Much to my eternal shame & dismay, I was a McCain supporter the first time around (in 2000). He was past his "use by" date for the 2008 election, though. In the intervening years, he made it clear that he never met a Democrat's idea he didn't like.
And, if you can't beat McCain, you have no business be nominated to the Presidency!
You make an excellent point. I honestly cannot see any of the also-rans as serious candidates in 2012.
For whatever reason, the GOP seems to be in a nearly endless cycle of "It's My Turn-ism".
We aren't nominating and supporting the best candidates. We're supporting and nominating the ones who hang around until it's there turn at bat.
We aren't nominating and supporting the best candidates. We're supporting and nominating the ones who hang around until it's there turn at bat.
There are two factors at work here.
The first is that there has not been a truly satisfactory conservative candidate that all conservatives could unite behind. Romney, Huckabee, Hunter, Thompson, et al all had appeal to a segment of conservatives -- fiscal conservatives went for Romney, social conservatives favored Huckabee, national security conservatives found themselves left with McCain.
The second is that there is a segment of the GOP -- the country clubbers and Chamber of Commercers -- who don't want the social conservatives to even be a part of the party. They were happy, yea, delighted with McCain The Moderate. And see where that got us...
Conservatives desperately need to unite behind somebody. And we desperately need somebody that warrants our uniting behind...
For sure, that's nobody who ran in 2008. It could be Palin...or Jindal...or somebody else...in 2012. But we need a conservative candidate!