Every Republican I've spoken to is mystified that John McCain has sewn up the Republican nomination. For his entire career, he has been more statist on both domestic and foreign policy than even the typical Republican. He has been considered a "liberal," and not in a good sense. He doesn't share any of the values that are said to make up the Republican consensus on economics or culture or religion. His personal baggage is heavy and a mile long. He had no dedicated constituency within the party.
Of course I'm not talking to the run-of-the-mill Republican. There are vast
hordes of these people who have never read a book and vote only by the most
sordid political instinct known to man. McCain is their candidate. It comes down
to one thing only: the simple-minded, unthinking impression that he is a war
hero and, more than anyone else, has what it takes to smash the evil foreign
peoples who want to kill us. In short, he appeals to the militaristic,
nationalistic impulses of the base Republican base. FULL ARTICLE