" It was John McCain after all who spoke loudly for four long years saying that Don Rumsfeld was the worst Secretary of Defense in history, that the prosecution of the War in Iraq was going badly, and we are now executing a new strategy because of John McCain."

…isn't even true. Shocker, I know.

McCain NEVER called for Rumsfeld to step down. I challenge folks to find a McCain quote that says otherwise. The "surge" political manuever ("new strategy")came about because McCain and Lieberman urged Junior to reject the Baker-Hamilton recommendations. Bush and McCain are inseparable on the Bush Doctrine of empire and pre-emptive wars of choice, torture, rendition and an imperialist approach to foreign policy.

I think that is what he is doing already. He knows people like me, faced with Obama or Hillary as my other main choice, will vote for him.

Problem for him is he had to sell his soul to get the nomination, so he is too tied to Bush.

I do find one area of substance Bush and him disagree: drilling for oil. It is the only real issue and they disagree.

Otherwise, every issue in the last 3 years has been an "overture" to all the failed ideas of the 30%.

If I were McCain, I would say thanks for the nomination and blow off that base. All it takes to win over 90% of that 30% is to spew some rhetoric about judges. Give them their bone.

I mean, why waste his time pleasing the Hanneelers???? Ben has shown his loyalty and will definitely support him, just like the rest of the conservatie activists. They need to be relevant, so they will support their team and trash the other guys. Its not like Ben is going to quit writing about politics, or Hannity is going to leave FOX and become a real estate agent. The base will be there, so McCain needs to focus on the middle.