I guess the conservative movement went in the dumpster when the nation rejected Pat 3 times. The 2000 election was an absolute conservative joy when Pat said that any hanging chad votes in the 3 contested Florida counties probably belonged to Gore. Sour grapes ain't the term for it....
The conservative movement died the night Bush worked overtime to call Republican members in Congress to expand the welfare state and burden the future generations for trillions in order to build his legacy by creating the prescription drug plan. That and No Child Left Behind, CFR, affirmative action...the list goes on and on. Small govt conservatism is dead.