As a foreigner (British) I see an echo of the position in the UK, where the Conservative Party has replaced 3 right wing losers, hated by the media, especially by the BBC, with a more centrist figure (Cameron) who gets an easier ride from the media. Cameron is unpopular with the right, because he is too centrist. There is no chance whatever that the BBC et al will actually support him when it comes to a general election against Labour, but having helped him burnish his image as a centrist it will be harder for them to paint him as a right wing fanatic, or a racist during the campaign. In the UK, the right will hold their nose and vote for Cameron, because Labour has won the last three elections (and still has a very good chance of winning again.) Maybe US conservatives will be readier for someone like McCain in 2020 when you’ve lost three Presidential elections in a row, and have an 8-1 liberal majority on the Supreme Court.
