GOP Primary Scenario: McCain as comprise candidate?

[Reaganfan]

Say Rudy, Romney and Thompson are the "#1 tier" candidates
McCain, Brownback and Huckabee are the "#2 tier" candidates

Rudy, Romney and Thompson cancel each other out, and McCain becomes the uniter in the party as the comprise nominee?

[Eleden]

I think it's possible for McCain to win the primary.  If you look at history the frontrunner at the beginning of the Republican primary race usually wins. 

However, there is one thing that is destroying McCain and that is his staunch support for Bush and the Iraq War.  If he could somehow change his campaign to distance himself from the President and that issue then perhaps he could rebound.

[Reaganfan]

I think it's possible for McCain to win the primary.  If you look at history the frontrunner at the beginning of the Republican primary race usually wins. 

However, there is one thing that is destroying McCain and that is his staunch support for Bush and the Iraq War.  If he could somehow change his campaign to distance himself from the President and that issue then perhaps he could rebound.

I actually think it's immigration, not Iraq.

[Eleden]

I think it's both.  Although immigration is probably hurting him among the party, while the war in Iraq is hurting him among the general public.

[MasterJedi]

Immigration will doom him among the base.

[Lincoln Republican]

The McCain campaign is deteriorating day by day.

No money, no staff, doggedly hanging on to losing positions on the war and immigration. 

McCain is now only trying to hang on to the vestages of a pathetic campaign organization until the New Hampshire primary, where he will get trounced royally, and then he will qualify for matching funds. 

He then withdraws from the race telling those few still with him how proud he is of them all.

McCain is in no position to be a compromise for anyone.

[Kevin]

Romney is the the perfect nominee who will please every one in the Party. 

[CARLHAYDEN]

The McCain campaign is deteriorating day by day.

No money, no staff, doggedly hanging on to losing positions on the war and immigration. 

McCain is now only trying to hang on to the vestages of a pathetic campaign organization until the New Hampshire primary, where he will get trounced royally, and then he will qualify for matching funds. 

He then withdraws from the race telling those few still with him how proud he is of them all.

McCain is in no position to be a compromise for anyone.

First, if McCain performs as badly as expected, he will not qualify for matching funds.

Second, McCain is merely hanging on hoping that the other candidates will self-destruct in the next few months.

Third, I believe he will withdraw before the first delegate selection in January to avoid finishing behind a second tier candidate while still an active candidate.

Fourth, McCain's support for the Iraq war has soured the left on his candidacy, it really hasn't hurt his chances in the Republican primary.

Finally, McCain is widely disliked (for good reason) by Republicans, so there's no way he is a "compromise" candidate.

[Lincoln Republican]

The McCain campaign is deteriorating day by day.

No money, no staff, doggedly hanging on to losing positions on the war and immigration. 

McCain is now only trying to hang on to the vestages of a pathetic campaign organization until the New Hampshire primary, where he will get trounced royally, and then he will qualify for matching funds. 

He then withdraws from the race telling those few still with him how proud he is of them all.

McCain is in no position to be a compromise for anyone.

First, if McCain performs as badly as expected, he will not qualify for matching funds.

Second, McCain is merely hanging on hoping that the other candidates will self-destruct in the next few months.

Third, I believe he will withdraw before the first delegate selection in January to avoid finishing behind a second tier candidate while still an active candidate.

Fourth, McCain's support for the Iraq war has soured the left on his candidacy, it really hasn't hurt his chances in the Republican primary.

Finally, McCain is widely disliked (for good reason) by Republicans, so there's no way he is a "compromise" candidate.

How well does a candidate have to do in a primary to qualify for matching funds?

[poughies]

The iraq war support isn't hurting him in the primary as mentioned... that is a msm or Washington beltway misnomer.....

Its immigration.

And Romney isn't the perfect answer.... even if he makes through the primary, there is a good chance all of his backtalking quotes will come back to haunt him. And if those don't, his religious rhetoric will.

[Likely Voter]

McCain would stand a chance if there were less people in the race, but there are just too many alternatives for both the conservaitves who hate him for Immigration and disloyalty and the moderates (and independents voting in some promairies) who dont like the war.

[Gabu]

Compromise?  What sort of weird compromise would end up with McCain as the Republican candidate?

The Democrats could be so lucky.

[MaC]

Romney is the the perfect nominee who will please every one in the Party. 

Not if the American public learns more about his previous record...