramm went nowhere, leaving nobody but Keyes to oppose Bush on the right. It was a sequence of unfortunate events. It was not as straightforward as you imply.
I think FReepers are well-informed enough to know that it isn't a simple process, and I certainly never intended to imply that it is.
I was responding to a post which had attempted to place the blame for Bush I, Bush II and McCain on The Party. It's precisely because the process is not straightforward that such blame is unhelpful and misguided.
The idea was presented as if those conservatives who refused to vote were right to do so, and that it's all the Republican Party's fault. I strongly disagree, and urge disaffected conservatives to become more involved, campaign for and otherwise support conservatives, and never EVER refuse to exercise your priceless right to vote just because you don't love any of the choices.
Anyone waiting for perfection in a candidate had better run for the office himself or change his attitude. No career politician is ever going to make everyone happy.