Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The conservative intelligentsia lost...

John McCain's victory in Florida is, for all intents and purposes, a defeat for the conservative intelligentsia.

The GOP could have done far worse.

Fundamentally, this is a win for those who got tired of the ultimatums from the hard-liners. Hugh Hewitt has, I think, hit on this, albeit unintentionally.

As I discussed earlier, these attempts to impose ideological conformity have split a number of people from the GOP. AJ Strata chose to remain independent. The Anchoress is going to re-affiliate as an independent.

The conservative intelligentsia just got sent a message with a 2x4 upside the head. If they are smart, they'll make peace on immigration - and cut a deal that both they and those alighted with McCain and Martinez on the issue can live with. A visible compromise on immigration will give the GOP a chance in the 2008 election.

1 comment:

SJ Reidhead said...

I think the conservative intelligentsia as you so generously call them is absolutely clueless as to what is going on in 'the real world'. I've been saying for ages that their actual number of actual voters in the real world is much less than they think it is.

I wonder if they are reflective enough to comprehend this? I don't think they are.

SJR
The Pink Flamingo