Votes belong to nobody but the individual. They must be EARNED. If the Republicans wanted these votes they should not have had McCain as their candidate. A would-be leader has to take full responsibility for not winning. I believe if McCain had stood up against the bail-out he might have won, or done better. He looked bad when he made ear marks his issue and then went along with the bail out which was loaded with them. Even if he voted for the first version, he could have stood up against the second one on grounds of the ear marks - could have had his cake and eaten it too.
LLS