Add to that the possibility of a more conservative Republican leadership making things difficult for Republican Senators with liberal constituencies. Will the left keep nibbling? Or will a more conservative and effective Senator Majority Leader get some of the conservative social agenda through? Or will this all be an excuse for gridlock, so those in power can say "don't blame me" if anything, foreign or domestic, explodes (literally or figuratively).
This drama is better than West Wing, the TV show. Methinks that maybe GWB and his team really wanted a hand-picked majority leader all along, and weren't unhappy to see this Lott thing blown out of proportion.
Are you calling Lott and McCain Neo-Cons? After all in your scenario, they would be the ones taking the harmful actions to our party. Fix the blaime where it belongs. Lott said it, Lott was totally in denial that he did anything wrong, Lott totally mis-managed the entire crisis. He's toast but he doesnt quite get it yet.
McCain won't switch.
McCain has a lifetime ranking with the American Conservative Union of 84 out of 100. Zell Miller, probably the most conservative Dem in the Senate, has a ranking of only 60. Given that, and his pro-military views, do you really think McCain would fit in with the Dems any better than the GOP?
Furthermore, McCain is no fool. He knows that, if Lott's eventual replacement after a special election were a Republican, he'd be in the exact same mess that Jeffords is in now.
And, Arizona is not Vermont. If McCain switched the voters would probably put him out on his ear.