In A Nutshell

Digby tackles the idea that conservatives won't back McCain in the general. She concludes:

The conservatives never get enough credit for being pragmatic. They are. When faced with the total repudiation of their most precious ideals in the wreckage of the worst presidency ever, they picked the one guy in their whole party who any voter could possibly believe wasn't a loyal Bushie. The only thing they required was that he was a bloodthirsty sonofabitch who would keep the flame of war alive. He is happy to oblige.

I think that's true. But. I also think that enthusiasm plays a role in elections. While conservatives who do vote will vote for McCain, the question is how many will actually vote? The dislike of McCain won't show up in percentages, but rather in numbers. And the numbers that matter are voters and $$$. Compare those numbers with Obama's.