That was scary ...

You started out with complimenting me in your last rather then grabbing an anvil and searching for the nearest window ... I think I like it.

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What I still find distressing, though, is your continued disdain for simple environmentalism because you feel it ALL equates to "Algorian" panic-mongering (I like that phrase... Algorian). Why shouldn't McCain attempt to appeal to moderates like those that support Arnold in CA?

I'd need an explanation of what you consider "simple environmentalism" before I (let a lone you) could state whether I am for or against it. But you have to admit, the "environmentalism" preached and talked about in the media today is in fact of the Algorian brand. That's where the debate is, whether laws need to be enacted to combat man's affect on the planet's climate. At present, because the Gore crowd has waged such an effective PR campaign, the word "environmentalism" is synonymous with what he is advocating, thus the term itself would cause conservatives to recoil. In other words it's what environmentalism has come to mean politically (as defined by Gore et al) rather then its technical definition that I oppose.

In terms of the second half of the above, my response to it is really more of a commentary on where "conservatives" within the GOP find themselves in regards to McCain's candidacy. You're right, he either has to win with "moderates" or the Republican base ... conservatives like me. And it just rankles me that he is going out of his way to reach out to the moderates/blue dog Dems while making NO overtures to repair his relationship with the party base. And going on Hannitty and calling himself a "conservative" doesn't cut it, for me anyway. He repeatedly referred to himself as a conservative when the GOP primary was still being contested, and said it again during the FOX interview I just referenced, a few weeks ago with Hannitty. So I would like to see his "conservative leadership initiative" via policy put forth when it comes to energy, illegal immigration, etc, rather then doing what I regard as a PR stunt - touring a solar plant in a state he'll never win. He calls himself a conservative, well, where's the beef? And that brings us back to what his inner circle has undoubtedly already decided will happen - the base (conservatives) top issue is the war above all else, and he is clearly the ONLY choice when it come to that. He knows it, I know it, Limbaugh knows it - we WILL pull the lever for Mac in the voting booth and over that one issue. So quite frankly, he doesn't have to "reach out" to us because he knows ultimately there is no alternative to him on the war. And that just rankles me to no end to be honest. And not out of personal sophistry or any other political narcissism which says, "see, he needs people like me."It's because all of these other important issues - energy, illegals, taxes (he voted against the last extension of the Bush tax cuts in 2006), judges, on all of these the Democrat Party has made itself vulnerable because their leadership has opted for a hard left path and subsequently has no plan on any major issue. They have descended into a purely opposition party (as was noted by Jambo) and that is a grand opportunity for the Grand Ol' Party to push these bold "conservative" oriented agendas concerning the issues of the day right down their throats. But instead, because he is the only choice concerning the war, conservatives have to bite the bullet, roll the dice, and HOPE that he will act properly (according to the likes of me anyway) on these other issues. That's what pisses me off. Right now, while Hillary and Obama are throwing hammers at 5 paces he could be putting forth conservative solutions (and he says that's what he is, a Reagan conservative), and say, "HERE, here is what I would do, here is why it would work, now choke on it Democrat leadership, at least I have a plan." But instead he's out getting Arnold's autograph ....

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Oh, and you are correct about the "type" of Democrats that were elected to the newly gained seats last cycle - they are center left, not whack jobs like a Reid or Pelosi. That's encouraging but these blue-dog Dems are not penetrating the upper ranks (egad, the word "penetrate" right after writing the name Pelsoi just made me throw up in my mouth a little), thus they will have no say in setting the national party's platform nor agenda - their nominee will do that and in a Mac presidential win it will fall back to the leaders in Congress. Either way the hard left liberal opposition path they've chosen has no end in sight.

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Obama - goodness gracious. Now he and Wright are having dueling press conferences! Unfortunately for Ol' Hill it's about 10 states too late. Obama will get the nomination. And the 527's, (created by McCain-Feingold ironically enough) will keep Wright's words in the national political dialogue all the way to November no matter how much Mac requests they pull the ads (as he did with the NC state GOP regarding their recent "Wright ad"). This is a lose-lose for Obama. If he gives the mafia style "you're dead to me" backhand to Wright then he will tick off some of his black support whom will see it as Obama throwing a fellow African American under the bus. If he doesn't then the white-blue collar moderate Democrats will head straight for McCain. And we haven't even gotten to the specifics of his overtly socialist health care and tax plans. Talk about limping across the finish line...