The Clintonistas and the Obamacult, each elevating personality over party, continue their feud all the way into the Convention in August, giving McCain a head start of several months. How would he assemble a victory?
Recall the math. In 2004, Bush beat Kerry in the electoral college, 286-252.
NV, NM, CO, and (to a lesser degree) IA are the most fertile opportunities for an Obama ticket. If that happened and everything else stayed the same, 26 votes would switch and Obama would lead 278-260. From there, McCain would need only take PA or MI or WI and he'd win.
How to do it? One way would be to pick a running mate who was acceptable to both traditional conservatives and the religious right wing. Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin? Or here's a stunner: How about Romney? Sure, the Baptists would hate it, but they're not exactly going to vote for Clinton, who they've always hated, or Obama, of the black nationalist preacher.
Romney would bring TONS of money, plus Michigan, plus Nevada, and probably Colorado. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party would be fighting all the way through August, emerging from the convention battered and split as a consequence of the prom queen election that got out of control.
Just think of it: McCain and Romney naming three new Supreme Court justices, and likely Romney being a strong contender for two more Republican terms. But we can be certain of this: Hillary Clinton would still be a senator from New York, and Markos Moulitsas would be raking in the dough offering the most popular on-line crying towel to what's left of the Democratic Party.
Think of it, my children. This is your future as martyrs. How does it feel?