"The reason McCain and the others are upset is that they can anticipate the same may well happen to them. "
McCain has two things on his mind; the Presidency in 08 and lacking that to get on the ticket as VP for a Conservative to offset whatever Hillary has up her sleeve.
IMHO what McCain is doing here is negotiating with Frist to get on a Frist/McCain ticket in 08. Laugh all you want, McCain is positioning himself. We all think he is a stupid RINO. I submit that the only way McCain has a chance to get to the WH is as a VP.
I believe politics has changed... It's a different ball game. A lot of the old rules (i.e. the Senate country club [smile]), has changed as well. The Religious right/social conservatives, finally got tired of taking it in the Chin... and look at it flexing its power now. And I predict it will become even stronger and why you ask? (you did asked,didn't you :), because we have NO CHOICE. If we don't defend our values, they will eat us alive.