Before you start blaming the PUMAs, you lost a good percentage of the “conservative” base.
The conservative base was the problem. Still alot out there that “want to teach the GOP a lesson”. I guess they didnt learn anything from 2006. As far as the PUMAs are concerned, they did what they could. I went to several rallys and saw “Hillary voters for McCain” “Dems for McCain” and “PUMA Power” signs. It would have been unrealistic to expect them all to go to McCain. Obama won by being the media darling, having unlimited funds and fraud....and the conservatives stayed home.
Pffft. "Moderate" Republicans demanded (and were given) carte blanche opportunity to demonstrate, once and for all, that they knew how to win at the national level, this year.
They got exactly the candidate they wanted. They got exactly the party platform they demanded. The campaign was run exactly the way they insisted it be run.
How'd that end up working out for us, again...?
They actually managed to lose to a one-term Senate Marxist with open and unapologetic terrorist ties. The ONLY thing I want to hear from Team McCain or any of its shrill little online apologists, from this day forward, is a meek and contrite: "We're sorry."
They have nothing else worthwhile what. so. EVER. to contribute to any meaningful discussion, re: either conservatism or winning electoral strategies.
"Moderates" have conclusively demonstrated, once and for all, that they know how to lose like nobody's business. How very, very... helpful.
You were saying — “and the conservatives stayed home.”
Well, the conservatives in Oklahoma didn’t stay home. As an example of what conservatives can do, look at the 66% for McCain in Oklahoma. That’s the largest percentage for McCain in all the states (for the Republican ticket).
Compared to Democrat states, only two exceeded Oklahoma in their percentages for the Democrat ticket (they were Hawaii and Vermont). No other Democrat states (for the Democrat ticket) exceeded the percentages of Oklahoma.
Perhaps we should start looking toward Oklahoma for what the Republicans should do...