I was very sad to see him lose in 2006. I did not work against him or anything. But the denunciations of McCain — even the ones that are correct — they remind me (because of the source) that in politics, your friends are often your enemies, and your enemies (as happened later with Specter) often turn out to be your friends. I was in the same boat when it came to the judiciary chairmanship, and then from Specter came Roberts and Alito.

And I’m not going to vote for him or support him, but there are a lot worse things that could happen than a McCain nomination.

UPDATE: I mention this because I’ve run into a few conservative writers (for other publications) and staffers in the last few days who insist that they would vote third party if McCain got the nomination. I find most of McCain’s positions indefensible, but most of them also voted for Bush in 2004. You can pretty much line up the two men’s transgressions (and their good deeds) from a conservative perspective, one-for-one.

UPDATE II:

Sed Contra, from a reader:

Bush is a likable person who has occasional bad judgment. McCain is a bad tempered old man who you wouldn’t, (or would if you’re contrary), want to [cross]. Personally, back [in 2004], I believed in Bush and he has hurt me by making careless decisions. But I still like him. McCain I don’t believe in, and worse, I don’t want to try to believe in him.