[Palmetto]

What makes you the arbiter of "conservative" campaigns? I think he's pretty conservative. He just doesn't have the hard edge others have, and he's also smart enough to pick his fights. He's patient, and he'll come back for more later.

OK, cool. So you're saying that we haven't abandoned the "Bush is Looking at the BIG Conservative Picture" argument just yet.

You must forgive me, I was taken off the Karl Rove Talking Points e-mail list, and I'm not always up to speed on these things.

I'm not looking for someone to jump off a cliff. Let's get what we can and go for the rest later, when the poltical terrain is more advantageous for us. Principle is fine and dandy, but you don't get to translate them into policy if you lose elections.

It used to be that Republicans tried win elections by changing the minds of liberals.

Now it seems they have adopted the classic Democrat strategy of handouts and apeasement to liberal special interests (also known as buying votes with tax dollars).

[hchutch]

I think both have applied. Seeing as conservatives are not turning out in those numbers they have decided to take a much slower road, and they have to do things in a manner that will attract more moderates and still fit what they believe.

It might sound like a cliche, but there is more than one way to skin a cat, and you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.