Don't forget '68. He was Nixon's primary conservative rival - and near the end, the only legitimate rival. Reagan easily could have come back in '72 as a third party candidate, but as you point out, he didn't. In fact, he campaigned vigorously and patiently, and built his resume, for 12 years after 1968 to finally reach the spot where he could win, and he was a better candidate because of it.
If Palin lost the nomination I think she would back the nominee, but I truly believe that no matter what she would say, that if its a RINO people like me will not vote...I’m done playing that game.
The lesser of two evils is still evil and I’d rather get the revolution over with at that point.
Exactly. And that’s way it’s supposed to be done. You’re supposed to work for it and help out others while you do it.
I’m not saying Sarah Palin is this way—I love her dearly—but in this culture we live in today it is all about me, me, me! As evidence of this look at the vain, arrogant, narcissistic, self-centered, loquacious, ubiquitous, vacuous, pompous, pseudointelluctual, metrosexual, gasbag who currently occupies the White House.