Voters Do The Darnedest Things

The main conclusion I draw from the rise of John McCain is that people are not all that fatigued with Bush after all.

• Supposedly as a nation we are tired of the war. McCain's main claim to office is that he will pursue al-Qaeda "to the gates of hell" as he repeats in every stump speech.
  
• Supposedly we are miffed with Bush about immigration. McCain holds the same position.
• Supposedly Bush has broken the Republican party apart by defections from Conservative policies on immigration, education, medicines for seniors, etc. McCain similarly defects from Conservative orthodoxy and is willing to tolerate federal interference --on a similar, but not precisely equivalent, slate of issues.
  
• Bush is said by liberals to be anti-choice and by some pro-lifers to be not pro-life enough. McCain!
  
• We're said to be weary of Bush's "arrogance" and stubbornness. McCain!
• Bush has a "smirk" which I've always thought was just a tendency to smile at people in the audience. You want smirk? McCain's got smirk! Anyone catch last night's debate?
  

Republicans, Independents & pro-war Democrats are uniting behind a candidate very like the guy we've got, at least on paper. Just meaner.