It ignores the fact that Palin BROUGHT VOTES TO THE GOP! If McCain had had a “safer,” “moderate” choice in 2008, Bob Barr or some other candidate would have siphoned off about 10% of the vote for the right. And if the GOP had had its way, the Tea Party people would have just stayed home, and/or the real liberal would have won over the RINO in a two or three way race.
If the RINOs are worried about people wasting their vote on a third party, they should wake up and stop their headlong rush to make the Republican party into that third party.
Just my two cents.