Senator John McCain envisions a different direction for the Republican Party after last week's devastating defeats in congressional elections — and in laying it out, the Republican is sending an implicit message that he should be the next leader. "We departed rather tragically from our conservative principles," McCain lamented recently, offering his take on why the Republicans fell from power in Congress. He urged a return to what he called the foundation of the Republican Party — restrained spending, smaller government, lower taxes, a strong national defense and family values.... McCain is positioning himself as the Republicans' standard-bearer while President...