Ironically, it has been McCain to go from cellar dweller to nearly first place in a few short months. Last summer I was thinking this guy is done...that there was no way he'd ever get the nomination, yet alone become POTUS. Now look where he stands. Unbelievable!
The propaganda arms of the left, such as the Drive-by-Media, still reach a wide audience, enough to sway elections.
For every thinking voter, there are ten sheeple (many of whom think they are thinking ;). The solid conservative concepts of respect for the Constitution, limited government and individual responsibility have limited pull. Many will agree with them, but few can hold to these ideals, in the face of a lifetime of propaganda hurled at them.
McCain has been sucking up to those propaganda arms for years now; he knows where there's power to be had.
... I'd better shut up ... I'm starting to depress myself.
Unfortunately, nothing else is much better...