I don't think it is that simple.
To those "undecided" or "independent" voters- the ones who REALLY determine elections- they saw McCain as the hero he is but with a significant health problem and a VP pick without a law degree who they had little confidence in.
I live with these people. They are pro-choice to the bone but would overlook that if they saw a vital charismatic conservative. Unfortunately this time around they saw Bob Dole and Dan Quayle.
Don't shoot the messenger here. I'm telling you like it is here in the burbs.
I think it IS that simple. If conservatives had their act together, they would be united, follow conservative principles, EXPLAIN WHY CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES WORK EFFECTIVELY to the general public and .... they would (this is important) be the font of new ideas using those principles to solve specific problems.