Who Would Fare Better?

An interesting discussion going on at Politico about which other Republican nominee might have done better against Obama.

Some other candidates discussed:
1. The "Real" John McCain -- of 2000.
2. A Palin-less McCain, perhaps with Tim Pawlenty (to keep the base) or Lieberman or Ridge (to bring in the moderates).
3. Maybe Mike Huckabee.
4. Ronald Reagan.
5. Abraham Lincoln.

The funny thing about all of these responses (the most popular by far being a "Real" McCain) is that they tap into a general thread of nostalgia and romanticism that runs through the Republican party. It's just a continued denial of reality and present circumstances. What about McCain has changed in eight years? He's developed a pragmatic ruthlessness that has given him the nomination and made him competitive in a race he should have been blown out. Dreamy Republicans want their candidate but want him without the very qualities that anyone running for higher office in their party must display: a witless pandering to the base, a general dumbing down of discourse and a rigid adherence to party lines on abortion/taxes/environmental issues.