That might be true (it might also be the white guilters getting some buyer’s remorse that is driving his poll numbers down). But in 2012, the left-wing media will tell the GOP that to win they need to go left to attract the “independents” of Iowa and NH. The GOP will, as usual, believe them and start pushing the RINOs to the front in another attempt at building that big tent.
I'm sure they will. And, whomever the GOP chooses, the MSM will try and portray them as an out of the mainstream "right-winger", much like the Washington Post did with Bob McDonnell in Virginia.
McDonnell offers the GOP, and their perspective candidates, an interesting case-study in how to get plainly conservative candidates elected. McDonnell can be described as nothing other than an orthodox conservative. But, he ran a campaign that sounded much more centrist, and specifically economic issues oriented.
Whomever can replicate that formula of satisfying the base while still appealing to the center, will crush Obama.
The GOP doesn't give money to any of the presidential candidates vying for the nomination.