I don't buy your assertion that the Republican Party only nominates moderates. There were much more conservative options than McCain, but as I watched, each one was shot down over smaller problems than McCain has. So, rather than getting someone with 70-90% conservative credentials, depending on whom you pick, we got the one hovering in the 50% conservative zone.
Too many die-hard conservatives are completely unwilling to compromise at all and cause such deep divisions over comparatively small things that the moderates win out.
Voters who want candidates who are more conservative will need to learn to live with candidates who aren't perfectly conservative, whatever that means.
When it comes to elections, the strength of unity sometimes must outweigh the purity of idealism.
>>Too many die-hard conservatives are completely unwilling to compromise at all and cause such deep divisions over comparatively small things that the moderates win out.<<
Make this same comment next week and then look in the mirror if there is a President-elect named Obama.
It isn’t the conservatives CAUSING ANYTHING. It’s OUR party, damnit! Republicans don’t win landslides with moderate candidates; they win landslides with conservative candidates and conservative principles. In other words, we don’t need moderates.
>>the strength of unity sometimes must outweigh the purity of idealism.<<
So you really think the party is unified behind McCain?