McCain's Centrism, Though A Blow Against Extremism, Still Pales Against Obama's Inspiration

Sen. John McCain's victory in Florida indicates that the extreme right's hegemony in the GOP, especially laid down by its talk radio mouthpieces who have been bashing the Arizonan, is being extinguished by fairly traditional Republicans who don't want an ideologue (Mitt Romney), and a flip-flopper, at that.

McCain appeals to middle-of-the-road Republicans who are not anti-immigrant fanatics, flat-earthers or pre-Revolutionary War theocrats. Seems they are taking back their party. Or trying.

An interesting development.

In other words, McCain's got enough Republicanism in him to win at least a plurality against a Romney and a Huckabee, let alone Rudy Giuliani, who was a one-issue candidate with zero sense of timing.

And something like ten million bucks of other people's money down the drain.

Now we'll see how the Democrats respond, assuming it becomes also a two-person race, with former Sen. John Edwards bowing out, probably after Super-Duper Tuesday. (And without any Rudyesque embarrassment.)

A face-off between Sen. Barack Obama and McCain replays the 1960 John F. Kennedy-Richard Nixon race. Youth and vigor against age and establishmentarianism.

Advantage, Obama.

If it's a contest between Sen. Hillary Clinton and McCain, it's a closer call, but Clinton still wins, because at the national level, after years of Bush-Cheney, change is in the air.

With his support of the Iraq War and surge, McCain won't be able to disengage himself from Bush on what it was that defined Bush's presidency and dragged the country through hell since 2003.