[monkeyshine]

This is the excuse used by people who have no vision of growing the conservative movement, and accept the world as the liberals have parsed it.

I disagree. The view of the right in this case is totally fatalist. It is to say that things cannot get worse. And in that it is defeatist, because things will get worse if the right is shut out of political power.

If the right is a kingmaker it will have meaning and resonance. If it is a spoiler it will have nothing.

[=Intervention=]

" If the right is a kingmaker it will have meaning and resonance."

Only if it is respected as a valuable contributor, which the GOP party elites do not. The right is smart not to sully itself by electing a flawed, liberal candidate.

If the right is a spoiler it has the advantage of not being involved in Arnold, Inc. That is a positive advantage, actually.

Realists are those who accept the current reality as handed to them by liberals. Conservatives are those who fight based on principle, and thus grow the movement by persuading others to join them. I can't see Arnold lighting a fire under anyone's butt to become a conservative or a Republican. Reagan did, and even Bush has. The future is for those who spread the word, not sell it out to get temporary positions of power.