Well, since the biggest voting block is Conservatives, and fully 60% of Conservatives now stand outside of the Republican party... Where do you suppose those Conservatives are, and how do you appeal to them? I think worrying about 'upsetting the independents' is ill-informed and a misdirection.... We ARE the independents.
Great point. But, of course, like French generals, they’re always fighting the last war, and learning absolutely nothing from any set of circumstances.
Independents swung the congressional election in '06 and won Pelosi the Speakership; they also went for Obama over McCain.
We don't want them swinging Obama's way again.