I'll cite myself as the example. As I stated earlier, I'm a lifelong democrat, who really considers himself a moderate, because I have a conservative side as well as a liberal. I'm with Obama all the way, and should he lose the nomination to party shenanigans, I'm voting for McCain.
Now, from a second generation, New York City born democrat, I think that's a pretty strong statement. And I should tell you, I'm not the only Obama supporter that feels that way around here. McCain is much more liberal than Hillary in some areas, and in my opinion, a truly better person. Besides, that butthole Rush Limbaugh doesn't like him. That makes him okay in my book.
The McCain for 2000 was a guy I campaigned for, because unlike Bush, he didn't suck off Falwell or the evangelical powerbase. McCain of that time was my sort of Republican, a conservative at heart, but had broad goals (limit Congressional corruption, global warming, etc.) of which he was able to create Senatorial coalitions with Democrats....hell, even with a liberal like Feingold!
Hell, I even liked the last vistage of old McCain in that anti-torture bill that McCain mustered up and pulled a QB sneak to get passed.
But otherwise, the poor bastard has given the conservatives and GOP powerbase such a massive blowjob this side of DEEP THROAT, that he's practically now associated with the Bush Squad, that Obama can easily paint him as Bush The Sequel.
And if McCain backs toward the center, the bullshit-laden "conservatives" will abandon him, and the guy is screwed.
McCain at his best is as a reasonable moderate Republican who doesn't pimp Jesus or hump a Bible every chance he gets. Not as a blind Romney douchebag ideologue.
I've just been so alienated by the GOP because of the religion, and because they got away from that 1994 Contract with America, or at least the parts I liked of it.
You know, balanced budget, Congressional Term Limits, cutting down on welfare, you know....the rhetoric they preached but never practiced. Instead, that GOP wave went on a moral crusade against Clinton, which fucking severly backfired this side of the Edsel.
